An Introduction to Fat and Fatty Food
Fat is a type of lipid that is found in food. It is an important part of the diet because it provides energy and helps the body to absorb vitamins. Some foods contain fat, such as meat, dairy products, and oils. Other foods contain unsaturated fats, which are healthier than saturated fats.
The food items that contain fat as the major nutrient is fat-containing food. This kind of food provides us with energy and also helps us absorb vitamins. Fats at a young age have various roles to play in the development of our bodies. Therefore, intake of food containing high quantities of fats is not good for living a healthy life. In this article, we will see the fat-containing food list and also learn which foods contain fat.
Which Foods Contain Fat?
All those food items that we prepare using oil or butter, or ghee will have fat content. The fries, the gravy, and all sorts of fast food items are mostly rich in fat. It is said to give us energy and keep our bodies warm. It helps in building the cells of the body and is also an essential component for their protection. These food items which contain excessive amounts of fat are not good for our health and diet.
Too much consumption of fat content in the diet leads to the accumulation of fat in the body, causing obesity. It can also get deposited in the artery walls making blood flow difficult, and that can cause numerous problems in our body.
List of Food Containing Fat
The following are the fat containing foods list:
Potato chips
Cheese
Dark chocolate
Nuts
Fried chicken
Deep-fried food
Pizza
Burgers
Deserts
All these food items are loaded with fats in them. They are mostly unhealthy fats and become a contributor to various diseases related to the heart.
Types of Fat
Fats are known to be majorly divided into two groups, i.e. saturated fats and unsaturated fats.
Saturated Fats: These are the kind of fats that are solid at room temperature. They are majorly considered unhealthy fat. It is because they tend to accumulate in our body, and too much consumption of these kinds of fats can lead to blockage in arteries in our heart and also other parts of our body. The food items that contribute to such kinds of saturated fats include red meat, whole milk, dairy products such as cheese, ice cream, butter, eggs, palm oil, and coconut oil.
Saturated Fat
Unsaturated Fats: These are those kinds of fats that are liquid at room temperature. These are needed by our body and are an essential dietary element. Unsaturated fat containing foods obtained from vegetables, fish, nuts etc. The unsaturated fats are then of two different types, i.e. Monounsaturated fats and Polyunsaturated fats.
Good Food and Bad Food
Types of Unsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated Fats: These fats are liquid at room temperature but get solid if put in the refrigerator. Food items such as olives, peanuts, avocados, almonds, pumpkin and sesame seeds. These help in the reduction of cholesterol levels and reduce the heart disease risk.
Polyunsaturated Fats: These are also liquid fats at room temperature and obtained from plant and animal sources. The plants used for obtaining polyunsaturated fats are sunflower, corn, soybean, walnuts, flax seeds and fish. Some special kinds of fats obtained from fish are known to be very healthy for our heart function and are known as omega-3 fatty acids. We need to consume more polyunsaturated fats rather than saturated fats which will be good for our overall health and reduce the risk of various diseases.
Summary
Fats should provide only 30% of your daily diet; anything more than that becomes risky for the body. If the fats are healthy, they can help you reduce weight. Fats can be a more important source of energy than carbohydrates or proteins. Our brain has 60% of fat in it. Fat can be of three different colours in our body, i.e. white, brown and beige. The white fat is the storage fat, whereas the brown and beige fat burn to give calories or energy to our body for daily activities.
FAQs on Let’s Learn about the Food Containing Fat
1. What are fats and where do we find them in our food?
Fats are an important type of nutrient that our body uses for energy. Think of them as the body's energy reserve. You can find fats in many common food items like butter, ghee, cooking oils, nuts (such as almonds and walnuts), and cheese.
2. Why does our body need fat to stay healthy?
Our body needs fat for several important jobs. Fats provide a lot of energy for us to play and learn. They also help to keep our body warm, protect our delicate organs by acting as a cushion, and are essential for absorbing certain vitamins like Vitamin A and D from our food.
3. Can you give some examples of foods that are rich in fat?
Certainly! Many delicious foods contain fats. Some examples include:
- Dairy products: Butter, cheese, and ghee.
- Nuts and seeds: Peanuts, almonds, and walnuts.
- Oils: Coconut oil, sunflower oil, and mustard oil used for cooking.
- From animals: Fatty fish and meat.
4. How can we perform a simple test to check if a food item contains fat?
You can easily check for fats using a simple paper test. Take a small quantity of the food, wrap it in a piece of paper, and crush it. After removing the food, if you see an oily and translucent patch on the paper that doesn't dry, it confirms the presence of fat in the food.
5. Are there different kinds of fats, and are some better than others?
Yes, not all fats are the same. Some fats, like those from avocados, nuts, and fish, are considered very healthy and help our brain and heart. Other fats, often found in fried foods like chips and pastries, are less healthy if eaten too often. A balanced diet includes more of the healthy kinds of fats.
6. What happens in our body if we eat too much or too little fat?
Maintaining a balance is key. If we eat too much fat, the body stores the excess, which can lead to a condition called obesity and other health problems. On the other hand, if we eat too little fat, we may not get enough energy, and our body might struggle to absorb important fat-soluble vitamins, making us feel weak.
7. Besides giving energy, what is another key role of fat from food?
A very important role of fat is to help our body use certain vitamins. Vitamins like A, D, E, and K are 'fat-soluble', which means they need fat to be absorbed into our body. Without enough fat in our diet, our body cannot properly use these essential vitamins, no matter how many carrots (Vitamin A) we eat!