Nutritional fat, or lipids, come in four primary forms: triglycerides, free fatty acids (FFA), phospholipids, and sterols. Fat has gotten a bad rep in the media due to excess fat consumption being linked to an increased risk for cancer, diabetes, and obesity. Contrary to popular belief, however, fat consumption has not been linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) with over 21 recent research studies supporting this finding.
Fat is utilized for a multitude of purposes by the body. Fat is an important part of the cell membrane and of nerve fibers. Fat is our primary energy source, consisting of around 70 percent of our resting energy. It aids in support and cushioning of vital organs. The body’s natural steroid hormones are produced from cholesterol from fat and fat-soluble vitamins are stored and transported by fat.
Nutrition labels lay out saturated and unsaturated fat content. Unsaturated fats come as polysaturated or monosaturated, which is a fancy way of saying it has either one(mono) or two or more(poly) double bonds in their structure. Unsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature, with a few exceptions. Good ideas when looking to fulfill your unsaturated fats are almonds, nuts, plant oils, salmon, tuna, and avocados. Saturated fat is different than unsaturated as it has no double bonds, it is fully loaded with hydrogen atoms. Saturated fat is typically solid at room temperature. The AHA recommends 5-6 percent of your daily fat intake should come from saturated fats. Great ideas for saturated fat includes animal meat, coconut oil, and dairy. The types of fat we really want to avoid are called hydrogenated fat. This is the bad guy of fats. Hydrogen is added to “create” a saturated fat. We find this kind of fat in pretty much any processed foods. This fat is toxic and should be avoided.
Nutritional fat can be used for many performance and body composition outcomes. We use carbohydrates as a form of fast-acting energy, but just as fast as we use it we also deplete it. Limited levels of muscle and liver glycogen can make us feel fatigued, which is why fat consumption in moderation is extremely important. The use of free fatty acids can delay muscle exhaustion. Endurance training can increase the ability of the body to use fat as energy. However, there is no evidence that supports “fat loading” in improve endurance. Additionally, there is also no evidence to support fasted cardio and burning more fat regardless of what the gym bros might lead you to believe.
Nutrient timing of fat can be tricky. It is recommended to consume fat early in the day and late in the evening as fat is a slow digesting food that will help you feel full as well as help avoid catabolism. Due to the slow digestion of fats, we should avoid fat consumption around our most active parts of the day, ESPECIALLY around exercise when we want nutrients shuttled to our muscles as quickly as possible.
Suggested fat intake is 20-35 percent of your daily caloric intake. When you have a diet high in fat, typically characterized as about 35 percent, you are at risk for increasing your LDL levels as well as your risk for stroke, cancer, etc. When you neglect to consume enough fat, lower than 20 percent, you will see a decrease in energy levels as well as a decrease in immune functioning.
Nutritional fats will not make you fat if consuming the correct kinds and in correspondence to your goals. Be smart and eat your fats! Your body will thank you.