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When I sat down to write this article, I was concerned that I’d be forever known as “the fat doctor.” But in retrospect, that’s okay (assuming the reference is to actual knowledge and not a physical description). This article might generate some controversy. Some researchers might question it, but that doesn’t really matter; this program works and it works 99% of the time. Before I get too far in with my lesson on fats, allow me to define exactly what fats are, the various categories of fat, how each acts in the body, and how each can be manipulated in order to help you lose bodyfat, increase lean muscle size, and potentially increase longevity. fat stats I’m sure you can recognize fat when it accumulates on your body (or someone else’s – think about the last time you caught some rays at the beach and saw somebody squeezed into a suit two sizes too small). I’m very sorry to invoke that visual, but I think it gets the point across. Dietary fat, of course, looks much different, although the differences in chemical structure are subtle. It’s important to learn the differences between the two, because what you know and apply to your life about fats will make all the difference when you hit the beach next summer. Chemically speaking, fats are classified as esters (alcohol and acid combinations) of glycerol and fatty acids that are solid at room temperature. Oils, on the other hand, are glycerol esters that are liquid at room temperature. Any fat that is solid at room temperature is either saturated or hydrogenated, while any fat that is liquid is unsaturated. Saturated fats are fats in which all the carbons are paired (or saturated) with hydrogen molecules. Most scientists state that this fat is not essential because we can make it from other fats, and this statement is correct – up to a point. The human body needs at least some saturated fat because saturated fats protect your organs and joints and also serve as an energy source. The reason physicians don’t recommend the intake of saturated fats is because these fats supposedly negatively affect your heart and your cholesterol levels (the operative word here is supposedly). Examples of foods containing large amounts of saturated fats are lard, butter, sour cream, and full fat cream cheese. Many common cooking oils including vegetable oil also contain saturated fats although in much smaller amounts. Polyunsaturated fats are fats that have multiple carbons attached to one hydrogen molecule, which allows them to bend. Polyunsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature. They are used for multiple metabolic pathways including cell wall construction, message sending, and are important in the muscle-building world. Corn oil, canola oil, flaxseed oil, and cod liver oil all contain polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats resemble polyunsaturated fats chemically, but have only one carbon in the whole chain that doesn’t have all the hydrogen molecules. These fats are important in building muscle and losing fat. A valuable source of monounsaturated fats is olive oil. Hydrogenated fats are the one type of fat that you should avoid at all costs. Saturated fats and hydrogenated fats are almost exactly the same with the exception that hydrogenated fats (also known as trans fats) were artificially created by manipulating the saturation, and the way the body absorbs, breaks down, and uses these fats is thus altered.
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