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Does Fat Make You Fat?

From a very simplistic view point, 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories while 1 gram of carbohydrate or protein contains 4 calories, and hence consuming fats is likely to double your calorie intake and hence cause you to put on weight. So does fat make you fat? Yes, if your diet mostly consists of fats (say 50-60%) then it’s highly likely that you will put on weight and even become fat in a while. But that does not mean that you quit on fats. It’s important to note that fats are integral to the proper functioning of a human body and it’s essential that 15-25% of your calories are derived from fats for healthy functioning of your body.

Fats, Carbohydrates and Proteins are all essential to our body and should be obtained from the foods we eat on daily basis. To skip any one of these fundamental nutrients will have a detrimental effect on the body in the long run. So consuming fats is as essential as consuming carbohydrate or proteins. The main questions are how much of fats should you eat and what types of fats should you eat.

How Much Fat Should You Eat on Daily Basis?

It’s usually recommended that 15-25% of your calories come from fats. So on a daily basis you might need to eat close to 20-30 grams of fat on a 2000 calorie diet. If you restrict yourself to this quantity, it’s unlikely that you will gain weight simply because the body will burn off most of the unwanted calories leaving you at the same weight. But if your consumption goes beyond this limit, you might end up putting on additional weight.

The only issue with fats is that they produce double the calories than carbohydrates or proteins and hence consuming a few grams of fat is equivalent to consuming double the quantity of carbohydrate or protein from the view point of calories. So it’s essential to keep a tab on the amount of fatty foods that you eat everyday.

What Types of Fats Do Not Make You Fat?

Your body needs fats for its healthy functioning, but it’s important that you get your fats from healthy sources because there is such a thing as “bad fats”. The bad fats not only make you fat but also cause other health problems like increased LDL (bad cholesterol), improper digestion, arterial clogging and cardiovascular diseases.

So what are the sources of non-fattening fats? Basically any food item that contains mono-unsaturated or poly-unsaturated fatty acids are sources of “good fats”. Examples are walnuts, almonds, canola oil, olive oil, fatty fish, fish oil, avocados, soy bean, sunflower, leafy green vegetables and flax seeds.

Fats that Cause Weight Gain

The bad sources of fat that make you fat are foods that contain saturated and trans-fats. Trans-fats are usually contained in processed foods like cookies, chips, cakes or shortening available at the supermarkets. Trans-fats are created by passing hydrogen through unsaturated fats  in order to increase the shelf life of the processed food. Saturated fats are contained in foods like red meats, butter, lard or any another fat that is solid at room temperature.

It’s okay to eat a little of saturated fat everyday but avoid over-consuming them. Focus on getting your daily dose of fats from foods that contain “unsaturated fats”.

In conclusion, fats are essential to your body and it’s important that your diet makes allowance for 15-25% of fats on daily basis. Fats can make you fat if consumed above moderation, and they can make you fat in an unhealthy way if the foods contain “bad fats”.

More info on good and bad fats here.