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What is Fat?

Types of Fat: Essential Fatty Acid; Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid (PUFA); Monounsaturated Fatty Acid (MUFA); Saturated Fatty Acid (SFA)

Fat is a nutrient as essential to good health as protein or carbohydrate. It's needed for the regulation of cholesterol metabolism; for the transport and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K; for the synthesis of hormone-like chemicals integral for biochemical processes; for healthy skin; and for energy. 

Fat is the body's most efficient source of energy, each gram of it delivering 9 calories (as compared to 4 each for protein and carbohydrate). 

Fat circulates constantly in the blood but the most of it is stored in the adipose tissue.  Even this fat is useful: It cushions vital organs, insulates the body from cold and provides a ready source of fuel.

The more hydrogen a fatty acid contains, the more saturated it is.

Fat is designed to provide the body with energy and protect it from starvation. If you go below 1,000 calories a day, your body will slow your metabolism down to compensate. That's why weight loss slows down dramatically after a few days on a crash diet.

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