Deborah Clegg, a leading researcher and Vice President for Research at Texas Tech University, dives into the often-misunderstood role of fat in our bodies. She explains the dual nature of fat cells, likening healthy fat to stretchy spandex and unhealthy fat to cumbersome wool. The discussion also highlights gender differences in fat distribution and offers strategies for mindful eating, particularly for post-menopausal women. Clegg's insights challenge societal norms and promote a healthier understanding of body fat's essential functions.
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insights INSIGHT
Body Fat's Importance
Body fat stores excess calories and is crucial for energy, especially in women for pregnancy.
It acts as an endocrine organ, secreting hormones vital for health.
insights INSIGHT
Fat's Complexity
Fat is not merely an inert storage; it's regulated in complex ways, impacting hormone secretion.
Not all fat is harmful; healthy fat cells exist, and women possess more of them compared to men.
insights INSIGHT
Healthy vs. Unhealthy Fat
Healthy fat cells (like spandex) expand to store calories.
Unhealthy fat cells (like wool), encased in fibers, cannot expand, diverting calories to unhealthy areas like the liver or heart.
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In 'Every Body Should Know This', Dr. Federica Amati explores the real science behind nutrition, offering insights into what foods work best for the bodies and minds of individuals at various life stages. The book covers topics such as the truth about superfoods and ultra-processed foods, the role of nutrition from before conception to senior years, and how food choices can support longevity. It provides practical, evidence-based strategies for men, women, and children to make informed dietary decisions.
Food for Life
The New Science of Eating Well
Tim Spector
In 'Food for Life', Tim Spector draws on over a decade of cutting-edge scientific research and his own personal insights to deliver a new approach to nutrition. The book empowers readers to make informed food choices, highlighting the importance of food for health, mental well-being, immunity, and the environment. Spector challenges conventional diet myths and provides practical, science-based advice on how to eat well in the age of ultra-processed foods.
Food for Life Cookbook
Tim Spector
Today we’re discussing fat.
It’s a word that carries a lot of weight. It’s a source of social judgment, a driver of insecurities and a tool exploited by companies in targeted marketing campaigns. It’s no surprise that a recent study found over 40% of people in the US have experienced some form of ‘fat-shaming’.
But do we really understand fat? What it does, how it forms and why its distribution changes as we age.
Prof. Sarah Berry and Prof. Deborah Clegg are here to help us answer some of these questions and change our perception of fat. Deborah Clegg is a professor and Vice President for Research at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso. Sarah is Chief Scientist at ZOE and Professor at King’s College London.
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