For hormone production & balance
Without fats our bodies can't maintain a healthy hormone balance. This is because our bodies need a certain amount of fat in order to synthesise enough sex hormones such as progesterone, oestrogen, and testosterone.
We women also need more essential fat than men (on average 4 times more). Without this fat our bodies don't work properly, and all our systems such as endocrine and immune system are affected.
For good brain function & mood stability
Around 60% of our brains is made of fat - brain needs fat for both energy and maintaining itself.
Without enough fat the fatty layer around your brain cells (myelin) breaks down, consequently communication between cells slows down, causing brain fog, low energy and cognitive decline. Therefore, fat, especially Omega-3, is crucial for mood stability, sharpening memory and protecting your brain against decline.
For stable appetite & blood sugar levels
Including healthy natural fats in your diet slows down the absorption of the carbohydrates that you eat alongside them - this can help reduce insulin resistance, keep blood sugar levels stable and prevent you from getting energy crashes.
Fat also keeps you full and satisfied longer and stimulates the release of hormones that help control appetite (GLP-1, PYY & cholecystokinin).
For absorption of fat soluble vitamins
Fats help better absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E & K) into your blood stream. Therefore, not getting enough fat can cause a nutrient deficiency which in turn can result in hormonal imbalance.
So if you want your body to better absorb all the vitamins found in veggies and leafy greens, enjoy them always together with healthy fats (e.g. avocado, seeds, nuts, native olive oil).
For healthy & glowing skin
Healthy fats are extremely important for maintaining beautiful and glowing skin.
Omega-3 helps curb inflammation in the skin, this way reducing redness and acne. It also helps keep skin thick and hydrated, and protects it from UV damage.
Linoleic acid (found in seeds & nuts) improves skin barrier function and consequently skin moisture, elasticity & firmness.
Some related scientific research if you want to delve further into this subject 🤓
Essential fat for women
Bredella M. A. (2017). Sex Differences in Body Composition. Advances in experimental medicine and biology, 1043, 9–27. VIEW
Ethun, K. (2016). Sex and gender differences in body composition, lipid metabolism, and glucose regulation. In Sex differences in physiology (pp. 145-165). Academic Press. VIEW
Fats for good brain function
Chang, C. Y., Ke, D. S., & Chen, J. Y. (2009). Essential fatty acids and human brain. Acta neurologica Taiwanica, 18(4), 231–241. VIEW
Wysoczański, T., Sokoła-Wysoczańska, E., Pękala, J., Lochyński, S., Czyż, K., Bodkowski, R., Herbinger, G., Patkowska-Sokoła, B., & Librowski, T. (2016). Omega-3 Fatty Acids and their Role in Central Nervous System - A Review. Current medicinal chemistry, 23(8), 816–831. VIEW
Rathod, R., Kale, A., & Joshi, S. (2016). Novel insights into the effect of vitamin B₁₂ and omega-3 fatty acids on brain function. Journal of biomedical science, 23, 17. VIEW
Lin, P. Y., & Su, K. P. (2007). A meta-analytic review of double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of antidepressant efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 68(7), 1056–1061. VIEW
Fats for stable appetite
Mandøe, M. J., Hansen, K. B., Hartmann, B., Rehfeld, J. F., Holst, J. J., & Hansen, H. S. (2015). The 2-monoacylglycerol moiety of dietary fat appears to be responsible for the fat-induced release of GLP-1 in humans. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 102(3), 548–555. VIEW
Gibbons, C., Finlayson, G., Caudwell, P., Webb, D. L., Hellström, P. M., Näslund, E., & Blundell, J. E. (2016). Postprandial profiles of CCK after high fat and high carbohydrate meals and the relationship to satiety in humans. Peptides, 77, 3–8. VIEW
Fats for better insulin metabolism
Samimi, M., Jamilian, M., Asemi, Z., & Esmaillzadeh, A. (2015). Effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on insulin metabolism and lipid profiles in gestational diabetes: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland), 34(3), 388–393. VIEW
Casas-Agustench, P., López-Uriarte, P., Bulló, M., Ros, E., Cabré-Vila, J. J., & Salas-Salvadó, J. (2011). Effects of one serving of mixed nuts on serum lipids, insulin resistance and inflammatory markers in patients with the metabolic syndrome. Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD, 21(2), 126–135. VIEW
Lasa, A., Miranda, J., Bulló, M., Casas, R., Salas-Salvadó, J., Larretxi, I., Estruch, R., Ruiz-Gutiérrez, V., & Portillo, M. P. (2014). Comparative effect of two Mediterranean diets versus a low-fat diet on glycaemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes. European journal of clinical nutrition, 68(7), 767–772. VIEW
Fats for healthy skin
Pilkington, S. M., & Rhodes, L. E. (2010). Omega-3 fatty acids and skin. In Nutrition for Healthy Skin (pp. 91-107). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. VIEW
Black, H. S., & Rhodes, L. E. (2016). Potential Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer. Journal of clinical medicine, 5(2), 23. VIEW
Elias, P. M., Brown, B. E., & Ziboh, V. A. (1980). The permeability barrier in essential fatty acid deficiency: evidence for a direct role for linoleic acid in barrier function. The Journal of investigative dermatology, 74(4), 230–233. VIEW
Ziboh, V. A., & Chapkin, R. S. (1987). Biologic significance of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the skin. Archives of dermatology, 123(12), 1686a–1690. VIEW
De Spirt, S., Stahl, W., Tronnier, H., Sies, H., Bejot, M., Maurette, J. M., & Heinrich, U. (2009). Intervention with flaxseed and borage oil supplements modulates skin condition in women. The British journal of nutrition, 101(3), 440–445. VIEW
Muggli R. (2005). Systemic evening primrose oil improves the biophysical skin parameters of healthy adults. International journal of cosmetic science, 27(4), 243–249. VIEW
Jung, J. Y., Kwon, H. H., Hong, J. S., Yoon, J. Y., Park, M. S., Jang, M. Y., & Suh, D. H. (2014). Effect of dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acid and gamma-linolenic acid on acne vulgaris: a randomised, double-blind, controlled trial. Acta dermato-venereologica, 94(5), 521-526. VIEW
