🧠 Why Fats Matter: Essential Roles in the Body & Diet

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Feb 28, 2022
2 min read

Updated: May 8

💡 Quick Overview

Fats aren't just calories—they're key players in maintaining health and proper body function. This breakdown explores the many benefits of fats in both our diet and physiology.

🩺 Functions of Fat in the Body

🔋 Energy Storage

Fat serves as a major energy reserve, stored in adipose tissue for use when food is scarce.

🛡️ Protection & Insulation

Fat cushions vital organs and insulates the body to help regulate temperature.

🧬 Cell Signaling & Hormone Regulation

Fats are involved in producing hormones and cellular signals essential for biological processes.

🧱 Structural Support

Fats are crucial components of cell membranes, aiding in integrity and function.

🍽️ Functions of Fat in the Diet

Fats are one of the three main macronutrients, alongside carbohydrates and proteins. They provide the most concentrated energy, 9 kcal per gram — more than double that of protein or carbs (4 kcal/g) and over four times that of fiber (2 kcal/g). Excess fat is stored in body fat tissue and released as fatty acids when energy is needed.

🎯 Absorption of Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Dietary fat acts as a carrier for the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, enhancing their absorption in the intestines. Once absorbed, these vitamins are stored in the liver and in the body's fatty tissues for later use.
To ensure adequate intake of these essential micronutrients, it's important to consume sufficient healthy fats along with foods rich in these vitamins.

😋 Flavor & Satiety

Dietary fats enhance the flavor of food and contribute to a sense of fullness and satisfaction.

🧪 Vital Physiological Roles

Fats participate in growth, development, and other essential body processes.

🧬 Other Biological Functions of Fat

The body cannot produce the essential polyunsaturated fatty acids linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), so they must come from the diet. These plant based fatty acids support critical functions like blood clotting, wound healing, and inflammation.

LA and ALA can be converted into longer-chain fatty acids (like arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)), though this process is limited. Because of this, EPA and DHA are considered "conditionally essential" and should ideally be obtained directly from foods like oily fish—salmon, mackerel, tuna, and anchovies.

🧬 Essential Fatty Acids: What the Body Can’t Make

🌿 Omega-3 & Omega-6 Fatty Acids

These are the only two essential fatty acids required through diet, as the body cannot synthesize them on its own.

🍳 Synthesizing Non-Essential Fats

Most other fats can be made by the body from carbohydrates or proteins when needed.

🔬 Scientific & Nutritional Insight

📚 Backed by Research

NIH-funded scientists continue to study dietary fats to understand their impact on normal and abnormal biology in both humans and animals.

🏥 Health Optimization

A balanced intake of healthy fats supports not only energy needs but also long-term health and well-being.

From a nutritional standpoint, dietary fats are essential for overall health and optimal body function. Beyond being a source of energy, fats serve as structural building blocks, facilitate the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, support vital physiological processes, and play a key role in growth and development.

The importance of dietary fats is explained in this scientific article.