Why is it Bad to Eat Too Much Fat?

Before we answer the question posed in the title, let’s set one thing straight: Human beings should eat the correct amount of fats to remain healthy. The key is to consume the right kind of fat.

We get our fats from a wide variety of foods, including dairy, meat, some vegetables and nuts. Fats are grouped into several categories – saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. It’s important to determine which of these is in the diet and then we can determine what “too much” means.

General guidelines state that about one-third of the calories we take in each day should be healthy fats. Saturated fats should make up a very small portion of this, as should trans-fats. The intake of too much of these kinds of fat may lead to obesity. The process is complex, but here’s a simple explanation to get you started.

Fats are a good source of energy. Liquid called bile, produced in the liver, helps break down fats in our food. Some of the small molecules are cholesterol, while others are fatty acids. Fat molecules generally reform into larger molecules before they are carried to various storage locations in the body. If fats aren’t handled properly – when we eat them and when the body digests them – they can cause serious health problems, including build-up in the arteries.