Friend fats for your health and beauty

Published: 04/14/2008 - Updated: 08/14/2019

Not all fats are harmful or damaging, in fact we need to know that the presence of certain essential oils in the body is vital to the functions of the brain, heart and entire organism. These necessary fats are called essential fatty acids, and are called so because, as in the case of vitamins, the body cannot manufacture and must be obtained from what we consume in the daily diet.

Dr. George Burr and his wife Mildred, in the year 1929 did research on rats with their dietary requirements. Study focused on the roles of vitamin E in the period of ovulation. This vitamin is fat soluble, so they put the rats to a diet without fat and studied in detail what happened. After a time in rats showed a severe deficiency syndrome of vitamin E, and this was reflected especially in the quite visible deterioration of the skin and hair. With time, it was discovered that the syndrome could prevent used in dietary linoleic acid, which is a fatty acid that the plants is in seeds in particular. At present, it is known that a mammal, including humans, cannot survive without the consumption of linoleic acid.

Fats and oils

Explaining the chemical reactions can somewhat long, so we will just say that there is a correlation between fatty acid formula and its physical properties. We can imagine how the fatty acid chains, and longer chain more unsaturated fat is more flexible and with a freezing point lower. So we can conclude that the solid fat is at room temperature and fats and oils are liquid fats.

For a fatty acid to carry out its functions, it must undergo several transformations and reactions, particularly in the liver. These reactions are weaker in the elderly and when the body shows chronic diseases, and the reactions are inhibited by stress. These reactions are inhibited by alcohol in addition, some viruses, radiation, or refined sugar and in excess of certain saturated fatty acids.

Heart and essential fats

The heart is covered by layers of fat, and many of its vital functions depend on the level of unsaturated fats and oils. A diet based on the consumption of unsaturated oils and fats, is essential for the cardiovascular system function properly and healthily. Being found that docosahexaenoic acid prevents the development of coronary disease. Some studies have found that omega 3 fatty acids specifically block excessive sodium currents and calcium in the heart. When such discharges to the heart can suffer from cardiac arrhythmias, which may contribute to problems heart and even sudden death.

Fish oil, among other foods, helps prevent cardiac arrest, helps to keep artery walls elastic, prevents clots and stabilizes the heart rate and lowers blood pressure. It has been found that the oil prevents the chest pain, in addition to balancing the consumption of this food indicates a significant effect in lowering triglycerides. We recommend to a normal person, a dose of 6 to 8 grams approx. of oil per day.

Diet with essential oils

A diet must always be balanced, because nutrients, vitamins, minerals and fats, are absorbed, digested and run on a harmonious relationship within the body. When the body is devoid of any mineral, vitamin or fat, cannot conduct the proper absorption and distribution of food, and it is not possible to achieve a good and balanced nutrition. Many times, even ig we eat food in abundance, if we lack any other, the first one cannot properly digest or use by the body, which shall remove or return a toxin in the body.

Remember that fats are necessary in the diet because they are important source of energy, help the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, K, among other virtues. There are animal fats and plant and classified as follows:

Saturated fats: are found in animal products like butter, cheese, whole milk, cream and fatty meats, as well as coconut and palm oils. They are considered the most harmful for the body.

Unsaturated: are most beneficial for the body, liquid at room temperature and is commonly known as oils, olive, sunflower, soybean or corn. We must note that these fats are divided into monounsaturated: increase the "good" cholesterol and lower the "bad." Polyunsaturated: they help reduce the incidence of total cholesterol.

A balanced consumption of fats, both vegetable and animal, contributes to the development and maintenance of health. Both are very efficient as an energy source, and so the body stores them as a reserve. An excess of them or a poor diet causes them to concentrate on the abdomen and waist, and in arteries (causing hardening) and certain organs such as the liver.

Some studies have shown that vegetarian diets, where no animal products are consumed and are not capped fatty acid plants, may have the vegetarian, over time, severe health problems and weaknesses that are reflected especially in the skin and hair. So, in addition to considering an appropriate consumption of fats, we should always include fresh vegetables and fruits, seeds and sprouts.

General advice:

  • Read the nutritional information labels and avoid hydrogenated oils
  • Prefer vegetable oils, especially virgin olive oil and canola, which are rich sources monounsaturated oils. Eat also restraint.
  • Soybean oil, sunflower and maize, as well as nuts and fish, provide polyunsaturated fats. Eat taking into account their caloric content.
  • Vegetable oils (except coconut and palm), contain less saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol to the vegetable shortening, margarine and solid fats of animal origin.

About the author
  • Dra. Loredana Lunadei

    Dr. Loredana Lunadei is a specialist in food, dietetics and nutrition. She studied at the University of Milan where she obtained a Master in Food Science and Technology. Subsequently, she continued her studies, completing her PhD also at the University of Milan. Linkedin.

1 Reply to “Friend fats for your health and beauty”
  • Stacy says:

    This reminds me of a book/cook book that I’m reading called “Nourishing Traditions”, in which the author talks about the evils of man-made fats like margarine, and how good natural fats like butter and olive oil are for us. She really did a good job at explaining how this chemical process of creating margarine creates some truly harmful substances, and how natural fats are a healthy part of life and cooking.