Are fats necessary for a healthy diet?

The fat son essential macronutrients Y play a vital role in people’s diets. The importance of fat consumption goes beyond their caloric intake, as they are part of cell membranes, help regulate body temperature, support the transport of fat-soluble vitamins, among other functions.

The debate around its consumption is related to diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Given this, NotiPress consulted Paola shue, a nutritionist by profession and head of corporate affairs and communications for Latin America at Upfield Latinoamérica, on the consumption of fats, especially those of vegetable origin.

When we talk about lipids, we need to identify those saturated and unsaturated fats. Also, the unsaturated group is divided into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. The fat consumption has been demonized in recent times due to the strong relationship between the intake of saturated fats and the development of cardiovascular diseases.

In this regard, Shue commented “Not all fats have the same profile, what scientific evidence shows us today is that if we consume a higher percentage of ‘healthy’ fats such as mono and polyunsaturated daily, we will contribute to the care of our body “. There is no scientific information on the health damage caused by consuming healthy fats. If they existed, regulatory bodies around the world would not allow their use and therefore companies around the world would stop incorporating them into food, the specialist explained.

Saturated fats

Among the main sources of foods containing saturated fat are the coconut oil (84%), cocoa butter (62%), fat pig (55%) e Palm oil (50%), among others. Compared to palm oil, it is often replaced by other fat sources with a higher percentage of saturated fat, such as coconut oil. This responds to the decision of food producers due to numerous criticisms, however, they don’t always consider the point of view of science in their analysis.

Shue says, the excess saturated fat, like excess sodium or anything else, can be harmful to your health. “Any food or nutrient consumed in excess can cause an imbalance in the human body“And it exemplifies that drinking too much water is also bad for the body. Part of the criticism of vegetable oils is related to its refining process.

A study published on August 26, 2019 by Madrid Polytechnic Notes, “the absence of any pronouncement by the scientific community on the effects of palm oil on consumer health has meant that the message reaches the general public mainly through the media and is often partial and incomplete“.

Due to importance of the role of fats in people’s diet, the specialist of Upfield suggests the orientationas a tool for deciding on a adequate and balanced nutrition, according to the characteristics of each person. It’s not just about limiting a certain food group, but about finding a beneficial balance that contributes to well-being of people.