fat - an essential macronutrient that many of us are terrified of for no reason

in our minds, fat is linked to weight gain. this is because per gram, fat provides more than twice the amount of calories as carbohydrates and protein.

so its not that fat causes weight gain, it is the over consumption fats (which is easy to do) that lease to a caloric surplus and therefore a weight gain. (more on this here) but fat is also glorious, and when consumed properly benefits the body and mind in numerous ways.

the four types of fat are trans fat, saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat. monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat are the fats out body appreciates, while the latter are the fats that lead to an increase in ldl cholesterol, heart disease and stroke risk.

you should be consuming at least 20%, but no more than 35% of your daily energy intake from fats. getting this energy from mono and polyunsaturated fat sources ensures that your body is getting the proper nutrients it needs to support cell growth which supports healthy hair, nails and skin, produce important hormones and aid in the absorption of other nutrients, such as carbohydrates and proteins.

so, how can we include these fats in our diets?

• olive oil - use instead of butter when cooking, drizzle on your salad, dip your bread in it

• fish - (great source of omegas) - grill it, bake it, sushi!

• nuts - as a snack, in baking recipes, crushed on top of a salad or rice, in yogurt

• avocados - sliced w s&p, smashed on bread with lemon and olive oil, as guacamole

• seeds such as flax, chia, pumpkin, sesame - on salads, in yogurt, as chia pudding

• eggs - contain omega - 3 fatty acid as well as a little bit of saturated fats, but overall a really nutritious source of fat & protein