Understanding Fat - Part 1 - The Most Misunderstood Nutrient

Hi I’m Sammy,

Your Good Farm in-house nutritionist. Here to bring you essential information on nutrition, diet and permaculture gardening - in a bite size, easy to understand, science-backed way.  

Understanding Fat — The Most Misunderstood Nutrient

For decades, fat got a bad reputation. We were told it was the enemy — the cause of heart disease, weight gain, and clogged arteries. Low-fat products flooded supermarket shelves, and traditional fats like butter, lard, and tallow were pushed aside.

For decades, flawed nutrition studies led us away from the traditional foods that once sustained us. Now, high-quality research is revealing what many cultures always understood — healthy fats are vital for energy, hormones, brain function, and overall well-being.

In this article, we’ll explore why fat is vital, touch on the different types, and why quality and context matter more than fear or restriction.

So, what exactly is fat?

Fat is one of the three main macronutrients — along with protein (see our 4-part series here) and carbohydrates — that our bodies need in relatively large amounts.

Fats are made up of fatty acids — the building blocks of hormones, brain tissue, and cell membranes. Think of them as your body’s construction material, keeping everything running smoothly and structurally sound.

Why your body needs fat

Fat plays a long list of vital roles that often go unnoticed. Here are some of the big ones:

• Hormone production: Fat is essential for producing key hormones, including sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone. Without enough dietary fat, these hormones can fall out of balance.
• Brain health: Your brain is about 60% fat by weight. Healthy fats (like omega-3s) are crucial for memory, learning, and mood regulation.
• Vitamin absorption: Vitamins A, D, E, and K are “fat-soluble,” meaning you can’t absorb them properly without dietary fat.
• Cell structure: Every cell in your body has a fatty outer layer that protects and regulates what goes in and out.
• Energy and satiety: Fat provides slow-burning, long-lasting energy — and helps you feel full and satisfied after eating.

In short, fat keeps your body balanced, your mind sharp, and your energy stable.

How Fat Got a Bad Name

The idea that “fat is bad” took hold in the 1970s and 1980s, when flawed studies — often based on cherry-picked population groups — linked saturated fat and cholesterol to heart disease without distinguishing between natural fats and processed industrial ones. They also overlooked the real culprit — the rise of “sweet fat” diets loaded with both sugar and refined fats. This combination, common in modern processed foods, drives overeating, insulin resistance, and metabolic disease.

As the fear of fat spread, food companies jumped on the “low-fat” bandwagon. Traditional fats like butter, lard, and tallow were replaced with industrial seed oils such as canola, soy, and safflower, and products like margarine. These highly processed oils are prone to oxidation and contribute to inflammation. Over time, they became an unavoidable ingredient in packaged foods, which now dominate many people’s diets.

Ironically, this shift did little to improve public health: even as fat intake declined, obesity and metabolic disease continued to climb. Over time, better-quality research began to show that traditional fats from whole foods were not harmful — and were beneficial. Yet government institutions and dietary guidelines are slow to catch up. In Australia, for example, the 2013 guidelines—the last update—still recommend low-fat dairy over full-fat, illustrating how policy often lags behind current evidence.

Today, it’s increasingly recognised that fat itself isn’t the problem — it’s the type, quality, and overall dietary context that matter most.

Not All Fats Are Created Equal

We’ll dig deeper in the next article, but here’s the condensed overview:

• Unsaturated fats (mono + poly): Each subtype serves distinct roles in the body. Polyunsaturated fats include omega-6 and omega-3s, and not all omega-3 sources are equal — short-chain plant forms aren’t always efficiently converted into the long-chain forms the body depends on for anti-inflammatory support.
• Saturated fats: These fats have essential structural and metabolic functions and provide energy storage and support for hormone production.
• Trans fats: Artificial versions disrupt normal fat metabolism and remain clearly harmful.

Different fats have different functions in the body and handle heat and cooking differently. What you choose and how you use them matters.

How Much Fat Do You Need?

There’s no one-size-fits-all number, but 20–35% of your daily calories from fat is a common guideline. The right amount depends on your lifestyle, activity level, and goals. It’s not about obsessing over percentages — once you understand what different fats do in the body, you can enjoy the healthy ones liberally and joyously, celebrating the deliciousness of butter.

The Bottom Line

Fat is essential for hormone balance, brain function, metabolism, and satiety. Understanding which fats serve your body best, how to use them in cooking or raw, and their presence in meals can influence how your body absorbs and uses nutrients. Instead of fearing fat, it’s time to embrace it — wisely.

Next up: “The Different Types of Fat — Not All Fats Are Created Equal”

In the next article, we’ll take a closer look at saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats — how they behave in your body, sources of, and how to balance them for long-term health.

Thanks for reading, 

Sammy x