Chapter Four

The Lipids:
Fats & Oils
NUT SCI 242 Food & Nutritional Health
Karen Lacey, MS ,RD, CD

What are Lipids?

A

family of compounds that includes

Triglycerides (fats & oils)
Fats:

lipids that are solid at room

temperature
Oils: lipids that are liquid at room
temperature

Phospholipids
Sterols (cholesterol).

I. A Primer on Fats
A.

The Functions of
Fat in the Body

Energy source esp.

for muscles
Serves as an energy
reserve

1# body fat contains

3500 kcal
30-50# of stored fat

Contd
Major

component of cell membranes

Nourishes skin & hair
Insulates the body from temperature
extremes
Cushion the vital organs to protect
them from shock

B. The Functions of Fat in Food

Provide

calories (9 per

gram)
Provide satiety
Carry fat-soluble
vitamins & essential
fatty acids
Contribute aroma &
flavor

Lipid Terminology
Triglycerides:

the major class of

dietary lipids, including fats & oils
Made up of 3 units known as fatty
acids and 1 unit called glycerol
(backbone)
Comprise about 95% of lipids in
food and the human body

Contd
Phospholipids:

2nd of three main classes of lipids

similar to a triglyceride, but contains
phosphorous

Sterols

3rd of three main classes of lipids;

Cholesterol
one

of the sterols
manufactured in the body for a variety of purposes

Contd
Fatty

acids:

basic units of fat composed of

chains of carbon atoms
an acid group at one end and
hydrogen atoms attached all along
their length

II. A Closer View of Fats

A.

Chain Length (number of carbons linked

together)

B.

Shorter = more soluble in water

Saturated vs. Unsaturated (number of

hydrogens the chain is holding)

Maximum = saturated
Unsaturated = one or more is missing
Point of unsaturation = site where hydrogen is
missing

Contd
Saturated

fatty acid: a
fatty acid carrying the
maximum possible
number of hydrogen
atoms
Animal foods such as
meat, poultry and fullfat dairy products
Tropical oils such as
palm and coconut

Contd
Unsaturated

fatty acid: a
fatty acid with one or more
points of unsaturation.
Found in foods from
both plants & animal
sources
Monounsaturated

fatty
acids (one double bond)
Polyunsaturated fatty
acids (two or more)

Contd
Monounsaturated

fatty
acid: also called a MUFA;
a fatty acid containing
one point of unsaturation
Found mostly in
vegetable oils such as
olive, canola & peanut

Contd
Polyunsaturated

fatty
acids: also called a
PUFA; a fatty acid in
which two or more point
of unsaturation occur
Found in nuts,
vegetable oils such as
safflower, sunflower
and soybean, and in
fatty fish

B. Essential Fatty Acids

The body can synthesize all of the fatty

acids it needs from carbohydrates, fat or
protein except for two:
1. Linoleic acid
2. Linolenic acid
PUFAs
Found in plant & fish oils

Omega - 6 versus Omega - 3

Omega 6
Linoleic
Omega 3
Linolenic
Cold water fish
Help dissolve blood clots
Lower blood pressure
Dilate the arteries

III. Characteristics of
Fats in Foods
A.

Liquid vs Solid
More saturated a fat is, the
more solid it is at room
temperature
More unsaturated a fat is, the
more liquid it is at room
temperature

III. Characteristics of Fats in Foods

A.

Hydrogenation
The process of adding hydrogen to
unsaturated fat to make it more solid
and more resistant to chemical changes
such as spoiling
Increasing a fats saturation can cause a
fat to lose its unsaturated health
benefits

C. Trans-Fatty Acids
Formed

when margarine is processed

Hydrogen molecules are on opposite sides of
point of unsaturation
Partially hydrogenated vegetable oil
Link between trans fatty acids and heart
disease
Table 4-3, page 107
Keep to minimum

V. Phospholipids
A

lipid consisting of a water-soluble head

and a fat-soluble tail
Contain phosphorous
Component of cell membranes
Serve as emulsifiers (allow fats and water
to mix and travel in and out of cells into
watery fluid on both sides)

Contd
Lecithin

is a
common
phospholipid
Often used as an
emulsifier in
foods such as
margarine,
chocolate &
salad dressings

V. Cholesterol a Sterol
Found

only in animal products

Also made & used in the body:
Structure of cell membranes
Used to make bile for digestion
Bile: a mixture of compounds, made by
the liver, stored in the gallbladder, &
secreted into the small intestine
Emulsifies lipids to prepare them for
enzymatic digestion & helps transport
them into the intestinal wall cells

Contd
Used

to make the sex hormones

estrogen & testosterone
Made into vitamin D with the help of
sunlight
Deposited in the artery walls leading
to plaque buildup & heart disease

VI. How the Body Handles Fat

A.
B.
C.

Digestion
Emulsification
Absorption

VII. Lipids & Health

A.
B.
C.
D.

Good vs. Bad Cholesterol

http://www.americanheart.org/
http://www.mayohealth.org/
http://www.fda.gov/

B. Lowering Blood Cholesterol

Levels
Eat

no more than 30% of calories from fat

Eat no more than 8-10% of calories from
saturated fat
Eat no more than 10% of calories from
PUFAs
MUFAs should make up 10-15% of total
calories
Limit daily cholesterol intake to no more
than 300 milligrams

VIII. Fat in the Diet

A.

Food Guide Pyramid

3 groups traditionally account
for nine-tenths of the fat in the
U.S. diet
Fats, oils & sweets group
Meat, poultry, fish, dry
beans, eggs & nut group
Milk, yogurt & cheese group
Most of the fat in our diets
comes from animal
products

B. Fat Substitutes
Carbohydrate-based

Help retain moisture to maintain the juiciness or

creaminess that is lost with fat reduction
Carrageenan, fruit purees, gelatin, gums,
starches & products made from fiber

Protein-based

Proteins are cooked & blended to form tiny

round particles that trap water to maintain the
mouth feel of fat
Whey protein concentrate (Dairy-Lo), or milk &
egg white protein (Simplesse)

Contd
Fat-based

Are either only partially digestible or

completely undigestible to prevent
absorption of fat
Caprenin (substitute for cocoa butter in
candy), Salatrim (found in low fat baking
chips), and olestra (often found in fat free
potato chips)

C. At the Grocery Store

Read

labels to
determine both
the amounts &
types of fat
contained in
foods

D. In the Kitchen

Use canola & olive oil for

baking & cooking
Prepare lean cuts of meat
Bake, broil & steam instead
of frying
Use low-fat or fat-free dairy
products & dressings
Season with herbs & spices
rather than with fats
Incorporate plant-based
protein sources such as soy
& legumes

E. At the Table

Eat more fresh fruits &

vegetables
Use jam instead of butter
Limit use of high-fat
condiments including mayo,
butter & sour cream or use
low-fat varieties
Use mostly
monounsaturated vegetable
oils such as olive or canola
Eat fewer high-fat desserts

F. Recipe Modification
Egg

whites
Fat-free evaporated
milk
Fat-free sour cream
Fruit purees
Fat-free cream
cheese
Oils

IX. Diet & Heart Disease

A.

Risk Factors

High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Smoking
Diabetes
Lack of exercise
Stress
Obesity
Unhealthy diet
Age
Gender
Genetics

Contd
B.

Ways to Reduce Risk

Limit intake of cholesterol
& saturated fat
Quit smoking
Maintain a healthy weight
Eat high fiber foods
Increase physical activity
Increase fruit & vegetable
consumption
Limit alcohol
consumption