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 each person and are needed in order to ensure the vital activity of the organism. However, not all fats are beneficial.
About the benefits of fat
Fats are organic substancesthe main purpose of which 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 may sound, they are less cold. Fat conducts heat poorly, and therefore retains it in the body. In addition, adipose tissue protects organs from injury and mechanical damage, they “wrap up” them and protect them. The opinion that eating fats is harmful is erroneous, because 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 the fat-soluble vitamins and phosphatides.
About the dangers of fatty foods
Excess fat is also harmful - if a personconsumes fatty foods, they are deposited in the liver, under the skin and can cause a lot of serious diseases. It is also worth remembering that fat tends to accumulate in the blood. Blood obesity reduces the amount of protein in it, and it is the main carrier of fatty molecules. All this leads to the gluing of red blood cells among themselves, 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.
The qualitative composition of fats
When searching for the answer to the question “what is fat?»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 capable of attaching other atoms to themselves. And the unsaturated ones, on the contrary, contain open atoms in their chain, which can attach another atom to themselves. This is the use of unsaturated fats - they can attach to themselves other elements necessary for the body, and have greater value. The body cannot saturate saturated fats for other purposes, so they accumulate.
Is cholesterol friend or foe?
Another feature of saturated fat isthe presence of cholesterol in their composition. For many, this word is associated with overweight, blood vessels and impaired heart function. However, there is also a "useful" cholesterol, which is necessary for the maintenance of vital activity and is produced by our body. The question arises of what fats are and where does cholesterol come from? 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 that take place at the intracellular level. The body receives cholesterol in two ways: it produces itself in the liver and with fats that people consume. Therefore, fats and cholesterol interact closely.
About trans fats
Since we are talking about fats, it is important to know thatare trans fats and how they differ from ordinary ones. Trans fat is formed by passing hydrogen bubbles through a common oil, such as vegetable oil. This is done in order to increase its shelf life (and hence the products that are made from it) and to give it a stable state. The most striking example is ordinary margarine. Unfortunately, trans fats are dangerous to health. Once in the human body, they not only disrupt metabolic processes, but also adversely affect the metabolic processes of fats, which in turn disrupts the process of insulin metabolism. The result is obesity. The negative impact of trans fats on men has been scientifically proven - the level of testosterone in their blood decreases sharply. This leads to obesity for the "female" type, fat is deposited on the hips, buttocks and chest. In addition, the erectile function is noticeably reduced, the muscles of the body sag and lose their weight. Therefore, in order to avoid all possible negative consequences, it is important to know what trans fats and saturated fats are.
Trans fat is contained not only in margarine, theircan be found in the composition of potato chips, cookies and other "purchased" pastries, frozen pizza and many other products. The share of such fat can reach about 50%, since most of them are made using hydrogenated fats. For example, in one serving of french fries about 14 grams of trans fats, in a small bundle of chips - 3 grams, in a portion of fried chicken - 7 grams, in a portion of a dry breakfast - 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, may 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 additional 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, therefore in this respect there is no substitute for them. The hardest thing for the body comes from 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 protein than vegetable, and the digestibility of such proteins is 90%, while plant-derived proteins are only 65% absorbed.
What are fats?This is the energy reserve of the body. And if there is a lack of them, proteins begin to break down actively - hormonal disruption occurs in the body, the skin grows dull, the strength of the vessels decreases, digestive problems occur.
Carbohydrates are the best source of energy forthe brain, while the muscles of the body receive energy by converting fats. Conventionally, carbohydrates are divided into simple and complex. The most useful are complex carbohydrates, or polysaccharides. Their deficiency can cause a decrease in the protein content, and an excess also leads to overweight. Therefore, it is important to find a middle ground.
