Table of contents:
- How can the body be deficient in fat?
- What are the consequences if the body lacks fat?
- 1. Depression
- 2. The risk of experiencing various vitamin deficiencies
- 3. Often feel cold
- 4. Interferes with the health of the heart and blood vessels
- 5. Feeling hungry quickly and often hungry
- So, how much fat should you consume in a day?
In your opinion, does the body need fat? Or even do you think fat only makes the body fat and can cause disease? Perhaps you are one of the many people who have folds in the abdomen or large thighs and arms, as a result of fat accumulation. Indeed, today more people are obese and have excessive fat in their bodies. But have you ever thought about what will happen to a body that is deficient in fat?
How can the body be deficient in fat?
Fat is a macro nutrient that has many functions to maintain the balance of the body. Like various nutrients needed by the body, fat is a nutrient that must be in every food we eat. There are various types of fat, each of which has its own impact on health.
For fats that are bad and bad, such as saturated fat, if too much is consumed it can cause heart disease, stroke, heart failure and diabetes mellitus. However, there are also fats that are good and beneficial for health, namely monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
If you apply a low-fat diet, will it reduce the level of fat in your body? Yes, it could, but it doesn't make your body free of fat because actually fat is in almost all food sources, except vegetables and fruits. So, when you don't consume a source of fat such as margarine, but instead consume a source of carbohydrates and protein, the fat will still be in your body. So, it is impossible to completely avoid fat.
What are the consequences if the body lacks fat?
In fact, if there is excessive protein and carbohydrates in the body, the body will naturally store and convert it into fat. But a lack of fat can occur, especially a lack of good fats in the body. The following are things that might happen if your body lacks fat:
1. Depression
Lack of fat intake can cause a person to experience depression. This is related to the function of fat which plays a role in the synthesis of hormones and neurotransmitters, one of which is serotonin. Serotonin is a substance in the nervous system called a neurotransmitter that is responsible for creating feelings of calm and peace. So, if you lack fat in the food you eat, you are at risk for depression and various other mental health problems.
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2. The risk of experiencing various vitamin deficiencies
Fat plays an important role in metabolism and absorption of fat soluble vitamins, namely vitamins A, D, E, K. These vitamins require fat in the body to be absorbed. According to a study conducted by researchers from Colorado State University, it is true that deficiency of fat soluble vitamins is rare, but not impossible. If this happens, the body's functions will be disturbed and various health problems will arise. For example, problems with the skin, dry skin, look pale, and dull, because vitamin E, which is good for the skin, is lacking in the body.
Not only that, there may also be bone problems due to the lack of vitamin D and vitamin K, vision problems associated with a lack of vitamin A.
ALSO READ: The Importance Of Vitamin A For Child Development
3. Often feel cold
One of the functions of fat is to maintain a normal body temperature. Everyone has subcutaneous fat, which is fat under the layers of the skin. This type of fat protects the body from the cold outside. Not only that, these fats will produce heat so that the body doesn't get cold. Therefore, people who are thin are more likely to feel cold or sensitive to low environmental temperatures.
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4. Interferes with the health of the heart and blood vessels
Fat is divided into two types based on its properties and impact on the body, namely good fats and bad fats. Good fat is high density lipoprotein (HDL) which functions to pick up the waste of fat that has accumulated in the blood vessels and then carried to the liver, which is the place for fat metabolism in the body. When you adopt a low-fat diet, the amount of HDL - good fat - in the body decreases. In fact, HDL is good for heart and blood vessel health. Lack of this type of fat will cause several heart problems.
5. Feeling hungry quickly and often hungry
Various studies have shown that eating fat sources of food according to your needs can endure hunger longer and helps regulate appetite. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are considered to be good and effective sources of fat to suppress hunger. The American Heart Association recommends consuming monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, such as avocado, olive oil, various types of fish.
So, how much fat should you consume in a day?
In normal, healthy people, the proportion of fat in a day is between 20 and 25 percent of total calories. This of course also depends on age, body condition, and the total amount of fat in the body - a blood test is necessary to determine the level.
In addition, the composition of the type of fat that must be considered, it is better to eat foods that contain more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, because it will increase HDL levels in the body. Meanwhile, saturated fat consumption should not be more than 10% of the total fat intake in one day.
ALSO READ: Vegetable Fats Are Not Always Healthier Than Animal Fats
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