By Chris Zinn
Welcome to part III of this series on Macronutrients! If you didn't get a chance to read parts I and II, then check them out here:
Macronutrients make up the lion's share of our diet, and they also are major topics of discussion and debate when it comes to the efficacy of one diet over another. In this series, I've tried to give you a little more understanding of each macronutrient, as well as some information on why you need them all!
It's important to understand protein, fat, and carbohydrates. It's important to understand how they can and should fit in a diet. It's also important to know how to avoid unhealthy macronutrient intake in any category.
My goal has been to give you some more background and understanding throughout this series on each macronutrient so that you can make the right choices about your diet based on your unique circumstances.
Today, we round out the series with fats.
The only macronutrient that has taken more heat than carbohydrates is fat. This is because many people confuse dietary fat with body fat, and they assume that any fat in their diets will contribute to more unwanted body fat.
However, this isn't really the case, as you could eat a diet of 90% carbohydrates and still gain weight if your caloric intake consistently surpassed what you burned for the day.
Likewise, you could eat a high-fat diet and actually lose weight if you ate the right amount.
This lack of desire to gain fat, though, has spawned those low-fat/no-fat diets that are almost impossible to stick to over the long-haul, not to mention that they can be at times dangerous.
But let's dive a little deeper into what fats are, why they're essential, and why they've made such a bad name for themselves over the years.
What Are Fats?
Fats are organic molecules made up of carbon and hydrogen joined together in long groups called hydrocarbons. How these hydrocarbons are arranged determines the fat type.
Lipids
Fats are really part of a much bigger group called lipids. Lipids are a broad category of molecules that are all fat-soluble (rather than water-soluble). Under the category of lipids we have substances such as:
fats and oils
waxes
certain vitamins
certain hormones
compound lipids
Because lipids make up such a broad category, as a group they can do lots of different things and be classified in many ways.
For example, lipids offer energy storage, insulation, and padding for internal organs as part of your body fat. However, a completely different group of lipids makes up the contents of your cell membranes.
Fatty Acids
When broken down into its building blocks, the most basic version of a lipid is a fatty acid. You can compare the fatty acid and lipid to the amino acid and protein. Just as the amino acid is the building block of a protein molecule, so also a fatty acid is the building block of a lipid.
Fatty acids have different jobs depending on their length. Specifically, they can be grouped into:
Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA)
Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA)
Medium-chain triglycerides (MCT)
Long-chain fatty acids (LCFA)
Very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFA)
Saturation of Fats
A fatty acid is composed of hydrogen and carbons. When they are joined together it is called a hydrocarbon chain.
Additional hydrogen atoms can bond to the hydrocarbon chain if there are spaces available. This availability of space for hydrogen atoms to join the chain is known as its saturation (i.e., saturated vs. unsaturated fats).
Whether or not the hydrocarbon chain is full or contains empty spaces determines if the fatty acid is saturated or unsaturated.
Think of this scenario as a parking lot filled with cars. In one row, all the vehicles are hydrogen atoms making up the hydrocarbon chain.
A row with some spaces left in it is not saturated and would be classified as an unsaturated fatty acid. Whereas a row of cars that has every spot taken would represent a saturated fatty acid.
Wherever an unsaturated fatty acid is missing hydrogens, there is a "kink" causing the acid to be slightly bent. Conversely, saturated fatty acids are rigid since they have every spot filled up by a hydrogen molecule.
This allows the saturated fatty acids to pack together tightly, and because of this, they are usually solid at room temperature. Unsaturated fatty acids don't fit together nicely because of that kink and are mostly liquid at room temperature.
Most dietary sources of fat are made up of both types of fatty acids, rather than just one or the other.
For example, some people think that eggs are bad because they contain saturated fat. However, eggs are made up of primarily unsaturated fat (~43%) compared to saturated fat (~39%).
Is saturated fat bad?
Saturated fats are commonly touted as unhealthy or blamed for the cause of some diseases. However, this is an overly simplistic view of things.
Suppose you have high cholesterol or cardiovascular disease. In those cases, saturated fats may not be the best choice for your diet. Still, certain types of saturated fats can actually lower LDL levels. Hence, the effects of these fats are more complex than just being "good" or "bad."
Generally, natural sources of saturated fats will be less likely to contribute to chronic disease than their "man-made" counterparts. This is simply staying consistent with our theme throughout these blog posts: opt for the whole, minimally processed foods rather than the highly processed foods.
Even foods that contain saturated fats, when minimally processed, are much less likely to contribute to chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease.
Trans fats
Are there any fats that are unanimously considered harmful? Yes… Trans fats.
Earlier, we talked about how the configuration of certain fats define how they behave and how they are identified.
The saturated fats were straight, and that caused them to lay flat and be solid at room temperature. The unsaturated fats had a "kink," which allowed them to be a liquid at room temperature.
However, there is a process called hydrogenation in which unsaturated fat is bombarded with hydrogens, artificially filling in the empty spots and causing it to become solid at room temperature. Hence, it more closely resembles saturated fat.
This type of fat is highly processed, and it is known as “trans fat”.
Certain types of trans fats are naturally occurring, but for the most part, trans fats are derived through artificial processes.
Eating a lot of artificially produced trans fats can:
lower HDL (good cholesterol)
suppress the excretion of bile acids
increase our own total cholesterol production
compete with essential fats for transport into the cells
create and worsen essential fatty acid deficiencies.
Okay, so people created a terrible fatty acid that really does nothing positive for your body.
Why?
Mainly because industrial hydrogenation is suitable for commercial food production. It keeps all those snacks on the shelves "fresh" much longer and increasing product shelf life is good for business.
Essential fatty acids
Now, just like there are some amino acids that are essential (meaning we must get them from our diet because we cannot produce them internally), there are some essential fatty acids that must be consumed and are not produced by the body. 2
The two types of essential fatty acids are:
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-6 fatty acids
The most important omega-3 fatty acids are α-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).
Plant sources such as flax, chia, hemp, and walnuts are rich in ALA.
Marine sources such as fatty cold-water fish (and fish oil) and algae (the original omega-3 sources for fish) are rich in EPA and DHA, widely recognized as the most beneficial omega-3 fats.
Human breast milk is also an essential source of EPA and DHA for developing infants.
Omega-3 fats are considered anti-inflammatory. They tend to promote eicosanoids that do things like:
dilate (i.e., open) our blood vessels to improve blood flow
lower inflammation
prevent blood coagulation and clumping
decrease pain
dilate our airway
support our immune system
Three critical omega-6 fatty acids are linoleic acid (LA), gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), and arachidonic acid (AA).
Omega-6s are considered pro-inflammatory. They promote eicosanoids that do the opposite of what omega-3 eicosanoids do. For example, they:
constrict blood vessels
increase inflammation
cause blood clotting
increase pain
constrict our airway
All these processes may sound unhealthy to the body, but your body needs them to heal from sickness or recover from training.
Why are dietary fats essential?
Dietary fat has six significant roles:
It provides us with energy (indeed, it's the most energy-dense macronutrient).
It helps make and balance hormones, particularly our steroid hormones (such as sex hormones and corticosteroid hormones).
It forms our cell membranes.
It forms our brains and nervous systems.
It helps transport fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
It gives us two fatty acids that we can't make on our own.
This seems like a lot, but try to focus on these key points:
Humans tend to eat a varied and seasonal diet. We thrive best on a mix of fat types that occur naturally in different kinds of foods.
We want a relatively equally balanced mix of fat types.
This balance comes naturally if we choose a wide selection of diverse, whole, minimally processed foods, such as:
nuts and seeds
avocados
dairy
eggs
fatty fish
beef, pork, and lamb
poultry
wild game
tofu and tempeh
olives and extra-virgin olive oil
Fish and animal products that are wild-caught or pasture-raised will usually have the best fatty acid profiles (of course, these may not always be available, practical, and/or affordable).
Try to minimize or eliminate refined and processed foods containing industrially produced fats and artificially hydrogenated fats.
At times, it may be useful to supplement particular fat types, especially
omega-3s (e.g., fish, krill, or algae oil).
How Much Fat Do You Need?
I bet you can guess the answer… it depends!
Here are the commonly suggested fat intakes based on your activity level:
Lightly active: about 0.3-0.5 g of fat per lbs of bodyweight
Moderately active: about 0.5-0.7 g/lb.
Highly active: about 0.7-0.9 g/lb.
One main reason why you can’t prescribe the same amount of fat intake for everyone is that everyone has different levels of daily, weekly, and monthly activity. The more active you are, the more fat you may require in your diet.
Dietary fat ≠ body fat
So, now that we’ve gone over some basics about fat, and into some detail on the types of dietary fat that’s out there, let’s talk about why dietary fat and body fat sometimes get confused.
Many people are concerned about overeating fat in their diet because they associate a higher fat intake with gaining too much body fat.
“How can I lose fat if I keep eating it?”
It’s an understandable concern, but not necessarily a valid one.
Rather than how much total fat is in your diet determining how much body fat you’ll store, the larger determining factor of body fat levels is total calorie intake.
In other words, eating higher amounts of fat relative to other macronutrients is not going to cause you to gain body fat. What causes fat gain is more likely to be a surplus of total calories being converted and stored as body fat.
This is because your body can convert any macronutrient into body fat to be stored and used later. The only thing your body really cares about is if you’re using all the energy you’re taking in through food. If you are not, it will store that excess energy as body fat, just in case you need extra energy later.
Even if your excess caloric intake is mostly comprised of carbohydrates, your body will still gain fat when total caloric intake exceeds daily energy expenditure.
So, what factors do you need to focus on to avoid gaining excess body fat?
At the most basic level – how much total energy you’re taking in (the combination of how many proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in your diet each day), and how much total energy you’re expending.
If your energy-in is greater than your energy-out, you’re going to store that excess energy as body fat.
The bottom line: Focus on your total calories being consumed rather than how much fat you’re consuming if you want to lose body fat (or avoid gaining excess body fat).
Focusing solely on the amount of fat in your diet may cause you to avoid eating essential fats in your diet, and lead to more problems.
Fat is vital for maintaining bodily functions.
Fats are essential to your body for many reasons.
They are crucial in making sure our body functions correctly and does the jobs it needs to do. This includes maintaining cell membranes, ensuring adequate vitamin absorption, and optimizing eye and brain function.
There is also strong evidence that the right amount of fats can improve body composition and alleviate depression.
Yes, you read that right, eating enough fats can help you lose fat.
“How is that possible?” you may be wondering.
Well, for one, fats are incredibly satiating, especially compared to carbs. They are the last macronutrient to be fully digested and fully emptied out of the stomach, which gives you the feeling of being full for longer.
Fats are also the most energy-dense micronutrient, and they will give you more bang for your buck.
Ensuring you are consuming enough fats is also essential when you consider hormones and how they function. Fats regulate some fat loss-related hormones, and if you aren’t consuming enough fats, your hormones will be all out of whack.
Summary
The big idea here is to choose fats from whole, natural sources instead of processed foods like crackers or even highly processed meats and oils.
Rather than being afraid of consuming fat, fearing that it will increase the number on the scale; embrace fats! Consuming higher percentages of fats relative to the other macronutrients will work in your favor.
Hormone regulation and satiety are essential factors in weight loss and are heavily influenced by fat intake if losing some weight is your goal.
So, to combat weight gain, focus more on lowering the total amount of calories you consume and implementing some physical activity into your routine.
Adjust your fat intake up or down based on how active you are, how much you weigh, or just individual preferences.
Hopefully, you now have a greater understanding of the macronutrients in your diet from this three-part series. If you have any questions about how you should approach macronutrients in your diet, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at czinn@themedgym.com. I’d be happy to help you out!
Want to find out more about how to craft an approach to eating that will fit in with your needs, goals, and lifestyle? You can get started today working with Med Gym's own Certified Nutrition Coach, Chris Zinn, in our Nutrition Coaching Program!
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