A handy summary of good and
bad fats is shown in Table 1.
Now let’s have a look at what
happens in your body.
The food you eat (the main food
groups are shown in Figure 3)
has many uses in the body. Fats,
carbohydrates, and protein can be
turned into energy and used (in
exercise) or stored for later use. Sugars
can be stored as glycogen in the liver,
and fat can be stored around the
body. Storing fat has an evolutionary
bene?t in terms of survival in times
of famine. However, if a body doesn’t
use its stored fat later, then the
amount of fat in storage increases!
GOOD FATS
Monounsaturated fats
BAD FATS
Saturated fats
Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) lower total cholesterol and
LDL (Low-Density Lipid) cholesterol (the bad cholesterol)
while increasing HDL (High-Density Lipid) cholesterol
(the good cholesterol). Nuts (including peanuts, walnuts,
almonds, and pistachios), avocado, canola, and olive oil
are high in MUFAs. MUFAs have also been found to help in
weight loss, particularly body fat.
Saturated fats raise total blood cholesterol as well as LDL
cholesterol (the bad cholesterol). Saturated fats are mainly
found in animal products such as meat, dairy, eggs, and
seafood. Some plant foods are also high in saturated fats
such as coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil.
POLYUNSATURATED FATS
Polyunsaturated fats also lower total cholesterol and LDL
cholesterol. Seafood, like salmon and ?sh oil, as well as
maize, soy, and sun?ower oils are high in polyunsaturated
fats. Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids belong to this
group.
TRANS FATS
Trans fats were invented when scientists began to
‘hydrogenate’ liquid oils so they could withstand the food
production process and provide a better shelf life. Trans
fatty acids are found in many commercially-packaged foods,
commercially-fried food, and other packaged snacks.
In terms of weight: for an average man,
fat comprises 15 percent; and for an average
woman, the ?gure is 27 percent. Why is the
?gure higher in women? Because fat is essential
for reproduction and ovulation – girls need
at least 17 percent fat before they begin to
menstruate. Fat cells can also make oestrogen
– a hormone that carries health risks of breast
cancer in high doses
Surprisingly, during a period of famine,
the body will hold on to fat while at the same
time breaking down muscle and losing water.
Therefore, so the body doesn’t respond as if it’s
experiencing a famine, the sensible weightloss strategy seems to be to eat little and often.
The body interprets this as a plentiful supply
of food and keeps its metabolism at a good
level.
Carbohydrates – broken down to simple sugars
(glucose)
Proteins – broken down to amino acids
Fats (lipids) – broken down to fatty acids and
glycerol
Vitamins
Mineral salts
Water
There are two kinds of fat cells in the body
– white (sometimes called yellow) and brown.
White fat cells simply store fat. Brown fat
cells contains more mitochondria (organelles
that convert oxygen and glucose to energy
in a cell) and generate more energy and, as a
consequence, heat. Heat production is called
thermogenesis. The more active brown cells
there are in the body, the less likely white fat
cells are to store fat. Thermogenesis can be
stimulated by thyroxine (see later).
Table 1: Good and bad fats
Let’s look at what’s going on in more detail
and what makes us feel hungry or full.
The hypothalamus masterminds the
appetite, and it stimulates the thyroid gland.
The hypothalamus, pituitary, and thyroid
glands control the body’s metabolism.
The pituitary produces TSH
(Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone)
and Thyrotrophin Releasing
Hormone (TRH). The
thyroid produces thyroxine
and
triiodothyronin,
which regulate metabolic
rate.
An
underactive
thyroid can cause continued
weight gain, even if the right
things are eaten and proper
exercise is taken.
continued over...
Figure 3: Food groups
Hypnotherapy Today 27