Questions and Answers
What is the main function of fatty acids in the body, particularly in muscles and most other types of cells?
Fatty acids provide energy
What is the characteristic of the omega end of a fatty acid molecule?
It has three hydrogen atoms attached to the first carbon
What is the typical range of carbon atoms found in long-chain fatty acids?
14 to 24 carbon atoms
What determines how a fatty acid affects a person's health?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the characteristic of saturated fatty acids?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the function of the last carbon in a fatty acid molecule?
Signup and view all the answers
How do chemists identify a fatty acid?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the typical length of carbon chains found in fatty acids in nature?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the main difference between a saturated and an unsaturated fatty acid?
Signup and view all the answers
Why are fats typically solid at room temperature, while oils are liquid?
Signup and view all the answers
What are the two essential fatty acids that the human body cannot produce?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the significance of the omega-3 and omega-6 designations in fatty acid nomenclature?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the role of alpha-linolenic acid in the synthesis of other omega-3 fatty acids?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the importance of prostaglandins in the body?
Signup and view all the answers
Why are essential fatty acids crucial for fetal development and brain function?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the role of breastfeeding in providing essential fatty acids to infants?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the percentage of lipids in the human brain?
Signup and view all the answers
When does the fetus acquire most of its total brain DHA content?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the source of essential fatty acids for infants?
Signup and view all the answers
What are the symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the Adequate Intake (AI) for alpha-linolenic acid in men?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary source of omega-6 fatty acids in the American diet?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the structural difference between cis and trans fatty acids?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary health effect of consuming trans fatty acids?
Signup and view all the answers
What was the primary use of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in food manufacturing?
Signup and view all the answers
Why were PHOs more solid at room temperature than cis fatty acids?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the current alternative to PHOs in food manufacturing?
Signup and view all the answers
Why are essential fatty acids necessary for good health?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary reason why food manufacturers used to make products that contained PHOs?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the alternative method that manufacturers can use to preserve fat and other ingredients in foods instead of relying on PHOs?
Signup and view all the answers
What type of fat is naturally found in small amounts in some animal products, such as beef and dairy foods?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the percentage of lipids in your body and food that are comprised of triglycerides?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the function of glycerol in a triglyceride molecule?
Signup and view all the answers
What type of fatty acid does lard, a type of pork fat, contain a high percentage of?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary type of fatty acid found in olive oil?
Signup and view all the answers
What type of fatty acid do tropical fats and oils, such as cocoa butter and coconut oil, contain a high percentage of?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the term used to describe fats and oils that contain high amounts of saturated or unsaturated fatty acids?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the term used to describe the process by which fats become rancid and develop an unappetizing odor and taste?
Signup and view all the answers
Why is it crucial to distinguish between saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats, and identify foods with high amounts of these fats?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary difference between a phospholipid and a triglyceride?
Signup and view all the answers
How do phospholipids serve as emulsifiers in both food and the human body?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the role of phospholipids in cell membranes, and what is the significance of their chemical structure?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the importance of cholesterol in the human body, and how is it related to cell membranes?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the significance of lecithin in food and in the human body, particularly in relation to nerve cells?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the difference between sterols and other types of lipids, and what is the significance of cholesterol in this group?
Signup and view all the answers
How do phospholipids contribute to the structure and function of nerve cells, and what is the significance of choline in this context?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the role of phospholipids as emulsifiers in food manufacturing, and how do they prevent separation of oily and watery ingredients?
Signup and view all the answers
Why are phospholipid deficiencies uncommon in adults, and how do healthy adults obtain these lipids?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the functional role of cholesterol in the synthesis of vitamin D and steroid hormones?
Signup and view all the answers
How does the liver utilize cholesterol, and what is the significance of this process?
Signup and view all the answers
What are the primary sources of cholesterol in the diet, and how does the body produce cholesterol?
Signup and view all the answers
What are phytosterols and phytostanols, and how do they affect cholesterol absorption?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the significance of plant sterols and stanols in reducing the risk of heart disease?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the main difference between cholesterol and triglycerides in terms of their chemical structure?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary organ responsible for producing cholesterol in the body?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the potential health consequence of excessive cholesterol production in the body?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Fatty Acids
- Fatty acids provide energy for muscles and most other types of cells
- Fatty acids are composed of a hydrocarbon chain with an acid group at the end
- Fatty acids can be saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, or trans
- Saturated fatty acids have single bonds between carbon atoms, while unsaturated fatty acids have one or more double bonds
- Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) have one double bond, while polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have two or more double bonds
- Essential fatty acids are those that cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained through the diet
- Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and linoleic acid are two essential fatty acids that must be supplied by the diet
- ALA is an omega-3 fatty acid, while linoleic acid is an omega-6 fatty acid
- The body can convert ALA to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), but the ability to do so is limited
Essential Fatty Acids
- Essential fatty acids are important for nervous system development and good health
- Infants require DHA and EPA for brain and eye development
- Signs of essential fatty acid deficiency include scaly skin, hair loss, and poor wound healing
- The Adequate Intake (AI) for ALA is 1.6 g/day for men and 1.1 g/day for women, while the AI for linoleic acid is 17 g/day for men and 12 g/day for women
- Essential fatty acids can be found in vegetable oils, fatty fish, and whole-grain products
Trans Fats
- Trans fatty acids are created through partial hydrogenation, which adds hydrogen atoms to unsaturated fatty acids
- Trans fats are less susceptible to oxidation, which makes them more stable and suitable for use in processed foods
- However, trans fats can increase the risk of heart disease by raising blood levels of unhealthy cholesterol
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned the use of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in foods due to their health risks
- Interesterified oil is a new type of lipid that may replace PHOs in processed foods, but its long-term safety is still unknown
Triglycerides
- Triglycerides are composed of glycerol and three fatty acids
- Triglycerides are the main component of lipids in the body and food
- Triglycerides are often referred to as fats and oils
- The body stores energy as triglycerides (fat)
- Triglycerides can be saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated, depending on the type of fatty acids they contain
Phospholipids
- Phospholipids are similar to triglycerides, but have a phosphate group instead of a third fatty acid
- Phospholipids are naturally found in plant and animal foods
- Phospholipids are partially water-soluble and can act as emulsifiers, keeping oil and water mixed together
- Phospholipids are a major component of cell membranes and are needed for normal nerve function
- Phospholipid deficiencies are rare because the body synthesizes these compounds and they are found in a variety of foods
Sterols
- Sterols have a ring-shaped structure and are more complex than triglycerides or phospholipids
- Cholesterol is the most well-known sterol and is found only in animal foods
- Cholesterol is a component of every cell membrane and is necessary for the production of vitamin D, steroid hormones, and bile
- The liver produces cholesterol, and an excess can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease
- Plant sterols and stanols can reduce the amount of cholesterol absorbed by the digestive tract, which can help lower cholesterol levels
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Learn about the chemical structures and roles of saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and trans fatty acids, triglycerides, phospholipids, and cholesterol in the body.