THE IMPORTANCE OF BODY FAT
General Posts • 17th Jun, 19
I am no expert on this topic but when I was doing my research on body fat for myself, I found the medical terms and the words used by dietician etc was beyond comphrension. One would have to sit with a dictionary in one hand and the article in the other. I decided to write this article in the simplest form for ordinary people like you and I to understand.
WHAT IS BODY FAT?
Whenever we hear the word “body fat”, our body silently goes into shock. We are constantly being told how bad fat is. How having too much fat in one’s body can lead to obesity, heart diseases and stroke.
The truth is body fat is necessary for our bodies to function in a healthy manner.
There are basically 2 types of body fat, one being Good body fat (essential body fat) and the other being Bad body fat (stored body fat).
GOOD BODY FAT (Essential Body Fat- EBF)
Is a type of body fat which is very important as it protects the body from infectious diseases and protects the internal organs. Good Body fat is greater in women than in men, as it allows for hormonal function and child bearing.
Good body fat is found around the various organs (heart, liver, lungs, spleen, kidneys), the bone marrow and throughout the central nervous system and tissue cells.
BAD BODY FAT (Stored body fat-SBF)
The food that we consume is used as energy. When this energy is not used up by the body, it is stored as fat in the cells, liver and muscles. The stored fat is the bad body fat, if not used up it will lead to obesity, heart problems, stroke, diabetes and certain forms of cancer. These fat cells are found all over the body mainly in the abdominal area.
The only way to burn this “bad body fat” is to exercise regularly, eat healthy, maintain a healthy metabolism and limit one’s calorie intake.
In conclusion, body fat serves an important function, it provides fuel/energy, insulates the body and keeps the body warm. It helps the body to function in a healthy manner and protects the internal organs. Too much body fat leads to obesity, heart related illnesses and certain types of cancer. Too little body fat leads to osteoporosis and irregular periods.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article as much as I enjoyed writing it.