5 reasons to avoid low fat diets

Because fat is energy dense (meaning it contains more calories per gram than carbs and protein) it’s often limited by people trying to lose weight or maintain their weight loss. Limiting your fat intake is fine, but going on a very low fat diet could have implications for your health.

So why are low fat diets bad for your health? Here are 5 reasons to make fat your friend:

1. We need it for a healthy brain

Omega-3s and MUFAs have been found to be especially beneficial.

Omega-3s are anti-inflammatory fatty acids. The best source is oily fish (it’s recommended to have 2 portions a week) and types of oily fish include sardines, mackerel, anchovies, salmon and herring. There are plant sources of omega-3, but these are different types of omega-3 to those found in fish, and are generally not quite as beneficial. One exception to this rule, however is vegan omega-3 supplements made from algae, look for those that contain DHA, a specific type of omega-3 which is key to a healthy brain.

MUFAs stands for monounsaturated fatty acids which can be found in foods like olive oil and avocado. They have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects, and studies have linked increased MUFA consumption with multiple positive effects on brain health, including general intelligence and attention.

2. We need fat to make some of our hormones

Yep- some of our hormones are made with fats! Put simply, hormones are the body’s ‘chemical messengers’ that are released into the bloodstream to send a message to another part of the body. These types of hormones include our sex hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone. They’re made with fats so that they are fat soluble, and can therefore pass through the fatty cell membrane into our cells to perform their function. How cool is that?!

Since we need fats to make these hormones, having a diet lacking in good quality fats can affect your hormonal balance, leading to problems such as irregular periods or PMS.

3. We need it for our nervous system

Fats are used to make myelin- a substance that surrounds nerve cells and insulates them, allowing them to transmit signals around the body in order for us to move, think and perform basically any other bodily function you can think of! Think of the nervous system like an electrical network- the myelin is the insulation on the ‘wires’ that allows the signals to get through properly. Because of this, a very low fat diet can be bad news for your nervous system.

4. We need it to absorb fat-soluble vitamins

This includes vitamins A, D, E and K. That’s right- some vitamins need fats to be absorbed properly! This is another reason it’s good to include a source of fat in your meals as part of a balanced diet. For example, adding a drizzle of olive oil over steamed or roasted veggies, or topping your meal with a sprinkle of chopped nuts or seeds.

5. We need fats to keep our skin healthy

Fats are very important for the normal function and appearance of skin. This is because fats help to keep the outer layer of our cell (the membranes) healthy, this goes for our skin, too! This is why you might have heard that it’s good to eat things like salmon, olive oil and avocado for glowing skin, as these are all healthy fats that can help to keep your skin healthy. However, it’s worth noting there are lots of other factors that contribute to the health of your skin.