Gabriella Rao, RD

In this blog, we will continue our discussion of macronutrient needs — this time we’re talking about fats!

Functions of dietary fats:

• Secondary source of energy
• Needed for absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)
• Very important for hormone and tissue membrane synthesis
• Aids in satiety when eating a meal
• Organ protection and insulation

Dietary fat needs:

• Makes up 20-35% of total daily energy needs
• Like carbs and protein, intake of fat should increase with training load
• Intake below 20% increases risk of essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD) and decreases absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, which increases risk of deficiency of those vitamins

*Keep in mind that evidence suggests against a high-fat (and therefore low-carbohydrate) diet for endurance athletes. A high-fat, low-carb diet:

• Reduces carbohydrate availability for working muscles and organs.
• Impairs body’ ability to utilize carbohydrates efficiently during high-intensity efforts.

Not all fats are created equal. When thinking about our sources of dietary fats, we want to aim for primarily unsaturated fats, which come from plant sources and fatty fish. 

Sources of unsaturated fats:

• Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines)
• Nuts and seeds
• Oils (olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil)
• Avocados

Sources of saturated fats:

• Dairy products (milk, yogurt, butter, cheese, ice cream)
• Meat
• Coconut and palm oils
• Processed foods and bakery items 

We’ll dive deeper into fats (omega 3s and omega 6s, the recent social media hate for seeds oils, etc.) next week – stay tuned!