For many years fat was seen as the bad boy of the macronutrient world. However, more recently research has revealed that it actually has many health benefits and should be included with carbohydrates and protein as part of a healthy, balanced diet. Although fat is required for good health you can still get too much. In this article I am going to be outlining four of the disadvantages of eating too much fat.

1) HEART DISEASE:

- Omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acids (EFAs) have many health benefits when eaten in balance. However, eating too many omega 6 EFAs in relation to omega 3s can cause your blood to clot. These blood clots prevent blood from reaching the heart making it weaker and more prone to disease.

2) INTERFERENCE WITH OMEGA 3 EFAS:

- Eating a high concentration of omega 6 EFAs can interfere with omega 3s and stop your body using them properly. This can negate many of their benefits which include healthy vision, improved brain health and protection from cancer.

3) THINNING BLOOD:

- Eating high levels of omega 3 EFAs can cause your blood to thin. This leads to a number of problems which include bruising very easily, excessive bleeding and difficulty healing wounds. Thinning blood also causes problems for people who suffer from blood related conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

4) WEIGHT GAIN:

- Fat is relatively high in calories containing nine per gram. Carbohydrates and protein both contain less than half of these calories coming in at four per gram. Since fat contains so many more calories than carbohydrates and proteins, overindulging can quickly lead to weight gain and obesity. This can lead to further problems such as breathing problems, circulatory problems, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and joint problems.

I hope this article has given you an insight into the potential problems eating too much fat can cause. Fat is one of the three main nutrients your body needs to survive so do not come away from this article vowing to remove it from your diet. Instead review your diet and ensure that all the calories you eat do not come from fat.

Your diet needs to contain good levels of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. At the very most 70% of your daily calories should be coming from fat. Any more could lead to the problems listed in this article. If you think you are eating too much fat then substitute in some fruits and vegetables (for carbohydrates) and lean meats (for protein) to help yourself avoid the disadvantages of too much fat.