People who are conscious about weight loss surely dread the word ‘fats.’ From a nutritionist’s point of view, fats are food nutrients that are also needed by the body. For weight losers, fats are simply dreadful regardless of their functions and usefulness.
However, there are what are called as essential fats(EFA’s). From the word phrase itself, those fats can be described as fats than can be important to the body. To better understand helpful and healthy fats, it is advisable that people be exposed to two important types of essential fats, namely monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.
Monounsaturated fats
There is no denying that monounsaturated essential fats are the healthiest fats. It should be noted that monounsaturated fats do not in any way lead to the adverse effects linked with the counterpart and destructive saturated fats. The usefulness and healthfulness of such fats can be illustrated in how they are regarded in the Mediterranean region, where the risks and cases of heart diseases are small.
Scientifically, monounsaturated fats lower cholesterol that may increase the threats of possible heart diseases. The fats help the body produce essential fatty acids that promote healthier skin and assists in the development of body cells. These fats are also proven to protect the human body against several forms of cancers, including colon and breast cancers, which are two of the most fatal forms of cancer.
Sources of monounsaturated fats include olive oil, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, sesame seeds, avocado and pumpkin seeds. For weight loss strategies, regulated consumption is still advisable because excessive accumulation of these fats can adversely affect weight and health.
Polyunsaturated fats
Compared to saturated forms of fats, polyunsaturated fats are much healthier. Belonging in the family of polyunsaturated essential fats are the well publicized omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, which are known to be ideal and recommendable for the health of the heart.
Like the monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats help regulate the human body’s overall cholesterol level. In contrast, these fats effectively counter and offset bad cholesterol. Food sources include corn, soybean, sunflower and safflower.
Weight loss strategies
So why are these fats important for weight loss? Well, firstly the problem with fats is that they have 9 calories per gram while protein and carbohydrates have 4 calories. So it was generally thought that cutting out fat would enable you to lose weight.
It doesn’t really work like this though, if you eat saturated fats then sure, the body gets flushed with too much energy, but if you eat the fats mentioned above, the body uses them in the brain, in your nervous system, it balances out your hormones, boost your immunity, care for your skin and reduce any inflammation. And if there is anything left after that then it gets used as energy. Ok, if this isn’t enough then think about this.
Your body craves fat like it craves sugar. If you haven’t had any you will look for it. Eating these healthy fats removes this craving. They also control your metabolism and fat burning and help regulate your insulin. To put it simply, you need a certain amount of the right fats in your diet to lose weight.
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