The word "fats" we used to hear every day. But few people think about what fats are. In fact, they are present in the diet of every person and are needed in order to ensure the vital activity of the body. However, not all fats are healthy.
About the benefits of fats
Fats are organic substances whose main purpose is to provide energy to the whole organism. It is for this reason that people with a thick layer of subcutaneous fat tolerate hunger more easily and, no matter how strange it sounds, freeze less. Fat conducts heat poorly, and therefore stores it in the body. In addition, adipose tissues protect organs from injuries and mechanical damage, they “wrap” them and protect them. The opinion that eating fats is harmful is erroneous, since the human body needs them, but in moderation. Their deficiency can lead to a malfunction of the body. Together with fat, we get unsaturated fatty acids, part of fat-soluble vitamins and phosphatides.
About the dangers of fatty foods
An excess of fats is also harmful - if a person eats fatty foods, they are deposited in the liver, under the skin and can provoke a lot of serious diseases. It is also worth remembering that fat has the ability to accumulate in the blood. Obesity reduces the amount of protein in it, and it is the main carrier of fat molecules. All this leads to the gluing of red blood cells together, the blood thickens, blood clots occur in the vessels. As a result, the nutrition of tissues and organs is disturbed, the risk of stroke increases sharply.
Qualitative composition of fats
When searching for the answer to the question "what is fats?" it is necessary to take into account not only its benefits and harm to the body, but also its qualitative composition. From a chemical point of view, they are divided into two groups - saturated and unsaturated. What are saturated fats? These are fats with a closed structure, that is, they are not able to attach other atoms to themselves. And unsaturated, on the contrary, contain open atoms in their chain that can attach another atom to themselves. This is the benefit of unsaturated fats - they can attach to themselves other elements necessary for the body to work, and are more valuable. The body cannot “spend” saturated fats for other purposes, so they accumulate.
Is cholesterol a friend or an enemy?
Another feature of saturated fats is the presence of cholesterol in their composition. For many, this word is associated with excess weight, blood vessels and impaired heart function. However, there is also “useful” cholesterol, which is necessary for the maintenance of vital activity and is produced by our body. The question is, what are fats and where does cholesterol? The fact is that cholesterol is involved in the creation of hormones such as estrogen, cortisol and testosterone. In addition, he takes part in reactions taking place at the intracellular level. The body receives cholesterol in two ways: it produces it in the liver and with fats that a person consumes. Therefore, fats and cholesterol interact closely.
About trans fats
Since we are talking about fats, it is important to know what trans fats are and how they differ from ordinary ones. Trans fat is formed by passing hydrogen bubbles through an ordinary oil, such as vegetable oil. This is done in order to increase its shelf life (hence, the products that are made from it) and give it a stable condition. The most striking example is ordinary margarine. Unfortunately, trans fats are dangerous to health. Once in the human body, they not only disrupt the metabolic processes, but also negatively affect the metabolic processes of fats, which in turn violates the process of metabolism of insulin. The result is obesity. The negative effect of trans fats on men is scientifically proven - the level of testosterone in their blood decreases sharply. This leads to obesity in the "female" type, fat is deposited on the hips, buttocks and chest. In addition, erectile function decreases markedly, body muscles sag and lose their mass. Therefore, in order to avoid all possible negative consequences, it is important to know what trans fats and saturated fats are.
Trans fats are not only found in margarine; they can be found in potato chips, cookies, and other “purchased” pastries, frozen pizza, and many other products. At the same time, the proportion of such fat can reach about 50%, since most of them are made using hydrogenated fats. For example, in one portion of french fries about 14 grams of trans fats, in a small packet of chips - 3 grams, in a portion of fried chicken - 7 grams, in a portion of breakfast cereal - 2 grams. To harm your health, it is enough to consume more than 4 grams of trans fats per day.
Fats, Proteins and Carbohydrates - One Team
What are fats, proteins and carbohydrates? This is one “team” of substances that, from an energy point of view, can well become a substitute for each other. However, if the body makes up for the lack of carbohydrates with proteins and fats, it will have to spend an additional amount of energy to absorb them. But it is worth remembering that proteins are a source of essential amino acids, and fat is a source of essential fatty acids, so there is no substitute for them in this regard. The hardest part of the body is with a lack of proteins.
Protein is a building material for the body. It consists of a number of amino acids, 9 of which come only with food and are not synthesized in the body. Animal food contains more proteins than vegetable, and the digestibility of such proteins is 90%, while proteins of plant origin are absorbed by only 65%.
What are fats? This is the energy reserve of the body. And if there is a lack of them, the proteins begin to actively break down - a hormonal malfunction occurs in the body, the skin grows dull, the vascular strength decreases, and digestion problems occur.
Carbohydrates are the best source of energy for the brain, while the muscles of the body receive energy by converting fats. Conventionally, carbohydrates are divided into simple and complex. Complex carbohydrates, or polysaccharides, are considered the most useful. Their deficiency can cause a decrease in protein content, and excess also leads to the appearance of excess weight. Therefore, it is important to find a middle ground.