What Are Good Fats? How Do They Help Build Muscles?

 Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are the main macronutrients your body needs for muscle growth and strengthening, with each playing a different role. Whereas carbohydrates help build muscles, protein performs strength training. So, what does fat do? They actually contribute to developing lean muscle mass.

People were long fed with biased misinformation about fat, especially during the 80s and 90s when low-fat food became a craze among fitness freaks. Healthyvegetarian snacks mean less oil, less fat, and only shallow fries. But now with nutritionists shedding light on the benefits of fats for lean muscle mass, it will hopefully put an end to misinformation.  

Here is a brief overview of how fats work along with carbohydrates and proteins to complement muscle gain and strength training.

How Fats Help in Muscle Building

Most people are keen on muscle building to become a lean avatar of them. More muscle and less fat – this dietary change is encouraged to get a slim shape. Hence, it may sound contradictory to include fat-rich foods in your diet because your goals of fat shedding might bit the dust. But here is why you should include more fat in your daily diet coz it works on muscle building.

Fat Fuels Workout, Promotes Muscle Growth

A short workout needs carbohydrates for energy. But your body quickly runs out of carbs when you power through a longer session. At that time, fats work as a fuel to replenish the energy deficiency. Hence, if you are short on fat stock, your body won’t be able to push through muscle-building exercises and as a result, the dream of growing muscle mass will never become a reality.

Good Fat Means Good Cholesterol

Healthy fats initiate a chain reaction for muscle building. These are good fats that you should incorporate into your diet. Good fats are classified under two heads – Monounsaturated Fats and Polyunsaturated Fats. Both types work towards promoting good cholesterol, also known as HDL cholesterol. HDL causes a spike in growth hormone, which triggers more amino acid production. Amino acid is the microelement of any protein composition and is essential for muscle tissue growth.

Buy healthy homemade snacks. These are loaded with healthy fats and help build up lean muscles without adding to your love handles.

Fats Fill You Up

1 gm of fat releases 9 calories of energy. Fatty foods are packed with calories. Hence, fatty food intake will keep hunger away for a long time. With no hunger itching, you will have full control over your food choices and so, unlikely is the chance of you binging on junk foods. Ergo, you will feel energetic with more calorie intake which will show a positive result on your muscle mass but won’t add to your peripheral fat.