Generally speaking, body fat has gotten a bad rap over the past few decades. From the demonization of dietary fats in fad diets of the 90s to the overwhelming societal pressure to lose excess body fat, there’s an air of cruelty surrounding all fat-focused topics of conversation.
But the truth is, we need fat. It’s not only completely normal to have body fat—it’s absolutely essential for our general health (especially for women). Fat is where our bodies store energy, how we absorb essential nutrients, and even critically supports menstruation and reproductive health.
Additionally, different types of body fat have varying purposes. And one type, called brown fat, is particularly beneficial to our metabolic health.