Low Body Fat is not always Healthy
We all know that having a high body fat percentage is linked with many common health conditions these days! However, having a low level of body fat is not necessarily goof for you either. In fact, we need a healthy level of body fat for our physical health to be optimal. There are two broad categories of body fat that we store in our bodies — essential fat and storage fat. On the HCG Diet program at The Natural Path, we try to keep all of our patients within the healthy range of body fat!
The Role of Essential Body Fat
Essential body fat has a very important role in our overall health as it is needed for all of our cellular reactions. This type of fat is found within all organs as well as the fat-rich tissue of our brain, bone marrow and nervous system. This type of fat is needed as metabolic fuel to keep our body warm and protect our organs. These essential fats are also messengers in the body to be sure our metabolism, immune function and growth is happening. These fats are also crucial for hormone production in the body. In my clinical practice, I like to see this fat above 5% in men and 14% in women.
Storage Fat’s Role in the Body
Storage fat is also known as non-essential fat and this is accumulated body fat that we use for energy reserves. Storage fat is the fat that we notice accumulating on our bodies and often want to get rid of. Storage fat is the type of fat that can be dangerous to the body and it can be a precursor for many common health conditions.
What does Body Fat Percentage Mean?
Categories: Body Composition, General Wellness, hCG Diet, HCG Diet Weight Loss, HCG Weight Loss, Weight Loss