WHAT EXACTLY IS FAT?
Fats are important in many industrial areas. Coconut oil and palm oil, for example, are two of the chief fats used in the soap making industry. And fat is also used for making candles, paints, varnishes, artificial rubber, polishes, carbon paper, salves, insecticides, lubricants, cosmetics, some drugs and even explosives.
Fat is vital to life. It is one of the most important foods for both plants and animals. Without fat life couldn't be maintained.
Fats are made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, in combinations with glycerin and certain acids. Fats are found in the tissues of animals and in plants, particularly the seeds. We call them hard, soft or liquid fat, according to their degree of firmness at ordinary temperatures.
Hard fats include those on humans, beef, mutton and wax. Lard and butter are considered soft fats, while all animal and plant oils are classified as liquid.
More than twice as much energy and fuel is furnished for the body by fat than is furnished by the same amount of carbohydrates or proteins. The reason for this is that fats contain more carbon and hydrogen. A pure fat has a fuel value of 4,040 calories per pound, while sugar has a fuel value of 9,820 calories per pound.
People who live in cold countries should have more fat in their diets than do those who live in warm places. Also, more fats can be eaten during the cold months than were eaten during the summer.
Often a person's body will not burn up all of the fat that is taken in by eating. When this happens, the fat is stored in body tissue and a person will usually put on extra weight.
If you gain more than you should, it is almost certain that this is a result of too much fat in your diet. If you want to lose weight, you will be able to obtain lots of advice from your parents, teachers or doctor on how to do more physical exercise while also cutting down on your fat intake. A properly regulated diet isn't too hard to find. Each person, however, must follow the diet that best suits his physical conditions.
It takes a long time, often, for your digestive juices to work on fat. For this reason, fried foods that are covered with fat will not digest as quickly as boiled foods. It is true, however, that fatty foods keep you from feeling hungry for a longer period of time than do non fatty foods.
Vitamins A and D are found in most fats with A necessary for growth and D helping to prevent rickets. You'll find these vitamins in butter, cream and cod liver oil.