Know your Food – How Fats can Affect the Body

We’ve all heard the term “you are what you eat”; but how much of this is true? Well, what we do know is that if you eat too much fat, your body will store a lot of this fat and thus with time the percentage of fat within your body will increase – meaning a significant portion of your body will be made up of fat. On the other hand, is this a bad thing? For all of those who are not aware of the effects that fat can have – here’s some of the basic ways in which your body can change when exposed to too much saturated fat. Changes in Appearance If you consume a significant amount of fat (much more than the adult’s guideline daily allowance) you will begin to notice some changes within your body; the first changes will be in your appearance. As you consume more foods that are full of saturates fats, grease and a variety of oils you may begin to notice an increased mass around the cheeks, stomach, arms and legs; this is an accumulation of adipose tissue and if one of the first signs that you are putting on weight. You may also begin to notice that the appearance of your skin changes; too many fatty acids in your body will affect the texture of your skin, leaving a greasy substance on its surface. A diet that is rich in fat is also linked to breakouts of acne and others blemishes although using skin products that will dry the skin may help with conditions such as this. Internal Changes Adipose tissue (tissue that consists of fat cells) is an excellent form of insulation; due to this the more fat that you consume and retain the greater your internal body temperature will naturally become. In turn your heart will have to work much harder in order to maintain and regulate your body temperature – this is one of the negative effects of consuming too much fat in your diet. The fat that we consume and retain can also begin to cushion our vital organs; this is good news in the case of an accident or a collision. However, in an everyday scenario if too much fat is being stored around your vital organs it can make it difficult for them to function properly; this is especially true in relation to your heart and your lungs. With fat causing more pressure on both your lungs and your heart physical activities can become difficult. Your lungs will struggle to admit enough oxygen to fuel your muscles and your heart will struggle to pump the oxygen-depleted blood around your body with enough force to sustain you and to prevent a build-up of lactic acid. There are many other changes that can begin to take place within your body if you do not monitor the amount of fat that you are consuming, however these are the most significant changes. For more information on regulating fat within your diet and maintaining a healthy balance you should check our blog at Fogtrap.