Total lipids including phospholipids.
An essential nutrient. Lipids as a whole are referred to as fats. Lipids are a family of compounds that are soluble in organic solvents but not in water.
Chemically, fats (or lipids) are substances that are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents such as ether, chloroform, and benzene, and are actual or potential esters of fatty acids. The term includes triacylglycerols (triglycerides), phospholipids, waxes, and sterols. In more general use the term ‘fats’ refers to the neutral fats which are triacylglycerols, mixed esters of fatty acids with glycerol;ds, glycerol.
An ester of glycerol and a fatty acid. Natural fats are mixtures of various glycerides and at ambient temperatures are solid in form. Required declaration of nutrition label. Small amounts of fat are needed for normal body functions. Also helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and form cell membranes and hormones. “Saturated fat” required listing on nutrition label. This is a type of fat found in foods of animal origin and may be present in some vegetable oils including coconut, palm and palm kernel oils. “Unsaturated fat,” usually liquid at room temperature, helps lower food cholesterol levels when substituted for saturated fat. There are two types: Monounsaturated fat, found in both animal and plant oils. Olive, peanut and canola oils contain mostly monounsaturated fat. Polyunsaturated fat, found mainly in plants (safflower, sunflower, corn, soybean and cottonseed oils). Fat and saturated fat label claims include: “Fat Free,” which means less than 0.5 g of fat; “Low Fat,” which means 3 g or less fat; and “Reduced Fat,” which means at least 25% less fat. “Saturated Fat Free” means 1 g or less saturated fat per serving and no more than 15% of calories from saturated fat; “Low Saturated Fat means 1 g or less saturated fat per serving and no more than 15% of calories from saturated fat; and “Reduced Saturated Fat” means at least 25% less saturated fat.
Stored as adipose tissue in the body, it serves as a concentrated source of energy for muscular work; a compound containing glycerol and fatty acids.
Energy storage substances produced by animals and some plants, which consist of a combination of fatty acids. The content levels of individual fatty acids vary somewhat with the diet ofthe animal (i.e., for animal fat) and vary somewhat with the plant’s growing conditions (i.e., for plant fat also known as vegetable oil). No natural fat is either totally saturated or unsaturated. When eaten, fats are generally not absorbed directly through the intestinal wall. They are first emulsified, then hydrolyzed by the lipase enzyme. The components (i.e., fatty acids, cholesterol, monoacylglycerol, phospholipids, etc.) form micelles that pass through the intestinal wall and are absorbed by the body. When fats are oxidized in cells, they provide energy for the body. Some of the energy is released as heat and some is stored in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which “fuels” metabolic processes.
Technically termed lipids, fats are the body’s most concentrated source of energy. All fats are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms that are arranged in combinations of glycerol and fatty adds. Fats found in foods are either in solid (butter) or liquid (oil) form. In the body, fat is part of all cell membranes, where it preserves the function of the cell and also serves as a stored form of energy, helps cushion organs, and helps create certain hormones.
Lipids of both plant and animal origin consist of fatty acids of varying carbon chain lengths. Fats are important in the diet as (a) a concentrated source of energy, containing about twice as many calories as carbohydrates or proteins per gram; (b) a vehicle for satiety value of foods; (c) a source of linoleic acid; and (d) a vehicle for the fat-soluble vitamins.
Fats (also known as lipids) are characterized by their ability to dissolve in organic solvents (such as choloroform, etc.). When speaking specifically about dietary fat, most nutritionists are referring to triglycerides, the specific class of lipids that comprise the vast majority (>95%) of lipids in the diet. Other lipids in the diet or the body include fatty acids, monoglycerides, diglycerides, phospholipids, sterols, some vitamins, lipoproteins, glycolipids, and other important molecules. Separate entries are provided for many of these lipids. Lipids in general possess a large array of functions, which include providing energy, serving as major structural components to cells, and participating in important biochemical processes.
A key source of energy for the body, as well as the carrier of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K and part of the structure of the body’s cells; often called lipids. Nutritionists recommend that fats should compose only 30 percent of daily caloric intake; but since most foods contain fats, people in Western countries generally consume far too much fat.
A class of energy-giving nutrients; also the main form of energy storage in the body.
One of the three main classes of foods (along with protein and carbohydrates). Fats help the body use some vitamins and keep the skin healthy. They also serve as energy stores for the body.
A macronutrient that consists of fatty acids and their related organic compounds.
Fats are compounds made up of fatty acids and glycerol. They contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and are considered a valuable source of energy-rich food. In fact, fats supply more than twice the number of calories (kilojoules) than either proteins or carbohydrates. Excess fat consumption leads to fat storage in the body. Some fats also provide vitamins A and D, although this is not true for vegetable fats or mineral oils such as paraffin.
Within the realm of nutrition, there exist molecules comprised of fatty acids and glycerol. These intricate compounds serve as the slowest but highly efficient source of energy for the body. It is noteworthy that each gram of fat yields approximately nine calories, which is more than twice the energy provided by an equivalent amount of proteins or carbohydrates.