Why Do I Need Fats?
No single food contains all the nutrients we need for health, so try to eat a wide variety
of different foods each day. By choosing a variety of foods from the five food groups
most people will get all the nutrients their bodies need.
Generally, people are more concerned about getting too much fat into their diet rather
than not enough. Fat is an essential nutrient. It is made up of essential fatty acids
that our bodies cannot make for itself. A diet that contains no fat will be deficient in
essential nutrients and therefore is an unhealthy diet. Although too much fat in the diet
isn’t healthy, too little fat can have some very serious consequences. Fats and oils are a
concentrated source of energy and are necessary for good health and fitness.
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What is fat used for in our bodies?
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Vitamin absorption : Vitamins A, D, E, K and carotenoids are fat-soluble vitamins,
meaning that the fat in foods helps the intestines absorb these vitamins into the
body.
Brain development: Fat provides the structural components not only of cell
membranes in the brain, but also of myelin, the fatty insulating sheath that
surrounds each nerve fiber, enabling it to carry messages faster.
Energy: Gram for gram fats is the most efficient source of food energy we consume.
Healthier skin: One of the more obvious signs of fatty acid deficiency is dry, flaky
skin.
©Eating Disorders Network, South East Scotland. Version: June 2009 www.ednses.com. This material can be copied and distributed for clinical use.
Please contact [email protected] if you wish to make any alterations to this material or to use it in any other way than originally intended.
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Temperature regulation: the layer of fat just beneath the skin acts as the
body’s own insulation to help regulate body temperature .
Healthy cells: Fats are a vital part of the membrane that surrounds each
cell of the body. Without a healthy cell membrane, the rest of the cell
couldn’t function.
Making hormones: Fats regulate the production of sex hormones, important
in women for fertility. Too little fat will result in periods stopping.
Pleasure: Fat adds to the appealing taste, texture and appearance of food.
Protective cushion for our organs: Many of the vital organs, especially the
kidneys, heart, and intestines are cushioned by fat that helps protect them
from injury and hold them in place.
Types of fats
Saturates
• Fats that are solid at room temperature, contain the most saturates. They
can raise the level of cholesterol in the blood, increasing the risk of heart
disease
• Saturated fat is found in foods like meat, butter, lard, and cream
• Trans fat/hydrogenated fat (found in baked goods, snack foods, fried foods,
and margarines) have been shown to increase your risk for heart disease.
Unsaturated fat
• Unsaturated fats are mostly liquid at room temperature.
Monounsaturated fat
• Found in rapeseed oil, olive oil, almond and avocado. These have been
found to help reduce blood cholesterol.
• Fats in the form of monounsaturated fat help raise levels of protective HDL
cholesterol.
Poly-unsaturates
• These contain a particular type of essential fatty acid (Omega-3 & Omega
6). They may help to protect against heart disease by lowering total
cholesterol. Oil rich fish, such as kippers, mackerel, herring and salmon are
a good source of these fats. Lamb and beef from animals fed on grass also
contain small amounts of this type of fat.
• Safflower oil has the highest amount of polyunsaturated fat of all the
common varieties of oil.
What type of fat should I eat?
Unsaturated fat found in foods like olive oil, avocados, nuts, and canola oil
is type of fat you should consume most of. However, eating other fats in
moderation is not harmful and it is important as you recover from an eating
disorder to be able to eat a range of foods including some ‘unhealthy foods’ just
because they taste nice! Our bodies are amazing and can deal with everything
in moderation.
How much fat should I eat?
Depending on what your current diet is like it may be necessary to change your
fat intake. Your dietitian will advise you on your individual requirements. The
total amount of fat suggested per day is about 70g for women and 90g for men
and should make up 30-35% of your total food intake. You should use at least
three teaspoons of butter, margarine or oil every day. Aim for at least one
teaspoon per meal, as an absolute minimum.
©Eating Disorders Network, South East Scotland. Version: June 2009 www.ednses.com. This material can be copied and distributed for clinical use.
Please contact [email protected] if you wish to make any alterations to this material or to use it in any other way than originally intended.
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