From a low-fat diet to the popular high-fat diet known as keto, the health world has popularized extreme eating patterns of dietary fat. These diets may leave you questioning, “Should I limit fat or eat generous amounts of it?”
Fortunately, the bistroMD program takes out the guesswork of not only how much fat to eat but how to make the most out of the macronutrient. Understanding dietary fat is an essential macronutrient, rest easy knowing your bistroMD meals are carefully crafted with weight loss and health top of mind.
The Importance of Fat for Weight Loss & Health
Fat is one of the three essential macronutrients, with carbohydrate and protein being the other two. Supplying 9 calories per gram, fat is calorically-dense compared to carb and protein that supplies 4 calories per gram.
Despite the caloric-density of fat, including fat in the diet can assist in weight loss efforts and is vital to good health. This especially serves true when swapping those “bad” fats (saturated and trans fats) with the “good” and “healthy” fats (mono- and polyunsaturated fats).
In terms of weight loss, healthy fat helps control hunger and supports a healthy metabolism. The macronutrient also shows to improve cholesterol levels and reduces the risk of nutrient deficiencies, in turn improving overall health.
Healthy Fat Helps Control Hunger
Fat takes longer to digest compared to carbohydrate and protein. The longer digestion time helps us feel fuller for longer bouts, thus controlling hunger levels. This is also helpful to slow the digestion of carbohydrate (or glucose/sugar), in turn minimizing blood sugar spikes and dips.
Healthy Fat Promotes a Healthy Metabolism
Unlike popular belief, healthy fats boosts metabolism to help rid the body of unwanted, excess body fat. That’s right! Your body actually needs fat in order to maintain a steady metabolism and lose weight.
Think of it this way: Without sufficient nutritious foods, including healthy fat, the body will essentially start to use lean mass for energy to burn fat mass. This is why a well-balanced diet is so essential when it comes to promoting a healthy and effective metabolism.
Healthy Fat Shows to Improve Cholesterol Levels
Dietary fat has a reputation for increasing cholesterol and heart disease risk. While too much saturated and trans fats can increase blood cholesterol level and the risk of heart disease, unsaturated fats actually prove to lower these risks.
Healthy Fat Lowers Nutrient Deficiency Risks
Healthy fat is one of your body’s best transporters. Fat molecules are actually responsible for transporting several nutrients throughout the body, including the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Fat-soluble vitamins are absolutely necessary for good health. Deficiencies in these vitamins can impact major organs and systems, including the eyes, bones, and muscles.
Quantity & Quality of Dietary Fat on the BistroMD Program
Like any food, the quantity and quality of dietary fat matters most. Too much can cause weight gain while too little can negatively impact health.
The bistroMD plan provides a healthy balance of 30% of total calories from dietary fat. More specifically, meals and snacks nourish the body with healthy fats from sources like environmentally-responsible seafood, grass-fed beef, nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils.
The balance of healthy fat will help you feel satisfied between meals, all while providing the body with essential nutrients. And not to mention, most fat sources offer mega flavor to meals!