What rhymes with lipid? Well, that doesn’t matter right now, the better question is, what is a lipid? Anyone? OKAY OKAY, I’ll tell you. Basically it’s a group of organic compounds comprising waxes, oils or fats. Useful fact about oils is that they contain unsaturated hydrocarbon chains c=c bonds however, fats contain the opposite which are saturated hydrocarbon chains… and because of this, fats are solids and oils are liquids at room temperature. Waxes are just waxes (fatty acid = long chain alcohol) .
Wait, what’s that? Fatty Acids?
A fatty acid is not what’s behind Beyonce, but it is really a carboxylic acid consisting of a hydrocarbon chain and a terminal carboxyl group usually found as esters in fats and oils. They are used by the body as a source of energy, provide insulation from the cold and protects vital organs.
Why fat?
Well; it helps in the formation of cell membranes, provides the steroid nucleus with hormones, carries fat soluble vitamins, adds flavour to foods.
Straight Talk.
* Saturated fats have no double bonds, they are long straight chains. They contribute however to cardiovascular disease, the build-up of plaque in the arteries and even arteriosclerosis.
* Unsaturated fats have double bonds present. (‘cis’ form double bond, forming a kink) This prevents the fat molecules from packing tightly (healthier fat)
* The double bonds in monosaturated fatty acids occur between C9 and C10 and in polysaturated fatty acids more double bonds are found at C12 and C15.
* As the number of carbon atoms increase in a fatty acid, the melting point also increases… however the solubility in water decreases.
* Most fats are comprised of a mixture of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
* There are both essential and non-essential fatty acids.
* Trans Fats and saturated fats both put your hearts health at risk!
* Essential fatty acids! OMEGA – 6 – LINOLEIC acid and OMEGA-3 ALPHA- LINOLENIC acid.
REFERENCES
http://telstar.ote.cmu.edu/biology/MembranePage/images/representation.jpg http://myhealthyfriends.blogspot.com/2013/08/packaged-foods-have-much-more-trans-fat.html http://courses.washington.edu/conj/membrane/fattyacids.htm
mollycools 