LIPIDS

WHAT ARE LIPIDS?

 Lipids are organic substances that include fats
and fat-like substances, such as phospholipid,
wax, steroid, and sphingolipid.
 Lipids are generally hydrophobic substances and
are insoluble in water but soluble in organic
solvents solvents, such benzene, ether, and
chloroform.
 Like carbohydrates, lipids are also made up of
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, but contain less
oxygen in proportion to hydrogen.
 Tristearin, the primary fat in beef, has the
formula C57H110O6.
WHAT ARE LIPIDS?
 Lipids are a class of large biomolecules that are
not formed through polymerization.
 They have diverse structures but are all non-
polar and mix poorly, if at all, with water.
 They function for energy storage, providing nine
food calories or 37 kJ of energy per gram.
 They also function for the cushioning of vital
organs and for insulation.
 Furthermore, they play important roles in
plasma membrane structure and serve as
precursors for important reproductive hormones.
HOW ARE LIPIDS CLASSIFIED?
Classification
 Fats (triacylglycerols or triglycerides)

Functions
 energy storage
 cushioning of vital organs (adipose tissue)
 insulation
HOW ARE LIPIDS CLASSIFIED?
Structure
 formed from dehydration reactions between glycerol (an
alcohol with three Cs, each with an –OH group) forming
three ester linkages with three fatty acids (16-18 Cs, with
the last C as part of a –COOH group) and producing three
molecules of water
 component fatty acids (FA) may be either saturated or
unsaturated
o Saturated FA (e.g., palmitic acid) have the maximum
number of hydrogen atoms bonded to each carbon (saturated
with hydrogen); there are no double bonds between carbon
atoms
 o Unsaturated FA (e.g., oleic acid) have at least one double
bond, H atoms are arranged around the double bond in a cis
configuration (same side) resulting in a bend in the structure
HOW ARE LIPIDS CLASSIFIED?
Examples
Saturated fat—animal products such as butter
and lard have a lot of saturated fatty acids.
The linear structure allows for the close
packing of the fat molecules forming solids at
room temperature, diets high in these fats may
increase the risk of developing atherosclerosis,
a condition in which fatty deposits develop
within the walls of blood vessels, increasing
the incidence of cardiovascular disease
HOW ARE LIPIDS CLASSIFIED?
Examples
Unsaturated fat—plant and fish oils have
unsaturated fatty acids. The bent structure
prevents close packing and results in oils or
fats that are liquid at room temperature.
Homemade peanut butter has oils that
separate out of solution for this reason.
Industries have developed a process called
hydrogenation that converts unsaturated fats
into saturated fats to improve texture
spreadability.
HOW ARE LIPIDS CLASSIFIED?
Examples
Trans fat—may be produced artificially
through the process of hydrogenation
described above. The cis double bonds are
converted to trans double bonds (H atoms on
opposite sides) resulting in fats that behave
like saturated fats. Studies show that trans
fat are even more dangerous to health than
saturated fats to the extent that they have
been banned from restaurants in some
countries.
HOW ARE LIPIDS CLASSIFIED?
Classification
 Phospholipids

Functions
 major component of cell membranes
HOW ARE LIPIDS CLASSIFIED?
Structure
 formed from dehydration reactions between
glycerol (an alcohol with three Cs, each with
a –OH group), forming two ester linkages
with two fatty acids (16-18 Cs, with the last
C as part of a –COOH group) and a last
linkage with a phosphate group
 phosphate group is hydrophilic and is called
the ‘head’ of the molecule
 fatty acids are hydrophobic and form the
‘tails’ of the molecule
HOW ARE LIPIDS CLASSIFIED?
Example
 Phospholipids self-assemble into bilayers
when surrounded by water and form the
characteristic structure of plasma
membranes
HOW ARE LIPIDS CLASSIFIED?
Classification
 Steroids and sterols

Functions
 regulate fluidity of cell membranes
 base of sex hormones
 emulsification of fats during digestion
HOW ARE LIPIDS CLASSIFIED?
Example
 Cholesterol found in cell membranes
regulates the rigidity of the cell membrane
and are the base material for the production
of sex hormones like estradiol and
progesterone
HOW DO YOU CALCULATE
CARBOHYDRATE NEEDS?
 To calculate your carbohydrate
requirements, use the following guidelines:
 High demand: Your weight in pounds x 3.5 to
4.5 = number of grams of carbohydrates per
day.
 Average: Weight in pounds x 2.25 to 3.5 =
number of grams of carbohydrates per day.
HOW DO YOU CALCULATE
PROTEIN NEEDS?
 Protein requirements use the following
guidelines
 High demand:  Weight in pounds x 0.7 to 1 =
number of grams of protein per day
 Average demand:  Weight in pounds x 0.5 to
0.7 = number to proteins per day