In the last two articles I wrote, I broke down the importance of proteins and carbohydrates and which of them should be eaten and which to stay away from. So now I will give you the scoop on the third and final macronutrient: fats - which many body-builders tend to try to avoid as much as possible - and which body-builders also need in order to gain muscle naturally.

Believe it or not, fats are not evil, either. Just like with carbs, good fats are good; bad fats are bad. And too much of them - too much of anything, really - can put weight on your tummy, give you headaches, make you tired, and slow down your muscle growth. Here are just some of the functions of fat:

1. Fats are the building blocks for cell membranes, hormones, enzymes and neurotransmitters (messages from your brain to your body that make you think, feel and move).

2. Fats slow down food absorption so you can go longer without feeling hungry.

3. They are needed to absorb and use the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E & K.

4. They also help to keep us warm and cushion organs.

5. The brain is 60% fat, and needs fat for connecting brain cells and making sure signals get through.

6. Fats are also the most concentrated form of energy.

7. Fat spares the B vitamin thiamine--required when using carbohydrate for energy.

8. Fat spares protein; when fat is present, the body does not have to burn protein for fuel.

9. Fats slow the rate at which foods leave the stomach. This means that the carbohydrate also present is not released all at once, keeping insulin and blood sugar levels even.

Now that we know fats are important, I'd like to stress the importance of saturated fats for gaining solid muscle naturally. We hear all the time that there are good fats, and there are bad fats, and that saturated fats are in the bad fat category. This is wrong, too. These puppies are vital to your health. Don't ignore foods with saturated fats. AGAIN, DO NOT AVOID FOOD WITH SATURATED FATS.

1. Saturated fats constitute at least 50% of all cell membranes.

2. They play a vital role in bone health; without them, calcium cannot be effectively incorporated into the skeletal system.

3. They protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins.

4. They enhance the immune system.

5. Without them, we cannot properly utilize essential fatty acids, such as the famous omega-3 that we hear about all the time.

6. Saturated fat is the perfect food for the heart, as the fat around the heart is highly saturated.

7. The short and medium-chain saturated fatty acids found in butter, coconut and palm oil have important anti-microbial properties. They protect us against harmful microorganisms in the digestive tract.

Then there are the cholesterol-containing foods that that tend to get a bad rap. But they, too, are necessary for muscle growth. Yeah, eat those egg yolks; do not avoid them. Cholesterol is a hard waxy substance critical to many body functions. It is made by the liver, and is involved in the production of hormones -- including estrogen, testosterone, and cortisone -- which help regulate metabolism.

Cholesterol is also essential for brain function and mood stability. Your muscle-building diet should include cholesterol from organic butter, avocados, high omega-3/DHA eggs (again, with the yolks), grass-fed red meat, the dark meat of free-range chicken, wild fish, nuts and seeds.

It is the hydrogenated, partially-hydrogentated, and trans-fatty acid fats that should be avoided at ALL costs, because they are the artificially processed fats and oils. The processing they undergo makes them more stable - so they can sit on the shelf for weeks or even years at a time, but this artificial processing also makes them a foreign and indigestible substance in our bodies. Just like they sit on a shelf for a long time, they sit in your body for a long time as well. You might as well eat gasoline. Refined carbs and grains, cookies, cakes, pastries, crackers, chips, chocolate, deep fried foods, margarine, and vegetable shortening all contain hydrogenated or trans fats and should be avoided for as long as you care about your body.

I hope this helps clear up some of the confusion on fats and their role in building a bigger, stronger, more natural body. The Bible says, "the truth will set you free," and now that you know more truths about fats, I hope you feel free to enjoy more of the foods that God intended for us to eat - and to use to gain weight naturally.

Copyright 2008, Masszymes Inc. All rights reserved.