Health and Fitness

Some fats are good for you

Essential fatty acids are unsaturated fats that can not be constructed within the body and need to be obtained via your diet. They are one of the most vital nutrients, required for the normal growth and functioning of nerves, cells, muscles and organs of your body. The EFAs are required as raw materials for a number of compounds and hormones like prostaglandins and leukotrienes that help in many important functions of your body. Dietary deficiency of EFAs causes major health problems like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer.

Depending on the chemical composition there are two classes of EFAs, the omega-3 fatty acids and the omega-6 fatty acids.

Sources of essential fatty acids

The omega-3 fatty acids are technically alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), stearidonic acid, EPA and DHA. These are mainly found in flaxseed oil, canola oil, walnuts, hemp seeds, soybeans and dark green vegetables. EPA and DHA are found in cold water fish like sardines, salmon, trout and cod.

The omega-6 fatty acids are technically the linoleic acid, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and arachidonic acid (AA). They are found in olive, almond, soybean, sunflower, hemp, safflower and sesame. Evening primrose oil contains GLA while AA is present in meat and other animal products.

Experts recommend a balanced use of the EFAs in your diet. Dietary deficiency of EFAs cause various disorders like high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, dry or scaly skin, dry hair, fatigue, aching joints, frequent infections and allergies, depression and poor memory. EFA supplements are used to treat and prevent more than 60 health related conditions including asthma, eczema, arthritis and menopausal problems.

Fats have always been associated with calories. Dietary fats play a vital role in your health and they should be included in your diet but within the recommended limit. Fats are high energy foods that provide 9 kcal of energy per gram of fat  in contrast to carbohydrates or proteins that provide only 4 kcal of energy. Proteins are largely spared from being used by the body to supply energy, as long as fat is present. Besides supplying energy, fats serve as mode of transport for the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Fats support vital organs of the body like the heart, kidneys and the intestine. Fat is present underneath the skin which acts as an insulator against cold. But above all, the food becomes more palatable with the use of fat.

Fats are linked with weight gain and obesity. The US dietary guidelines restricted the intake of fats in diet as not more than 30 % of the total calorie intake for both adults and children. The reason was to prevent them from becoming obese, possible heart and other diseases. But it was seen that children having a low fat and low cholesterol diet failed to grow properly and on the contrary they became more prone to heart diseases. Children need a high amount of fat in their diet throughout for their proper growth and development of muscles, bones and brain.

Diets rich in EFAs reduce the chance of heart disease. Animal fats help to provide vitamin D and A and omega fatty acids that are required for the assimilation of protein, development of immunity to fight against infections, development of brain and vision, also the development of sexual functions and fertility is influenced by fat.