Recently, fats have a bad reputation, and the word "cholesterol" itself causes a sharply negative reaction among the adult population. Unfortunately, the fashion for a low-fat diet has passed into the baby food system. And this is not entirely correct. Young children need food that has a certain fat content.
The calorie content of breast milk is more than forty percent provided precisely due to fats. With a properly
balanced diet, the latter should be approximately 40% of the consumed substances, for children over the age of about 30%. If the child does not receive enough fat in the body, the price can be very high. After all,
this substance is a kind of
energy storage bank
. Pure fats are twice as many calories as carbohydrates or proteins.
Besides the fact that this substance provides a supply of energy for a growing organism, it also performs an important task of isolating nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain. Fats are the main component of hormones and cell membranes. They perform the function of transporting vitamins B, A, E, K and others.
As you can see, this substance has a very useful function. The main thing is to provide the body with the correct fats in certain proportions.
To paraphrase a well-known expression, we can say that fats are not always useful. There is no such thing as “bad” fats. However, a large amount of any type of this substance can harm the body. Consider this issue as a whole.
There are two types of fats: unsaturated and saturated. The name characterizes the chemical composition. The latter have other elements in their molecular composition, for example hydrogen. If some of the bonds of the fat molecules are not filled, then they are called unsaturated. If one type of bond group is filled, then such fats are monounsaturated. When there are a large number of such groups, they are called polyunsaturated. Products of animal origin - eggs, meat, milk - contain unsaturated fats.
Lipids that are in solid state at room temperature are called fats. And those that have a liquid state are oils. In most cases, the latter are unsaturated, with the exception of coconut or palm oil. They contain saturated fats. This is important to know when forming a diet and ensuring a balanced diet.
It is worth mentioning such a substance as fatty acids. They are elements that contribute to the construction and growth of tissues. As in the case of proteins, some types of fatty acids are not synthesized by our body, while others are produced by the digestive organs during the processing of consumed fats. This substance helps maintain and build the structure of the cells of the organs of the human body.
For a growing organism, fats are the most important element consumed. The main issue is balance. Each period of development of the child should be accompanied by a certain amount of both saturated and unsaturated fats in the right combination.