How
Fat-free can harm your health
By Sherali S. Bharwani
I have
explained time and again that if you
don't consume fat at all, then your body thinks you're
starving. In this 'starvation mode' or 'famine mode', your
body tends to store every ounce of stored fat and thus you
don't lose weight.
But
weight issues aside, if you cut back fat from your diet
drastically, that can be downright unhealthy, increasing your
risk of heart disease by decreasing high-density
lipoproteins (HDLs, the "good" cholesterol) and
boosting blood levels of triglycerides. They may also raise
your risk for such conditions as gout and gallstones.
A
lot of weight loss plans tell their followers to limit their
fat intake to below 5 percent per day or even to abstain
from fat completely.
If
you do that, your body will react by compensating for it and
making its own fat in the form of an enzyme called lipoprotein
lipase. This doesn't only increases stored fat reserves in
the body but actually can be more unhealthy than getting fat
from food!
Lack
of dietary fat also prevents the absorption of the
disease-fighting phytochemicals contained in fruits and
vegetables.
Fats provide
energy, maintain cell membranes and blood vessels, transmit
nerve impulses, and produce essential hormones.
Not only does
your body need fat to function, it also requires a certain
amount in order to absorb other nutrients, including
vitamins A, D, E, and K (essential for proper eyesight, bone
formation, and blood clotting). Vitamins A and E are also
antioxidants and have been shown to reduce the incidence of
heart disease and a variety of cancers.
Additionally,
appropriate amounts of fats are required in your daily diet
in order to keep your body's secondary system functioning
properly. Fats are essentially required for your hair, your
nails, your joints etc.
But
determining the proper amount of healthy fat in your daily
diet is a very tricky issue. You have to be very careful
with the foods that contain fat. Just consider this..
-
Eat
too much fat and you will not lose weight!
-
Eat
too little fat and you will not lose weight!
-
Eat
the 'BAD' fat and you will not lose weight!
-
Don't
eat the 'GOOD' fat and you will not lose weight!
MagicallySLIM's
bonus component 'Facts & Fallacies About Fats' provides
detailed insights on everything that is even remotely
related to the ever-elusive topic of fats and their role in
a healthy diet.
Click
Here to learn more
about MagicallySLIM.
