Fats -- Are They Really Necessary?

[jethross34]

Hello I'm Jethro and I'm a new user for this forum. I just wanna know if fats is necessary for diet because personal instructor told me to avoid fats as much as possible, on other hand, a nutritionist told to not avoid them completely because it balances your diet. So which side will I take in?

Looking forward for answers

[shapelycurves]

Well everyone is going to have their own opinions on this, but I personally believe you need some fats in your diet to be healthy. You can have good fats like avocado as opposed to bad fats in fast food and junk foods. Are you trying to lose weight? If so you might want to check this out http://www.greenhcg.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. I used it after having baby and it really helped me get rid of some stubborn pounds.

[Boss Man]

You DEFINITELY need fats in your diet, because Omega 3 and 6 cannot be produced in vivo, hence the term EFA, (Essential Fatty Acid).

Now the body should under normal circumstances, be able produce Omega 9's like Nervonic Acid, Oleic Acid and Erucic Acid for example, so there's no need to consume these per se, but as they exist in things like Olive Oil, they can be taken in dietary form and shouldn't cause a problem, unless you consumed vast quantities perhaps, or they were consumed when rancid, or consumed whan past their smoke point and had undergone a toxic conversion into a Carcinogenic substance.

[Jentry07]

Yes the right kinds of fats are necessary. Although trans fats are completely unnecessary and should be avoided. They are man made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil this is called hydrogenation, used to extend the shelf life of foods. They raise your LDL and lower you HDL.
Of course in large amounts, yes any fats are bad for you. But there are fats our body needs to survive. For example, omega-3 fatty acids, these are found in foods such as walnuts, peanut butter, artichokes, and coldwater fish such as herring, mackerel, sturgeon, and anchovies.
According to WebMD, "The benefits of omega-3s include reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke while helping to reduce symptoms of hypertension, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), joint pain and other rheumatoid problems, as well as certain skin ailments. Some research has even shown that omega-3s can boost the immune system and help protect us from an array of illnesses including Alzheimer's disease."
You also need omega-6 fatty acids in your diet. "These are found in foods such as eggs, poultry, cereals, vegetable oils, and baked goods. They support skin health, lower cholesterol, and help make our blood "sticky" so it is able to clot."

[Boss Man]

Omega 3. Alpha Linolenic Acid, Steridonic Acid, Ecoseipentanoic Acid, (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid, (DHA), as the main ones so I believe.

Omega 6. Linoleic Acid, which breaks down into Gamma-linoleic Acid, Di-homo-Gamma Linoleic Acid, and Arachidonic Acid, as the main ones so I believe.

Omega 9's like Oleic Acid, Erucic Acid and Nervonic Acid can be made by the body and are not classed as Essential Fatty Acids, though Omega 9 can be found in certain foods, particularly Erucic Acid which is a constituent of Canola Oil.

Olilseed rape used to make Biofuels, contains large amounts of Erucic Acid and Oilseed Rape is toxic and can kill if consumed.

The amount of Erucic Acid in Canola oil is around 1% and therefore should be perfectly fine.

There is also a substance called Mead Acid, that the body produces via the use of Oleic Acid in times of Omega 3 +6 depletion.

[JanetH1212]

Yes, you do need some fat in your diet for certain bodily functions and hormones, but the human need for fats is so sparing, that even if you don't add fats to your diet, you will easily get enough fat from the food you are eating. If you ate only plant foods, you would get some fat from greens, grains, vegetables, and various nuts and seeds. Even beans and fruits have small amounts of fat. http://drmcdougall.com/medical_nutrition.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It probably won't hurt you if you have an avocado or nut, which is extremely high in plant fat. Fats in plants are easier to deal with and eliminate, however, fat is fat. It doesn't matter where you get your fat from, it is still nine calories per gram. If your goal is to lose weight, then a lower calorie diet is helpful.

[jared767]

I just found this intriguing title on a website I was reading and according to the author (Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD and co-author of Intuitive Eating),

"When people think of fat, they think of calories. But, fat adds to the satisfaction and pleasure of eating. If you're not satisfied, you will be looking around for other things to eat to get that satisfaction, and chances are you'll keep eating until you do."

[Boss Man]

You can actually get in food sometimes, things called Fat Mimetics, that are designed to mimic the physical stimulus of Fat, without necessarily the caloric reactions. So it's things like taste, texture, consistency etc, so the substance tricks the body into interpreting it in the same kind of way as it does with Fat.

These should not be confused with things like Fat replacers, which are just substances made as alternatives to fat, in the same way as Polyols are made to replace Sugars.