what is the structure of fats

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What are the functions and structure of fats?

The Functions of Fats in the Body

• Storing Energy. The excess energy from the food we eat is incorporated into adipose tissue, or fatty tissue. ...
• Insulating and Protecting. The average body fat for a man is 18 to 24 percent and for a woman is 25 to 31 percent 1, but adipose tissue can comprise ...
• Regulating and Signaling. Fats help the body to produce and regulate hormones. ...

What are fats are composed of?

Fats are composed of the same three elements as carbohydrates—carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. However, they are much poorer in oxygen and richer in carbon and hydrogen than are carbohydrates. Because of this higher carbon and hydrogen content, fats have a greater heat or energy equivalent than carbohydrates.

What are the basic units of fats?

Fats. Most fats (lipids) in the body are made up of triglycerides; Their basic unit is one glycerol molecule chemically bonded to three fatty acid chains; The fatty acids vary in size and structure; Lipids are divided into fats (solids at room temperature) and oils (liquids at room temperature) The structure of a triglyceride

What are the five examples of fats?

Sources of Fats Can Be Divided Into Two Types. Vegetarian Fat; Animal Fat . Vegetarian Sources of Fats. 1. Vegetables. Vegetables that contain fats (except for coconuts) are are good sources of fats. Avocados and olives are two good examples. 2. Vegetable Spreads. Vegetable spreads can be used as substitutes for butter and margarine.

What is the structure and function of fats?

Fats serve as an insulation material to allow body heat to be conserved and fats line and protect delicate internal organs from physical damage. Fats in the diet can be converted to other lipids that serve as the main structural material in the membranes surrounding our cells.

What is the structure of fats and oils?

Fats and oils are composed of molecules known as triglycerides, which are esters composed of three fatty acid units linked to glycerol. An increase in the percentage of shorter-chain fatty acids and/or unsaturated fatty acids lowers the melting point of a fat or oil.

What is the structural unit of fat?

The basic unit of lipids is a triglyceride, synthesised from glycerol (propane-1,2,3-triol) and fatty acids. Glycerol is a type of alcohol.

What is the structure of a fat quizlet?

A triglyceride (fat) is made of a glycerol head and 3 molecules of fatty acid. A Phosphollipid is made of a Phosphate group, glycerol and 2 fatty acids.

What is the oil structure?

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a drilling method used to extract petroleum (oil) or natural gas from deep in the Earth. In the fracking process, cracks in and below the Earth's surface are opened and widened by injecting water, chemicals, and sand at high pressure.

What are the 3 components of fat?

Fats and oils are organic compounds that, like carbohydrates, are composed of the elements carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O), arranged to form molecules.

What structure stores fat?

Adipose tissueAdipose tissue, also known as fat tissue or fatty tissue, is a connective tissue that is mainly composed of fat cells called adipocytes. Adipocytes are energy storing cells that contain large globules of fat known as lipid droplets surrounded by a structural network of fibers.

What is the unit of structure?

In polymer chemistry, a structural unit is a building block of a polymer chain. It is the result of a monomer which has been polymerized into a long chain. There may be more than one structural unit in the repeat unit.

How fats are formed?

Fats used by or stored in animal tissues come from two sources—enzymatic synthesis and diet. The fat synthesized from carbohydrates intermediates followed by enzymatic resynthesis to form the fat characteristic of the animal, but some dietary fatty acids are absorbed directly and recombined in the body fat.

What is the structure of lipids called?

Lipids are made up of a glycerol molecule attached to three fatty acid molecules. Such a lipid is called triglyceride.

What type of structure is a fatty acid?

Fatty acids are carbon chains with a methyl group at one end of the molecule (designated omega, ω) and a carboxyl group at the other end (Figure 1). The carbon atom next to the carboxyl group is called the a carbon, and the subsequent one the β carbon.

What is the structure shape of lipids?

Lipid sacs can also have different shapes (such as spherical, polyhedral, and tubular vesicles) which may be important for the flow properties of vesicular suspensions (Florence et al.

What are the characteristics of fats and oils?

Fats and oils contain a high content of saturated fatty acids in the triacylglycerol (TAG) molecules have high melting point, while a higher level of unsaturated fatty acids is responsible for lower melting points. Fatty acid composition of major fats and oils are presented in Table 1.

How are fats and oils structurally similar How are they different?

One difference between fats and oils is that at room temperature fats are solid whereas oils are liquid. Fats and oils are both made of one part called glycerol attached to three other parts called fatty acids. Glycerol is a thick liquid with many industrial uses.

What are fat and oils?

The difference is that those that stay solid at room temperatures are called fats while those that stay liquid at room temperatures are called oils. Chemically, each fat or oil molecule consists of three long strings of fatty acid molecules combined with a glycerol molecule.

What is the structure and function of fat?

Fat is made up of the monomers glycerol and fatty acid. Fat functions as insulation, padding, and long-term energy storage for organisms. Additiona...

What does fat consist of?

Fats consist of the monomers or smaller molecules, glycerol and fatty acid. These molecules are composed of the chemical elements hydrogen, carbon,...

What is the basic structure of a fatty acid?

The basic structure of a fatty acid is a chain of carbon atoms bonded together that have branching bonds with hydrogen. Fatty acids can consist of...

What are the essential fats in food?

Essential fats include Omega-3 fats (found in foods such as fish and flax seed) and Omega-6 fats (found in foods such as nuts, seeds, and corn oil). There are three main types of fat in the foods you eat: unsaturated fats from plant foods. Find out what foods have unsaturated fats ». saturated fats from animal foods.

Why are fats called essential fats?

We can only get these fats by eating them. These fats are called “essential” fats because it is essential that we get them from food.

Why do we need fat?

We need fat because: fat helps absorb vitamins, like vitamins A, D, E, and K. fat keeps our skin healthy. essential fats like Omega-3 are important for heart health. healthy fats, like unsaturated fats from plant oils, can help lower levels of LDL (lousy) cholesterol. fat adds flavour to food.

What is the structure of fat in cooking oils?

Fats in our body are made up of three molecules joined together. This three-molecule structure is called a “triglyceride”. Most of the fat we need is made by our bodies, but there are some fats our bodies cannot make.

How is fat formed?

A fat is formed when a glycerol joins with three fatty acids. Fats are also called triglycerides. In the image below, you are looking at a fat, or triglyceride. Take a moment to review the picture. Note there is one glycerol connected up to three fatty acids.

What are the two main types of triglycerides?

Saturated and Unsaturated Fats. There are two main types of triglycerides: saturated fats and unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats have at least one double bond in the long carbon chain, whereas saturated fats do not have at least one double bond.

What does it mean when you hear the word "fat"?

When you hear the word 'fat', different images probably come to mind, like a big gob of goo or a chunk of meat dripping with oils. But fats are much more complicated than gobs of goo that you try to avoid. Fats are large molecules that are classified as lipids and are made up of glycerol and fatty acids. What do those vocabulary words mean, exactly?

What is the carbon on the end of a chain called?

On one end of the chain there is a carboxyl-group, or a carbon double bonded to an oxygen and single bonded to an oxygen and hydrogen. Double bonds are depicted by using two lines, which you can see in the image below. A fat is formed when a glycerol joins with three fatty acids. Fats are also called triglycerides.

Why is fat important for mylelin?

Sometimes you eat more than you need, and the excess is stored as fat for future use. Fat helps cushion organs. There is a thin layer of fat beneath your skin, which helps to insulate you and maintain your body temperature. Fats make up the membranes, or outer coverings, of our cells. Fats are ingredients for mylelin.

What are the three bonds that make up fat?

The other three bonds are with carbon and hydrogen atoms. Take a look at the image below to get a better idea. Note: O stands for oxygen, H stands for hydrogen, and C stands for carbon. Fats are also made up of fatty acids, which have a long chain of carbons.

How many carbon atoms are in glycerol?

Glycerol is part of the structure of fat and is made up of three carbon atoms. Each carbon atom can bond, or attach, to four other atoms. One of those bonds is made with a hydroxyl-group, or a hydrogen and oxygen. The other three bonds are with carbon and hydrogen atoms. Take a look at the image below to get a better idea.

What about the different types of fat?

Besides the categorization of fats based on their structures, fats are also commonly categorized into saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature, and their structure is “saturated” with hydrogens, with a hydrogen atom on every carbon in the hydrocarbon molecule because of the single bond between the carbons. Yet, while saturated fats were commonly known as the “unhealthy” fat because they were known to raise LDL cholesterol levels, here’s where the controversy comes in. Recent studies have been beginning to show that diets high in saturated fat did not raise the risk of heart disease, including a popular and controversial study published in 2014 that stated that there was no evidence that consuming more saturated fat caused an increase in heart attacks. However, this controversy is still being hotly debated by public health experts.

What is the function of fat?

Yet, despite their bad reputation associated with weight gain, fat is actually incredibly important to the functioning of our bodies. While lipids mainly function to store long-term energy, they also form the structure of cell membranes, messenger, and signalling molecules in the body. When fat is broken down, it can release large amounts of energy as they contain more ATP per molecule at 9 calories per gram compared to 4 calories per gram in carbohydrates. In addition, another important role of fat is to insulate the body . You may have noticed that many animals, particularly animals that live in the arctic and antarctic, have thick layers of blubber protecting their body. This may apply to humans as well, as in a study, it was found that when people who were obese and people who were lean were immersed in cool water, the people with obesity cooled less quickly and did not have to elevate their metabolism to heat up their bodies as much as lean people. This was also shown in the Rottnest Channel Swim in Australia, where participants swim across the 20 kilometer channel in the 70 degree water. In this competition, scientists found that swimmers with a higher body-mass index (BMI) were much less likely to get hypothermia. With fat preventing heat loss, this means that the body doesn’t need to work as hard to stay warm, although an excess of body fat can lead to heat stress in warmer conditions.

Why are trans fats bad for you?

Trans fats are the worst type of fat for the heart, blood vessels, and rest of the body because they: Raise bad LDL and lower good HDL. Create inflammation, ( 18) – a reaction related to immunity – which has been implicated in heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.

What are the benefits of unsaturated fats?

Unsaturated fats, which are liquid at room temperature, are considered beneficial fats because they can improve blood cholesterol levels, ease inflammation, stabilize heart rhythms, and play a number of other beneficial roles . Unsaturated fats are predominantly found in foods from plants, such as vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds.

What is saturated fat?

Saturated Fats. All foods containing fat have a mix of specific types of fats. Even healthy foods like chicken and nuts have small amounts of saturated fat, though much less than the amounts found in beef, cheese, and ice cream. Saturated fat is mainly found in animal foods, but a few plant foods are also high in saturated fats, such as coconut, ...

Which type of fat is found in high concentrations?

1. Monounsaturated fats are found in high concentrations in: 2. Polyunsaturated fats are found in high concentrations in. Canola oil – though higher in monounsaturated fat, it’s also a good source of polyunsaturated fat. Omega-3 fats are an important type of polyunsaturated fat.

How much trans fat is bad for you?

Can have harmful health effects even in small amounts – for each additional 2 percent of calories from trans fat consumed daily, the risk of coronary heart disease increases by 23 percent .

How to get Omega 3?

An excellent way to get omega-3 fats is by eating fish 2-3 times a week. Good plant sources of omega-3 fats include flax seeds, walnuts, and canola or soybean oil. Higher blood omega-3 fats are associated with lower risk of premature death among older adults, according to a study by HSPH faculty.

Why is hydrogenated vegetable oil used as margarine?

Partially hydrogenating vegetable oils makes them more stable and less likely to become rancid. This process also converts the oil into a solid , which makes them function as margarine or shortening.

What are triglycerides made of?

Since the glycerides, which make up 90 to 99 percent of most individual fats or oils of commerce, are esters formed by three fatty-acid molecules combining with one molecule of glycerol, they may differ not only in the fatty acids that they contain but also in the arrangement of the fatty-acid radicals on the glycerol portion. Simple triglycerides are those in which each molecule of glycerol is combined with three molecules of one acid—e.g., tripalmitin, C 3 H 5 (OCOC 15 H 31) 3, the glyceryl ester of palmitic acid, C 15 H 31 COOH. Only a few of the glycerides occurring in nature are of the simple type; most are mixed triglycerides (i.e., one molecule of glycerol is combined with two or three different fatty acids). Thus stearodipalmitin, C 3 H 5 (OCOC 15 H 31) 2 (OCOC 17 H 35 ), contains two palmitic acid radicals and one stearic acid radical. Similarly, oleopalmitostearin, C 3 H 5 (OCOC 15 H 31 ) (OCOC 17 H 33 ) (OCOC 17 H 35 ), contains one radical each of oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. Each mixed triglyceride containing three different acid radicals may exist in three different isomeric forms, because any of the three can be linked with the centre carbon of the glycerol molecule. A mixed triglyceride containing two radicals of the same acid and one radical of another acid has only two isomeric forms.

Why are fatty acids important?

Because of their preponderant weight in the glyceride molecules and also because they comprise the reactive portion of the molecules, the fatty acids influence greatly both the physical and chemical character of glycerides. Fats vary widely in complexity; some contain only a few component acids, and at the other extreme more than 100 different ...

How many fatty acids are in butterfat?

Fats vary widely in complexity; some contain only a few component acids, and at the other extreme more than 100 different fatty acids have been identified in butterfat, although many are present in only trace quantities. Most of the oils and fats are based on about a dozen fatty acids ( see table). In considering the composition ...

What is a simple triglyceride?

Simple triglycerides are those in which each molecule of glycerol is combined with three molecules of one acid —e.g., tripalmitin, C 3 H 5 (OCOC 15 H 31) 3, the glyceryl ester of palmitic acid, C 15 H 31 COOH.

What are monoglycerides and diglycerides?

Monoglycerides and diglycerides are partial esters of glycerol and have one or two fatty-acid radicals, respectively. They are seldom found in natural fats except as the products of partial hydrolysis of triglycerides.

How many double bonds are there in an acid?

Unsaturated acids may contain up to six double bonds, and as unsaturation increases the melting points become lower.

Why do fats have no distinct melting points?

Fats have no distinct melting points or solidifying points because they are such complex mixtures of glycerides, each of which has a different melting point. Glycerides, further, have several polymorphic forms with different melting or transition points.

What are the three OH groups of fat?

Chemical Structure. Fats are derived from fatty acids and glycerol. As such, fats are glycerides (usually triglycerides). The three -OH groups on glycerol serve as attachment sites for fatty acid chains, with the carbon atoms linked via an -O- bond.

What is the omega 3 fatty acid?

So, an omega-3 fatty acid is one in which the first double bonded carbon occurs on the third carbon from the omega end of the chain. Unsaturated fats may be cis fats or trans fats.

What are the two types of lipids?

Fats and oils are two types of lipids. Fats are lipids that are solid at room temperature. Oils are lipids that are liquid at room temperature, typically because they consist of unsaturated or short fatty acid chains.

What are the lines that attach to the fatty acid chain?

In chemical structures, fatty acid chains are drawn as horizontal lines attached to the vertical glycerol backbone. However, the chains form zig-zag shapes. Longer fatty acid chains are susceptible to van der Waals forces that attract parts of the molecule to each other, giving fats a higher melting point than oils.

What is a polyunsaturated fat?

In contrast, saturated fats contain one or more double bonds between the carbon atoms in the chains. If the molecule contains multiple double bonds, it is called a polyunsaturated fat.

What is the structure of fat?

The basic structure of a fat is the triglyceride molecule. Fats are solids at room temperature, insoluble in water, and soluble in organic solvents. Fats are essential to the human diet, along with protein and carbohydrates. Fat is stored in adipose tissue, which functions to store energy, provide thermal insulation, cushion tissue, ...

What are some examples of fats?

Examples of fats include butter, cream, vegetable shortening, and lard. Examples of pure compounds that are fats include triglycerides, phospholipids, and cholesterol.

How to make fat?

A variety of chemical and physical techniques are used for the production and processing of fats, both industrially and in cottage or home settings. They include: 1 Pressing to extract liquid fats from fruits, seeds, or algae, e.g. olive oil from olives; 2 Solvent extraction using solvents like hexane or supercritical carbon dioxide. 3 Rendering, the melting of fat in adipose tissue, e.g. to produce tallow, lard, fish oil, and whale oil. 4 Churning of milk to produce butter. 5 Hydrogenation to lower the degree of unsaturation of the fatty acids. 6 Interesterification, the rearrangement of fatty acids across different triglycerides. 7 Winterization to remove oil components with higher melting points. 8 Clarification of butter.

What are fats named after?

Fats are usually named after their source (like olive oil, cod liver oil, shea butter, tail fat) or have traditional names of their own (like butter, lard, ghee, and margarine ). Some of these names refer to products that contain substantial amounts of other components besides fats proper.

Where do trans fatty acids come from?

Some trans fatty acids occur in natural fats and traditionally processed foods. Vaccenic acid occurs in breast milk, and some isomers of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) are found in meat and dairy products from ruminants. Butter, for example, contains about 3% trans fat.

How many calories are in fat?

In humans and many animals, fats serve both as energy sources and as stores for energy in excess of what the body needs immediately. Each gram of fat when burned or metabolized releases about 9 food calories (37 kJ = 8.8 kcal ). Fats are also sources of essential fatty acids, an important dietary requirement.

How can a fatty acid molecule be deformed?

The shape of fat and fatty acid molecules is usually not well-defined. Any two parts of a molecule that are connected by just one single bond are free to rotate about that bond. Thus a fatty acid molecule with n simple bonds can be deformed in n -1 independent ways (counting also rotation of the terminal methyl group ).

What solvents are used to extract fat?

Solvent extraction using solvents like hexane or supercritical carbon dioxide. Rendering, the melting of fat in adipose tissue, e.g. to produce tallow, lard, fish oil, and whale oil. Churning of milk to produce butter. Hydrogenation to lower the degree of unsaturation of the fatty acids.

What is the function of adipocytes?

Adipocytes (fat cells) store fat derived from the diet and from liver metabolism. Under energy stress these cells may degrade their stored fat to supply fatty acids and also glycerol to the circulation. These metabolic activities are regulated by several hormones (e.g., insulin, glucagon and epinephrine ).

How do length and saturation affect the structure of the membrane?

Both length and saturation of fatty acids affect the arrangement of the membrane in our body cells and thereby its fluidity. Shorter chain fatty acids and ones with greater unsaturation are less stiff and less viscous, making the membranes more flexible. This influences a range of important biological functions (see The functions of fats in the body ).

What is the EUFIC review?

EUFIC’s review Facts on Fats provides the reader with an extensive , though easy to understand, overview of the various aspects related to the fats we consume through our diets. To make this information easier to digest, the review is divided over two parts; the first, the current article, explains the Basics of dietary fats. It clarifies what dietary fats are, how fats differ from a molecular perspective, which roles they play in the human body (briefly), and the importance of fats in food technology. The second part is a review of the scientific literature on Dietary fats and health. It explains the most recent advances in nutrition science on the consumption of dietary fats and how this impacts health. It also covers dietary recommendations from international authoritative bodies and the different Member States, and current consumption levels throughout Europe.

How many double bonds are there in fatty acids?

Saturated fatty acids (SFA) contain no double bonds, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) contain one, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) contain more than one double bond.

What are the compounds that make up fat?

Dietary fats are naturally occurring molecules that are part of our diet. They belong to a larger group of compounds named lipids that also include waxes, sterols (e.g. cholesterol) and fat-soluble vitamins. However, this distinction is not always clear, and sometimes the term fats also include other lipids, such as cholesterol.

What is the purpose of the second part of the dietary fats and health?

The second part is a review of the scientific literature on Dietary fats and health. It explains the most recent advances in nutrition science on the consumption ...

Which fatty acid has the first double bond?

Omega-6 (or n-6) fatty acids have the first double bond at the sixth carbon atom and include mainly linoleic acid (LA) and its derivative arachidonic acid (AA).

Does hydrogenation cause TFA?

Full hydrogenation, on the other hand, does not result in TFA, as all of the fatty acid molecules have been saturated. Thus, oil that has not undergone the full hydrogenation process contains TFA, which has been linked to adverse health effects (see Facts on fats - Dietary fats and health ).

Unsaturated Fats

Saturated Fats

Trans Fats

• Trans fatty acids, more commonly called trans fats, are made by heating liquid vegetable oils in the presence of hydrogen gas and a catalyst, a process called hydrogenation. 1. Partially hydrogenating vegetable oils makes them more stable and less likely to become rancid. This process also converts the oil into a solid, which makes them function as...

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