Facts about fat

We are all aware of the wonders that fat does to the palatability of food. Research repeatedly link a diet high in fat with a wide array of long-term health problems, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer.

Health organizations advise to reduce the intake of excess fat and calories as an important step towards improving overall health. But, would it be fair to eliminate the fat element totally from your diet? Dietary fat has gained a bad reputation with no real fault of its own.

  Why we cannot ignore fat

·         Absorption of vitamins:

Helps in absorbing essential vitamins -A,D,E and K much needed by our body.

·         Protects against cold and shock:

Underneath the skin, we have a layer of fat, which helps us fight cold. Also we have a protective layer of fat around some organs of the body like liver, heart and intestines to protect them against shock.

·         Tide over minor falls and injuries:

It is this friendly fat, which acts as a cushion for minor falling shocks.

 However, these virtues of fat should not drive us towards an uninhibited fat consumption drive since it can be harmful too. For instance, while excess quantity of good fat causes obesity, excess bad fat causes heart trouble. Therefore, you have to be cautious not only about the quantity of fat but also the quality.

The good fat

The best and most healthy fat are mono-unsaturated fats found in olive and peanut oil. Other good fat is poly-unsaturated fat that increases the artery clearing lipids or good cholesterol in your body which removes any plaque clotting your arteries.

The bad fat

Fat, commonly called cholesterol is found in foods like egg and meat. Cholesterol is a fat that is also formed by the liver in our body by using saturated fats present in cooking mediums like ghee, butter, coconut and palm oil. It is harmful as it increases the formation of artery-clogging plaque which narrows the arteries and in turn reduces the supply of blood and nutrition to the heart. When the arteries get completely blocked, it causes a heart attack.

 Smart cues to trim the fat

      Instead of whole milk, drink skimmed milk.

Use two egg whites in place of one full egg.

Substitute low fat cheese and margarine for ordinary cheese and butter.

Eat lots of fruits and raw vegetables.

Avoid opting for dishes with rich gravy.

Instead of coconut chutney, eat coriander chutney.

Adopt alternative methods of cooking like microwave baking and grilling.

Take small meals, at least six meals a day to avoid binge eating.

Make dinner the lightest meals as it is known that most of the fat gets deposited in the body during long periods of inactivity, especially in the night. If dinner gets too late, try and eat more salad.

So, before you decide that you need to lose weight, remember to consider that fat consists of both good and bad. Try to keep your weight loss goals realistic and remember to lose only the bad fat.