Fat

Lipids vs fat
Lipids are a diverse group of organic compounds that are generally insoluble in
water but soluble in organic solvents.
•Examples:
This group includes fats, oils, waxes, steroids, and phospholipids.
•Functions:
Lipids play crucial roles in the body, including energy storage, insulation, forming
cell membranes, and acting as signaling molecules.
•Structure:
Many lipids are composed of fatty acids, but the specific structure and composition
vary depending on the type of lipid.
Fats (Triglycerides):
•Specific Type of Lipid:
Fats, or more specifically triglycerides, are a type of lipid formed from glycerol and
three fatty acids.
•Energy Storage:
Fats are a primary form of energy storage in the body, providing a large amount of
energy per gram.
•Solubility:
Like other lipids, fats are insoluble in water and soluble in organic solvent
 Lipids
• Almost all carbohydrates are hydrophilic
(“water-loving”) molecules that dissolve readily
in water.
• Lipids are hydrophobic, unable to mix with
water.
• When you combine oil and vinegar, the oil, which
is a type of lipid, separates from the vinegar,
which is mostly water.
 Lipids
• Lipids also differ from carbohydrates, proteins,
and nucleic acids in that they are neither huge
macromolecules nor are they necessarily
polymers built from repeating monomers.
• Lipids are a diverse group of molecules made
from different molecular building blocks.
 Fats
• A typical fat, or triglyceride, consists of a
glycerol molecule joined with three fatty acid
molecules via a dehydration reaction.
• Fats perform essential functions in the human
body including
– energy storage, one gram of fat releases
approximately 9 calories (or 37 kilojoules) of
energy, making it a highly energy-dense
macronutrient.
– cushioning, and
– insulation.
Figure 3.11-2

(b) A fat molecule with a glycerol “head” and three

energy-rich hydrocarbon fatty acid “tails”
Figure 3.11-1

H HO
Fatty acid

H2O

Glycerol
(a) A dehydration reaction linking a fatty acid to glycerol
Figure 3.11-2

(b) A fat molecule with a glycerol “head” and three

energy-rich hydrocarbon fatty acid “tails”
 Fats
• If the carbon skeleton of a fatty acid has fewer
than the maximum number of hydrogens at
the double bond, it is unsaturated.
• If it has the maximum number of hydrogens,
it is saturated.
• A saturated fat has all three of its fatty acids
saturated.

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Saturated and Unsaturated
Fatty Acids

3-10
 Fats
• Most animal fats
– have a relatively high proportion of saturated fatty
acids,
– can easily stack, tending to be solid at room
temperature, and
– contribute to atherosclerosis, in which lipid-
containing plaques build up along the inside walls
of blood vessels.

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 Fats
• Most plant and fish fats tend to be
– high in unsaturated fatty acids and
– liquid at room temperature.

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Figure 3.12

TYPES OF FATS
Saturated Fats Unsaturated Fats

Margarine

Plant oils Trans fats Omega-3 fats

Butter:
Source: Made from milk cream.
Fat Content: High in saturated fat.
Cholesterol: Contains a significant amount of
cholesterol.
Nutrients: Contains beneficial compounds like
butyrate and conjugated linoleic acid.
Health Considerations: While high in calories
and saturated fat, some studies link high-fat dairy
products like butter to a reduced risk of obesity,
diabetes, and heart problems.
Margarine:
Source: Made from plant oils, water, salt, and
other ingredients.
Fat Content: Generally lower in saturated fat
compared to butter.
Cholesterol: Most margarine contains little or no
cholesterol.
Trans Fats: Some older margarine products
contained trans fats, which are harmful to heart
health, but the FDA banned the addition of
partially hydrogenated oils (a source of trans fats)
in 2018.
Health Considerations: Margarine can be a
dairy-free and vegan option, and its lower
saturated fat content can be a heart-healthy
choice.
 Lipids in Plants:
• Plants contain various types of lipids, including fatty acids,
triacylglycerols (TAGs), and glycerophospholipids (GPLs),
which are essential for plant structure and function.
• Plant Fats as a Food Source:
Many plants, particularly seeds, nuts, and fruits, are rich in fats
that are used as food by humans and animals.
Unsaturated Fats:
Plant fats are often high in unsaturated fatty acids, which are
considered beneficial for human health.
Essential Fatty Acids:
Some essential fatty acids, like linoleic acid and α-linolenic
acid, are found in plants and are necessary for human health
because the human body cannot synthesize them.
Industrial Uses:
Plant fats are also used as raw materials in various industries,
including the production of soap, detergents, and biofuel
 Fats
• Hydrogenation
– adds hydrogen,
– converts unsaturated fats to saturated fats,
– makes liquid fats solid at room temperature, and
– creates trans fats, a type of unsaturated fat that is
particularly bad for your health.

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 Monounsaturated Fat
• Molecules of fat with one free carbon-
hydrogen bond
– These fats lower LDL cholesterol levels in the
blood, & raise the HDL cholesterol in the blood,
therefore they are considered “healthy” fats
• Monosaturated fats come from plant foods:
olive oil & canola oil
• Monounsaturated fats are liquid at room
temperature
 Polyunsaturated Fat (PUFA)

• Fat molecules with many free carbon-hydrogen bonds.

These fats lower LDL cholesterol levels in the blood, but
do not affect the HDL cholesterol in the blood, therefore
they are considered “healthy” fats, but not as good for
you as monounsaturated.
• Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially omega-3 and
omega-6, are beneficial for a healthy diet because they are
essential nutrients that the body cannot produce on its own,
and they play crucial roles in heart health, brain function, and
overall well-being
 Why PUFA is healthy?

Heart Health:
• PUFAs, particularly omega-3s, can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, reduce triglycerides, and slow down
the buildup of plaque in arteries, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Omega-3 fatty acids also help reduce the risk of developing irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) and
slightly lower blood pressure.
Brain Function:
• PUFAs, especially omega-3s, are important for brain development and function, and some studies
suggest they may help with memory and cognitive function, particularly in older adults.
• Cell Function:
• PUFAs are vital for the structure and function of cell membranes, helping them maintain their fluidity and
integrity.
Inflammation:
• Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce inflammation in the body,
potentially protecting against various diseases.
Other Benefits:
• PUFAs can help improve the body's ability to absorb fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin E.
• They are involved in blood clotting, muscle movement, and other essential bodily processes.
• Some research suggests that PUFAs may play a role in preventing certain types of cancer and
autoimmune disorder
Lee et al., 2016
 What is DHA?

• DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), an omega-3 fatty acid, is beneficial

for a healthy diet, particularly for brain and eye development, heart
health, and potentially reducing inflammation and the risk of certain
diseases.
• DHA, a crucial omega-3 fatty acid, is chemically formed in the body
through a process that starts with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), but
humans have limited capacity to convert ALA to DHA, so dietary
intake is important
Sources of DHA:
Fatty Fish:
• The best sources of DHA are cold-water, fatty fish like salmon, tuna,
mackerel, herring, and sardines.
Fish Oil Supplements:
• DHA is also readily available in fish oil supplements, often alongside
EPA.
Algae Oil:
• Vegetarian sources of DHA can be found in algae oil.
 Fatty acids
Essential and nonessential fatty acids
– Essential fatty acids
• Can’t be made in the body
• Linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid
• Used to make eicosanoids “local hormones

– Nonessential fatty acids

• Can be made in the body-oleic acid
 Triglycerides
• Triglycerides in Food
• Sources of omega-3 fatty acids
– Soybean, canola, walnut, flaxseed oils
– Salmon, tuna, mackerel
• Sources of omega-6 fatty acids
– Vegetable oils
 The Triglycerides We Eat

CH2-O2C-R
HOCH2-CHOH-CH2OH CH-O2C-R’ Fatty acid side
(glycerol) chains
CH2-O2C-R”

Triglycerides are characterized/named by:

1) The length/number of carbons in the side chains
2) The number of carbon-carbon double bonds in
the side chains(the degree of unsaturation).
 Triglyceride (TG)
• Source of fat available for oxidation:
1- Dietary fat
2- Excess dietary fat stored in adipose
tissue
3- Excess carbohydrate calories that are
converted to fat in liver and transported to
adipose tissues.
 Triglyceride (TG)
• Triacylglycerols (fat) molecules are highly
hydrophobic. After ingestion they are present in the
form of oil droplets. In order to get digested and
absorbed, they need to be emulsified.
• Liver produces bile acids which are collected in gall
bladder and released into intestine, where it emulsifies
fat.
• Bile acids are amphipathic, detergent like molecules
capable of binding to hydrophobic as well as
hydrophilic molecules.
 TG digestion and transport
• Tissues capture chylomicrons (are large,
triglyceride-rich lipoproteins produced in the
intestine after a meal, responsible for
transporting dietary fats and fat-soluble vitamins
to the body's tissues and liver), releasing the TG
to be used as a source of energy.
• If body need fatty acid as an energy source, the
hormone glucagon signals the breakdown of TG
by hormone-sensitive lipase.
• Brain cannot utilize fatty acid unless converted
to ketone, the glycerol component can be
converted into glucose via glycolysis.
 TG levels
• TG test needs 12 hrs fasting because its level is
affected by meal (fatty meal, high
carbohydrate meal)
• Level should be < 150 mg/dl
• High TG leads to fatty liver
 Cholesterol
• Functions
– Component of cell membranes
– Precursor to other substances
• Sterol hormones
• Vitamin D
• Bile acids
• Synthesis
– Made in the liver
• Food sources
– Found only in animal foods
"Bad" cholesterol (LDL) can build up in arteries, increasing heart
disease risk, while "good" cholesterol (HDL) helps remove
excess cholesterol, reducing this risk.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
Types of Cholesterol and Their Functions
Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Cholesterol:
Often called "bad" cholesterol, high LDL levels can lead to plaque
buildup in the arteries, potentially blocking blood flow and
increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Cholesterol:
Known as "good" cholesterol, HDL helps remove excess
cholesterol from the arteries and transports it back to the liver for
processing, thus reducing the risk of heart disease.
 Healthy Levels

• Total Cholesterol: Ideally below 200 mg/dL.

• LDL Cholesterol: Ideally below 100 mg/dL.
• HDL Cholesterol: Ideally above 60 mg/dL.
• Triglycerides: Ideally below 150 mg/dL
 Lipid Digestion and Absorption

• Mouth and stomach

– Minimal digestion of triglycerides
• Small intestine
– Emulsified by phospholipids
– Digested by pancreatic lipase
– Absorbed into intestinal cells
• Formed into chylomicrons and moved into lymphatic
system
Recommended intake
– Reduce saturated and trans fat intake
– Total fat: 20–35% of calories
– Need approximately 2% of kilocalories as essential fatty acids
– Improve balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids
Lipids in the Diet
• Fat replacers (Fat replacers are non-fat substances used in food to
mimic the sensory and functional properties of fat, often reducing
calories and fat content. They include carbohydrate-based, protein-
based, and fat-based options.)
– Olestra (sucrose polyester): A zero-calorie fat substitute that is
not absorbed by the body.
– Epogee EPG (Esterified Propoxylated Glycerol): An
alternative fat replacer derived from plant-sourced oils
 Disorders
• Obesity
– High-fat diets promote weight gain
• Heart disease
– Major risk factors
• High blood cholesterol
– High LDL and low HDL
• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• Lipids and Health
• Reducing heart disease risk
– Diet
• Reduce saturated fat, cholesterol, total fat
• Increase antioxidants
• Increase B vitamins
• Increase omega-3 fatty acids
• Increase dietary fiber
• Other factors