Your Body Cannot Make Essential Fatty Acids

Dieters often mistakenly think that their body fat converts to muscle when they exercise, which is scientifically impossible. Your body disposes of fat deposits through a series of complicated metabolic pathways to breakdown fat and release energy. Your muscles, lungs and heart break up the fatty acid molecules, release energy into your bloodstream and use the fuel to manage the body’s activities. The minute particles of fat that remain are mostly discarded as carbon dioxide as part of normal respiration. Regardless of the reason causing you to consider losing weight, it is important to understand that your body’s fat cells exist to store used energy and will expand to accommodate excess energy by increasing the number of fat cells as well as their size.

Essential Types of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids

While more research is needed as to the role of EFAs in specific diseases and with people wanting to lose weight and keep it off. Essential fatty acids that are not produced by your body, include:

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids - These EFAs belong to a family of polyunsaturated fats and are associated with numerous health benefits, such as inflammation and depression.
• Omega-6 Fatty Acids - Like omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats. Unfortunately, Americans consume too much omega-6 in corn oil and vegetable oil.

Essential fatty acid refers to EFAs that are required for biological processes but does not include fats that are only used for fuel. Only omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are considered essential, whereas other important fatty acids are classified as conditionally essential.

Focus on the Foods You Can Eat for Best Results

Food preparation is an important component of a low-fat diet. Instead of deep fried, opt for broiled, roasted or baked. Moreover, you can eat delicious foods like fresh fruits, whole grains, vegetables and lean meat or fish. So, don’t focus on what you’re not eating or you’re likely to feel deprived. On a low-fat diet, it is important to have good sources of carbohydrates and proteins in your menu plan. What you must watch for, when choosing an item that is fat free, is to check for added sugars and other starches. If you replace one unhealthy food for another, you're not improving your overall health and wellness; any weight loss will likely be re-gained. Processed foods, sugary drinks and refined sugars will contribute to elevating the unhealthy fats in your blood, even though your fat intake is low.