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Believe it or not, the single most essential component is fat, more specifically essential fatty acids (omega's 3, 6 and 9). While fat has received a bad wrap due to its apparent conncection to bodyfat, compared to the other two macronutrients (carbohydrates and protein), fat is is responsoble for many more bodily functions including hormone production/regulation, brain function, joint mobility, heart health, skin health, etc, etc.

Undenatured (natural, raw, unprocessed, never heated) essential fats actually behave as antioxidants at some levels in the body, protecting and repairing your body at the cellular level from oxidative damage (an everpresent issue). Omega-3 fats such as fish oil or flax oil are also highly anti-inflamatory. This is clearly an advantage at the cardiovascular level, as they both reduce inflamation in the arteries and blood vessels and also lubricate them to reduce plaque buildup. This anti-inflamatory action works at other levels including muscular (helps you heal quicker after exercise) and around the joints (reduce inflamation and promote healing after injuries such as sprains).

This does not mean you should eat only fat! It also doesn't mean you should haphazardly eat these healthy fats without watching how much your taking in. The key to a healthy diet is balance amongst the macronutrients and the quality of the food you're eating. In general your calories breakdown should be 50 - 60% carbohydrates (4 cal/gram), 25-35% protein (4 cal/gram), and 15-20% fat (9 cal/gram). How many caloires do you need? I suggest looking up the Harris-Benedict equation which takes into account gender, age, height and weight and activity level.

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13y ago

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