Top Ten Reasons to Love Fats

Not all Fats are created equal.

Fats are the most hated guys of nutrition, the most demonized of all nutrients and the black sheep of fine dining. Are fats really that bad? Do Fats deserve all these bad publicity?

I must admit, surely some fats do pose health risks. But please don’t jump into conclusion that fats are the killers would be. Let me tell you something, there are two kinds of fats on this fatty world of ours:

• Saturated Fats — The bad boys of the fats community. Hahaha. These are fats found in animal food. And are all associated with an increased risk of heart disease, has been implicated in prostate cancer and breast cancer.
• Unsaturated Fats — The best type is what they call monounsaturated fats. As I have searched this is plentiful in olive, canola, pecans, as well as peanut oils, shellfish and cold-water fish such as trout, mackerel and salmon.

Here are the top ten reasons to love fats:

1. Fats provide energy. There is no doubt about it. Do you agree?
2. Fats supply hormone-like chemicals, the prostaglandins that regulate blood pressure, normal blood clot formation, blood lipids, immunity and inflammation in response to injury.
3. Fats enhance flavors to foods that imparts enticing aroma to foods.
4. Fats helps your body absorbs, transport and store the fat-soluble vitamins A for strong immunity, D for absorption of calcium, E to protect cells and K for normal blood clotting.
5. Fats protect your heart. I suggest fish oil, which is composed of omega-3 fatty acids that reduces blood pressure, lowers triglyceride levels, prevent abnormal blood clotting and heart arrhythmias.
6. Fats fight obesity. Yes, I wrote it right! And you read that right! Fat can fight fat! It is true that when you are on a diet, you are usually told to cut o dietary fat, right? But there is omega-6 fat that is found naturally in meat, dairy products, sunflower oil and safflower oil. They call this conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) that helps you burn body fat. OK?
7. Fats help treat arthritis. These are particularly found in fish oil that is a best treatment of “rheumatoid arthritis” in medical terms. This is a joint disease in which the body’s own immune system attacks its tissues.
8. Fats help fight cancer. Omega-3 fatty acids thwart cancer mainly by slowing the growth and spread of tumors. It also protects against cancer of the breast and colon. Just a piece of advice, avoid saturated fats for they seem to promote cancer.
9. Fats defeat depression. Again this is the turf of omega-3 fatty acids. High rate of fish consumption lowers the rate of depression. In addition to this, it relieves the symptoms of manic depression. One thing for sure, fats chase your blues away!
10. Fats rejuvenate the brain. Fats are considered the building block of your brain. It is required for normal brain development as well as for mental well-being. It may help brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, memory loss and dementia.

Are you still confused? Remember this, as a general rule, the healthiest fats are the monounsaturated oils, seconded by polyunsaturated and the last the saturated fats.