Balance The Diet Menu, Recognize 5 Signs You Are Not Consuming Healthy Fats

Illustration of the benefits and signs of consuming less fatty foods (Unsplash/David B. Townsend)

JAKARTA – Good fats are beneficial for the body. If you cut a lot of fat in your diet, your body may not be able to effectively absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K. Less consumption of foods that contain good fats can also interfere with cell growth, brain and eye health.

Good fats, including omega-3 fatty acids, saturated fats, monounsaturated fats, and essential fats. Essential fats cannot be made by the body. Therefore, the body needs essential fats, also known as polyunsaturated fats, from the food we eat.

Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat that can protect the balance of the heart rate, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of heart disease. Citing Healthline, March 11, you can find omega-3 fatty acids in salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel.

While monounsaturated fat, according to the American Heart Association, when consumed in the right amount, this type of fat can be beneficial for the body. The benefits include reducing bad cholesterol in your blood.

If you don't get enough fat from your diet, some biological processes in your body may not work properly. Here are the signs that you can recognize as symptoms of lack of fat.

1. Vitamin deficiency

Lack of vitamins because they are not effective in their absorption can cause mild to moderate risks. Vitamins A, D, E, and K need fat, and if you don't eat enough they can affect your fertility, swollen gums, easy bruising, dry hair, loose teeth, muscle aches, and blood clots under your nails.

Illustration of food containing healthy fats (iStockphoto)

2. Dermatitis

Research has found that fat plays an important role in helping the skin retain moisture. If you do not get enough fat intake, it can cause dermatitis. Symptoms of dermatitis include inflamed, dry, and scaly skin.

3. Wound healing is slow

According to research, the body needs fat to make many important molecules especially to respond to inflammation in the body. Low-fat intake can interfere with this response so that wound healing slows down. The deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins, A and D, also poses a similar risk.

4. Hair loss

Prostaglandins or fat molecules in the body function to promote hair growth. Consuming too few essential fats can change the texture of your hair. Research has also shown that a lack of essential fats can also increase the risk of hair loss on the head and eyebrows.

5. Often sick

A low immune system is affected by limited fat intake. This can make it easier to get sick. Fat, needed by the body to produce a number of molecules whose function is to activate immune cells. In particular, meet the needs of omega-3 fatty acids, alpha-linolenic acid, and omega-6 fatty acids for the purpose of maintaining immunity.

Well, fat is not only obtained from animal foods. A number of plant-based ingredients such as avocados, nuts, and seeds also contain good fats.