Dietary fats are of great value and importance to human health, as they are an essential part of any balanced diet, as the body needs them to perform many different biological processes.
Despite the widespread belief that fats are harmful to health, not getting enough beneficial fats may lead to many health problems.
The Healthline website highlights the role that dietary fats play in the human body, such as assisting in the absorption of vitamins, and their role in supporting brain and eye health and cell growth, as well as helping them heal wounds, produce hormones, and give the body the energy needed to carry out its functions.
Despite the benefits of healthy fats for the body and found in vegetable oils, nuts, avocados, fatty fish, oysters, flax seeds, chia seeds, and walnuts, doctors warn of the danger of eating harmful fats that are mainly found in hydrogenated oils, as they are the least healthy types of fats. Too much of it can lead to a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
To verify that the body is getting enough fat, the Healthline website monitors the most prominent signs of a deficiency of this element in the diet, which are as follows:
1- Vitamin deficiency
The body needs dietary fats to help it absorb vitamins, the deficiency of which leads to many diseases such as night blindness, infertility, swollen gums, and muscle pain.
2- Skin infections
Lipids are an essential part of the skin’s cell structure and help keep it moisturized.
Wound healing linked to fat
3- slow wound healing
Researchers have found that the body needs fat in order to make many important molecules that control the response to inflammation in the body.
4- hair loss
Fat molecules in the body promote hair growth, and a lack of essential fats may change the texture of hair, increasing the likelihood of hair loss.
5- A lot of illness
A low intake of fat can lead to a weakened immune system and frequent illness.
Finally, for a more balanced diet, the USDA recommends getting up to 35% of your calories from fat, while avoiding foods containing trans fats as much as possible.