Jake: Hey I’m Jake of Body by Jake and here’s your nutrition tip of the da.y I’m here with Dr. P and he’s got some answers for you. Here’s a great question, this is from Tracy. She asks – it’s a two-parter, “what is fat and what does it do in my body?”
Dr. P: Fat is an insulatory mechanism and it’s an energy source. We consume two energy sources: carbohydrate and fat. Fat is the most intense energy source we consume. Nine calories per gram in fat versus four calories and protein and carbohydrates.
So fat is a great energy source and it’s also an insulator. It insulates us. Fat sits underneath our skin as we all know and then if we get too much it starts to slow us down.
Fat can be beneficial and it can negatively affect us. Body composition, fat composition is very important – much more important than body weight is.
We want to manage healthy body composition, not so much weight. And in the world of fats like consumable fats, it’s important to have a balance of healthy saturated and unsaturated fats that we use as an energy source. So we need patterns for that, so we’re not hoarding so much fat. But what is fat really? That’s an energy source and it’s an insulating mechanism.
Jake: Well done! Beautiful Dr. P!
