Is fat all bad? Here's what consuming fat does to your body

Most of us nowadays are conscious about the fat count in our body. Fat accumulation can lead to increase in cholesterol levels, fatty liver, obesity, insulin resistance, heart disease and other health complications as well. But does this mean that one should totally cut down on the fats/oils from their diet? NOT at all!

Dr. Meghana Pasi, Nutrition Consultant, MyThali Program, ArogyaWorld says, “Our body requires an optimal amount of fats daily for a lot of physiological functions and therefore it should be an integral part of a balanced diet.

Fat is a major source of energy
Fat provides structure to the outer membrane of every cell in our body
Certain fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K can be absorbed from the food only in the presence of fats.
The omega-3 fatty acids from healthy fats help in maintaining our brain health
Fats also serve as building blocks for steroid hormones

Fats are made up of building blocks called “fatty acids” and a fat is recognized based on the predominant type of fatty acid present in it - Saturated and Unsaturated Fatty acid.

Saturated fatty acids

Saturated fatty acids are found predominantly in animal fats and they tend to increase the LDL cholesterol and risk of cardiovascular diseases. Further, hydrogenated fats like vanaspati and margarines which contain trans-fatty acids, also raise the LDL cholesterol and reduce the HDL levels. Hence, both these fats are termed as “Bad Fats”.

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Unsaturated fats


According to Dr. Pasi, “The Unsaturated fats on the other hand help improve blood cholesterol levels, ease inflammation, stabilize heart rhythms, and play a number of other beneficial roles. And hence, they are termed as “Good Fats”. These are predominantly found in plant foods like vegetable oils, nuts and seeds.”

Monounsaturated fats (MUFA) are found in high concentrations in canola, groundnut and olive oils; avocados; nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts; and seeds such as pumpkin and sesame seeds.


Polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) are found in high concentrations in sunflower, corn, soybean oils, and also in walnuts, flax seeds, and fish. Omega-3 fatty acid also known as heart friendly fats is a type of PUFA. Good plant sources of omega-3 fats include chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts, canola, and soybean oils.

“Though both PUFA and MUFA reduce LDL cholesterol, excessive PUFA intake may reduce HDL (good) cholesterol as well. Therefore, based on the above classification, the "ideal" cooking oils/fats should contain higher amounts of monounsaturated, optimal polyunsaturated fats and minimal or no saturated fats and trans fats,” says Dr. Pasi.

Check food labels for trans fats; avoid fried junk foods.
Cut down on red meat and full-fat dairy foods to reduce saturated fats. Go for beans, nuts, poultry, fish and toned or skimmed milk whenever possible.
Eat one or more good sources of omega-3 fats every day—fish, walnuts, canola or soybean oil, flax seeds.
Limit the oil intake to 3tsps oil and 1tsp of ghee/ butter.