Physical Wellness

3 Fat Facts You Must Be Aware Of

By Kamal Nayan | Update Date: Sep 04, 2014 01:42 PM EDT

Every once in a while, researchers come up with studies related to fats, whose findings are contrasting. Red meat, junk fare and foods rich in saturated fatty acids are associated with cardiovascular disorders, according to one study. According to another, nuts, oily fish and dairy products, again high in saturated fats are linked to lower risk of cardiac problems. 

Read: Specific Fats Cut Heart Risk

And also: Low Saturate Fat Diets Don't Minimize Heart Disease Risk

Even after researchers' growing interest in this field, what fat should be consumed and what shouldn't, remains a question. 

However, here are three things we would like you to know about fats.

Fats are important

Fats are essential. For a healthy skin and hair we need certain polyunsaturated fatty acids namely linoleic and linolenic acids, in our diet, and vegetable oils, nuts and oily fish are chief sources. These also play a significant role in maintaing cardiovascular health as well as brain and visual function. 

Further, fats provide insulation for body temperature regulation by filling up body's adipose tissue. 

Read: Vegetable Fats May Lengthen Lives of Prostate Cancer Patients

Women must consume fat

According to research, body fat plays a significant role in fertility. Between 20-30 per cent of a healthy woman's body weight is fat (this makes it twice as much as men) and when the level drops below 18 percent, ovulation stops. 

However, levels above 50 percent of the woman's weight can cause infertility. 

Read: High-Fat Diet Tied to Breast Cancer Risk, Study Finds

An energy food

Our body gets energy from carbohydrates, but fat provides us energy along with storage spots for energy. Study shows that fat supplies between a quarter and two-fifths of an adult's energy intake and half for a newborn. Hence adding fat to food can double the energy content. 

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