When body fat accumulates around the waist line, we push the panic button. Today in this article we shall understand why fat is a lifesaver and why you should thank your stars as to how fat has come to save your life. But before that, let us understand what is the fat mechanism in the body.
Types of body fat
Subcutaneous fat – This is the body fat which is stored just below the skin.
Visceral fat – This fat is accumulated between the muscles and behind the muscles. It is also found wrapped around the organs.
What is fat and who creates it
When we consume sugars and carbs in our food, it is directly converted to glucose and released in our blood from the small intestine. That is why after a meal, our blood sugar or blood glucose level rises. Then the cells in our body use this glucose as raw material or fuel to generate energy. Left over blood glucose is recalled by the liver. This way the body maintains the level of glucose at a particular level.
Liver is the largest organ of the body. It is also the refrigerator for the body. So excess glucose from the blood is converted to glycogen which is a type of fat and that is stored in the liver.
Why is glycogen store in the liver
Fat is one of the most energy dense molecule known to nature. Consider these three options.
- Glycolysis – Glucose burning in the cells without the presence of oxygen (anaerobic) gives us two ATPs of energy.
- Oxidative phosphorylation – If oxygen is available, then one glucose molecule now yields 38 ATPs of energy.
- Fat burning or glycogen burning – Since fat molecule is dense, it gives 131 ATPs of energy.
If liver is storing fat or glycogen, it can store more amount of energy in the same space. So now we know that the first reason why the body stores fat is to convert it into energy.
At all the three places, inside the liver, under the skin and beneath the muscles, fat is stored as energy source.
If your diet is excess of sugars and carbs, then all that glucose will be converted to fat and stored in the liver or around the belly.
Fat stores water
One of the main functions of fat is to trap water. One water molecule is held between two fat molecules. There are two reasons why this is done. Fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K are stored in the fat cells. The water soluble vitamins and kept in the water molecules.
During your initial days of new diet or weight loss program, you will lose this stored water first.
This is the second most important reason why body creates fat, to store or retain water.
Fat stores toxins within
Every day we are ingesting toxins from the environment. Pesticides and fertilisers in the food, fluorine in tap water, industrial waste in fish, the list keeps getting longer. These harmful chemicals and pollutants are scheduled to be detoxified by the liver. Detoxification is a slow process which is why these chemicals have to be stored somewhere. Rather than letting the poisons to be spread all over the body, they are isolated in the fat cells where they cannot harm the muscles, tissues and organs.
Thank the fat
Body fat is for your protection. Besides storing water and energy, fat plays an important role in storing toxins. If the amount of fat in your body is increasing, that also means that more toxins are being stored in the body. It is time to detoxify. Make a list of toxins and the ways they are entering the body. Give your body a break.