Fat is a macronutrient which has built so much fear in our minds over the recent years.

We have resorted to consuming “low fat” foods without knowing that they’re unhealthier than eating real fatty foods.

But you know what? Fats are good for the body! They’re a very integral part of nutrient absorption and hormonal balance. By fats, I mean ghee, oil, butter, nuts. Not chips, fries, fryms or papad. While these are also good to enjoy with a meal, keep it to a minimum because they’re deep fried. Anything deep fried is not healthy.

1) Fat is a crucial requirement to absorbing fat soluble vitamins (Vit A, D, E, K)  into our body. You’ll end up deficient in these if you do not consume enough fat.

2) Omega 3 is very integral for brain function. Helps with good memory too!

3) Fat is an important component of the natural steroid hormones in our body like testosterone, estrogen, cortisol. Your reproductive system is dependent on optimum good fat consumption.

4) Fat layer below your skin gives you insulation and keeps you warm.

5) Fat when digested provides 9 kcal of energy so it’s a great source of energy.

So how much fat do we need everyday? Optimum requirement is 30% of the total calories we consume.

For a 2000 kcal diet, we’ll need about 65-70g of fat everyday.

A very important point to note is, foods rich in fat are CALORIE DENSE i.e., a small amount consumed gives us a lot of calories. This means that foods rich in fat are not satiating for hunger. Ever noticed how you can just keep binging on papad, chips or fried peanuts and you’ll just not feel full? Yeah, that’s how light it is on our stomach.

But it also takes the longest to digest.

We have been using this fact to our advantage for generations now. How?

By eating fats along with protein and carbs.

The tadka we use for sambar/dal/sabji, oil used for dosa, coconut chutney, a spoon of ghee over our rice/roti, a handful of nuts everyday, a bowl of curd, a glass of milk — all of this which we eat  everyday is enough to satisfy our daily requirement.

Types of fats you should consume well —

MUFA – monounsaturated fatty acids

Olive oil, nuts, almonds, peanuts, pista, avocado

PUFA – Chia seeds, flax seeds, salmon, walnuts

Fats to be consumed but in moderation —

Saturated fats – Coconut oil/palm oil related foods, dairy fats

Fats to have on occasion but avoid on a daily basis  —

Trans fat – margarine related products like cookies, bakery savouries, packaged foods like chips, fryms, etc.