FATS

Bodybuilders are often afraid of fats, and there’s no reason to be. You just need to know how to distinguish them.

There are unsaturated and saturated fats.

We have unsaturated fats that are good for athletes in whole grains and legumes, nuts and in cold-pressed oils.

There are several types of cold-pressed oils: sunflower, olive, sesame, pumpkin, flaxseed, hemp, corn, walnut, argan, almond.

Cold-pressed sunflower oil contains a high concentration of linoleic acid and a moderate concentration of oleic acid. Oleic acid is known for its importance in the treatment of heart failure.

Cold-pressed olive oil is one of the highest quality oils in the world and is well-known in the Mediterranean diet. Since bodybuilders use a lot of fish in their diet, the combination of olive oil with fish when preparing food is very useful.

What olive oil represents in the Mediterranean diet is cold-pressed pumpkin oil in the continental diet.

Cold-pressed pumpkin oil is rich in essential fatty acids, protein, vitamins and minerals. It improves the immune system and is particularly welcome in the diet of athletes. When preparing food, it is often used as a topping for various salads.

Saturated fats should be avoided. They are found in pork, cream, butter, fatty cheeses. They are the basis for the development of cardiovascular diseases, unwanted weight gain and have no place in sports nutrition.

Fats are a reserve source of energy and a necessary part of a proper and balanced diet.

Fats improve the utilization of proteins and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K).

Some fats are a source of essential fatty acids that cannot be synthesized by the body, but must be ingested with food (linoleic – omega 6 and linolenic – omega 3).

One gram of fat has 9 calories, unlike protein and carbohydrates, which have 4.

For a well-balanced diet, about 20% of the caloric intake should come from fat from the above-mentioned sources of nutrients.