A common marketing gimmick nowadays is to label a food product as being cholesterol-free. Surveys have indicated that more customers are likely to indulge in such foods.
The reason: Healthy living experts have succeeded in making us to believe that eating foods that contain cholesterol is bad for our health.
The good news is that we do not need to feel so guilty any more, as doctors say that fat, also known as cholesterol is essential for a good and balanced diet.
A Consultant Heamatologist, Dr. James Okafor, says that cholesterol is in every cell in the body and we must maintain a level of it.
According to him, it is a myth that cholesterol harms the body, especially as evidence shows that fat is an integral component of metabolic and neurological processes in the body.
Okafor adds, “You do need cholesterol. This soft, waxy substance is not only in your bloodstream but also in every cell in your body.
“It helps to produce cell membranes, hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids that help in digestion.
“Cholesterol also helps in the formation of your memories and is vital for neurological functions.
“The liver makes about three-quarters or more of the body’s cholesterol.”
Again, fat serves many purposes in the body and that is why it is necessary in achieving a balanced diet.
Nutritionists say though we rarely think of fat as our friend, it actually does so much for us.
Dietician and nutritionist, Dr. James Sanusi, says fat is one of the major sources of energy that we need for daily activities. According to him, it is available to the body in two forms – liquid, such as cholesterols, lipids or oils; and in solid form called fats.
He notes that though the skin covers it, every individual has more than three per cent of solid fat in him. It is called adipose tissue and it is found in places like the female breasts, hips, thighs, buttocks and belly; or in the male, abdomen and shoulders.
Sanusi notes that this visible body fat is the medium in which energy is stored in the body, and it serves as the fuel for many of the metabolic, locomotive and mental activities in the brain.
He says, “A healthy body needs some fat, which contains essential nutrients. The body uses fat from the diet to make tissue and manufacture bio-chemicals such as hormones. With the exception of cholesterol, fats are high-energy nutrients.
“Fats have more than twice as much energy potential or calories as protein and carbohydrates. The body takes the nutrients it gets from the fat in our diet and stores it as energy in the body fat so we can use it later.”
Another research states that fat is a major component of many hormones or chemicals manufactured in the body. Scientists in the ACS’ monthly Journal of Proteome Research note that fat secretes dozens of hormones and other chemical messengers.
They add that most sex hormones like progesterone, estrogen, testosterone and cortisone contain steroids that are produced from fatty acids and other biological substances in the body.
Fat is also a source of protein, which is necessary for bodybuilding and growth. Dr. Anja Rosenow and colleagues in a research identified 80 different proteins produced by fat cells. Rosenow states that fat is one of the foods that help protein synthesis (production).
Even though it is obvious, many do not know that fat is the cushion and shock absorber that protects the bones and organs in the body.
Rosenow describes fat when it is stored in the body as a foam cushion that protects internal organs like the liver and kidneys as much as possible from injury in case of a fall or accident, so that no harm comes to them.
Can the body be too low in fat? Rosenow answers in the positive for both sexes. She says that if a man’s body fat is less than three per cent, his health may be compromised, because normal, healthy functioning requires fat.
“He may become more susceptible to illness or experience chronic fatigue. Remember that three per cent is the amount of body fat considered essential for men.
Based on current information, a woman must have a minimum fat of 13-17 per cent for regular menstruation.
“If a woman’s per cent body fat is too low, her periods may stop and she may experience infertility. Her menstrual irregularities may also compromise the health of her bones, as normal hormonal function is necessary for bone health,” she adds.
However, fats may also be hazardous to your health. The trick is separating the good from the bad.
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