The Importance of Saturated Fat
Just go shopping for me, I'll wait here. Back? Good. How many "low-fat" labels did you see? (Keep in mind that low-fat usually means high-carb) In fact don't answer; I'm just going to assume plenty. We seem to have entered a constant war, and fat is the enemy. But is fat really that bad?
You might have been hearing all this hype about that we don't get enough omega 3 and omega 6 and this has left you wondering is fat good or is it evil?
First, let's break it down a little, I'll keep it simple, there are 4 main types of fat, these are:
Monounsaturated - Healthy fat, usually found in oil, nuts and fish.
Polyunsaturated - Same as above
Saturated - Found in butter, whole milk, red meat and a whole host of products
Trans - The only fat that is man-made, the worst kind of fat.
Now, let's get something out in the clear. Trans fats are almost ALWAYS BAD. They are not natural and our body does not know how to process them, you'll find a lot of them in fast food, it's ok in moderation as everything is, but try to keep them to a minimum.
The first 2 fats are official "healthy fats" so go nuts (get it?) The main thing I want to talk about here today is saturated fats; they get a really bad rap, but are they really that bad? There is no definite answer. Fortunately, there is one major contributing factor to eating saturated fats, not only does it taste good, but it increases serum testosterone levels and as a bodybuilder, that helps put on muscle!
Now, I know what you're thinking, "let's go on a sat fat frenzy!" just hold on a second there cowboy! I love meat as much as the next person does. Unfortunately, there are proven side effects of too much saturated fat, bad ones. "Everything in moderation" You may hear this phrase day in, day out, but you really should apply to everything you do (and hey! Even moderation in moderation!).
Contrary to what you may hear at work, or from your trainer, "fat makes you fat" is complete and utter BS. Excess calories is what makes you fat, so next time you're eating that steak, leave the fat on, same with that bacon you've made. Who knows? It might make your arms grow.
