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The Lipids
The Lipids
The Lipids
Introduction
- Poor health
~ Too much fat
~ Too little fat
~ Too much of some kinds of fat
- Family of lipids
~ Triglycerides
~ Phospholipids
~ Sterols
- Composition: C, H, O
- Fatty Acids
~ Methyl group – Carbons – Carboxyl Group
Fatty Acids
- Methyl group at one end
~ Acid group at other end
- Usually even number of carbons
~ 18-carbon fatty acids abundant in food
- The length of the carbon chain
~ Long-chain (12-24): meats and vegetable oil
~ Medium-chain (6-10): dairy
~ Short-chain (<6): dairy
- The number of double bonds
~ Saturated: full of hydrogens
~ Unsaturated: missing hydrogens
~ Mono-unsaturated
~ Poly-unsaturated
For Internal Circulation Only
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MPU 3343 NUTRITION & PUBLIC HEALTH
Chapter 3 The Lipids: Triglycerides, Phospholipids and Sterols
Triglycerides
~ Three fatty acids attached to a glycerol backbone
~ Formed via series of condensation reactions
~ Usually contain mixture of fatty acids
Phospholipids
- Solubility in fat and water
- Lechitin is best-known
- Structure
~ Glycerol backbone
~ Two fatty acids
~ Phosphate group
- Phospholipids in foods
~ Use by food industry as emulsifiers
~ Food sources richest of lecithin are eggs, liver, soybeans, wheat germ
- Roles of phospholipids
~ Part of cell membranes
~ Emulsifies fats
~ Transports fats
Sterols
- Sterols in food
~ Cholesterol
~ Plant sterols
- Roles of sterols
~ Made in the body
~ Structural component of cell membranes
~ Body compounds made from cholesterol
- In the mouth
~ Lingual lipase plays role in fat digestion in infants
- In the stomach
~ Strong muscle contractions
~ Gastric lipase
- In the small intestine
~ Cholecystokinin (CCK)
~ Gall bladder releases bile
~ Bile acts as emulsifier
- Pancreatic Lipase
- Hydrolysis
~ Triglycerides and phospholipids
- Bile’s roles and routes
~ Effect on blood cholesterol levels
Lipid Absorption
- Absorption:
~ Micelles form to move fats into intestinal cells
- Transport:
~ Small fats → directly into bloodstream
~ Glycerol and short- and medium-chain fatty acids
~ Large fats → Lymphatic system
~ Micelles diffuse into intestinal cells
~ Reassembled into triglycerides
~ Packed with proteins into transport vehicles called chylomicrons
~ Bypass liver at first
- Lymphatic system
~ Lymph
~ Formation of chylomicrons
Lipid Transport
- Lipoproteins: fat carriers / transporters
- Four main types of lipoproteins
~ Chylomicrons
~ Largest and least dense
~ Transport diet-derived lipids
~ Liver removes remnants from blood
~ Very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL)
~ Made in the liver
~ Proportion of lipids shifts
~ Low-density lipoproteins (LDL)
~ Cell needs
~ Liver regulation
~ High-density lipoproteins (HDL)
~ Remove cholesterol from cells
~ Carry cholesterol to liver for recycling
~ Anti-inflammatory properties
- Health implications
Lipoproteins
- Differences between the lipoproteins?
~ Removes fat
For Internal Circulation Only
Page 17 of 32
MPU 3343 NUTRITION & PUBLIC HEALTH
Chapter 3 The Lipids: Triglycerides, Phospholipids and Sterols
~ Symptoms
3.5 Health Effects and Recommended Intakes of Saturated Fats, Trans Fats and Cholesterol
Health Effects of Saturated Fats, Trans Fats and Cholesterol
- Current American diet
~ Excessive amounts of solid fats
- Blood lipid profile
- Heart disease
~ Elevated LDL cholesterol a risk factor
~ Saturated fats increase LDL cholesterol, promote blood clotting
~ Dietary choices
~ Saturated fat: increase LDL, leave HDL alone
~ Trans fats: increase LDL, lower HDL
~ Dietary cholesterol
- Cancer
~ Dietary fat and cancer risk
~ Differs for various types of cancer
~ Promotion rather than initiation of cancer
- Obesity
~ Cutting fat from diet reduces kcalories
~ Dietary recommendations
3.6 Health Effects and Recommended Intakes of Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated Fats
Health Effects of Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated Fats
- Heart disease
~ Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats
~ Regular consumption of omega-3 fatty acids
~ Suppresses inflammation
- Cancer
~ By reducing oxidative stress and suppressing inflammation
- Omega-3 supplements
~ Routine supplementation is not recommended. Excessive intakes of omega-3
polyunsaturated fatty acids may lengthen bleeding time, interfere with wound
healing, raise LDL cholesterol, and suppress immune function
~ People with heart disease, however, may benefit from supplements of omega-3
fatty acids
~ Selections
- Milk and milk products
~ Selections
- Vegetables, fruits and grains
~ Lowers consumption of various fats in the diet
~ Provides phytochemicals
- Solid fats and oils
~ Fried and baked goods
- Choose wisely
~ Unprocessed foods
- Read food labels
~ Total fat, saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol
~ Compare products
~ Percent Daily Value versus percent kcalories from fat
- Fat replacers
~ Types
~ Risks
Highlight 3
High-Fat Foods – Friend or Foe?
Glossary
Chapter 3 The Lipids
ee-NO-ick) acid
(EPA)
19 Emulsifiers Substances with both water-soluble and fat-soluble portions that promote
the mixing of oils and fats in watery solutions.
20 Endogenous (en- From within the body.
DODGE-eh-nus) Endo = within
Gen = arising
21 Essential fatty acids Fatty acids needed by the body but not made by it in amounts sufficient
to meet physiological needs.
22 Exogenous (eks- From outside the body.
ODGE-eh-nus): Exo = outside
23 Fat replacers Ingredients that replace some or all of the functions of fat and may or
may not provide energy.
24 Fats Lipids that are solid at room temperature (77°F or 25°C).
25 Glycerol (GLISS-er- An alcohol composed of a three-carbon chain, which can serve as the
ol) backbone for a triglyceride.
26 HDL (high-density The type of lipoprotein that transports cholesterol back to the liver from
lipoprotein) the cells; composed primarily of protein.
27 Hormone-sensitive An enzyme inside adipose cells that responds to the body's need for fuel
lipase by hydrolyzing triglycerides so that their parts (glycerol and fatty acids)
escape into the general circulation and thus become available to other
cells for fuel. The signals to which this enzyme responds include
epinephrine and glucagon, which oppose insulin.
28 Hydrogenation A chemical process by which hydrogens are added to monounsaturated
(HIGH-dro-jen-AY- or polyunsaturated fatty acids to reduce the number of double bonds,
shun or high-DROJ- making the fats more saturated (solid) and more resistant to oxidation
eh-NAY-shun) (protecting against rancidity). Hydrogenation produces trans-fatty acids.
29 Hydrophilic (high-dro- A term referring to water-loving, or water-soluble, substances.
FIL-ick)
30 Hydrophobic (high- A term referring to water-fearing, or non-water-soluble, substances; also
dro-FOE-bick) known as lipophilic (fat loving).
Hydro = water
Phobia = fear
Lipo = lipid
Phile = love
31 LDL (low-density The type of lipoprotein derived from very-low-density lipoproteins
lipoprotein) (VLDL) as triglycerides are removed and broken down; composed
primarily of cholesterol.
32 Lecithin (LESS-uh- One of the phospholipids. Both nature and the food industry use lecithin
thin) as an emulsifier to combine water-soluble and fat-soluble ingredients
that do not ordinarily mix, such as water and oil.
33 Linoleic acid (lin-oh- An essential fatty acid with 18 carbons and two double bonds.
LAY-ick)
34 Linolenic acid (lin-oh- An essential fatty acid with 18 carbons and three double bonds.
LEN-ick)
35 Lipases Enzymes that hydrolyze lipids. Lingual lipase refers to the fat-digesting
enzyme secreted from the salivary gland at the base of the tongue.
36 Lipids A family of compounds that includes triglycerides, phospholipids and
sterols. Lipids are characterized by their insolubility in water. (Lipids
also include the fat-soluble vitamins).
37 Lipoprotein lipase An enzyme that hydrolyzes triglycerides passing by in the bloodstream
(LPL) and directs their parts into the cells, where they can be metabolized for
energy or reassembled for storage.
38 Lipoproteins (LIP-oh- Clusters of lipids associated with proteins that serve as transport vehicles
PRO-teenz) for lipids in the lymph and blood.
39 Micelles (MY-cells) Tiny spherical complexes of emulsified fat that arise during digestion;
most contain bile salts and the products of lipid digestion, including fatty
acids, monoglycerides and cholesterol.
40 Monoglycerides Molecules of glycerol with one fatty acid attached. A molecule of
glycerol with two fatty acids attached is a diglyceride.
Mono = one
Di = two
41 Oils Lipids that are liquid at room temperature (77°F or 25°C).
42 Olestra A synthetic fat made from sucrose and fatty acids that provides 0
kcalories per gram; also known as sucrose polyester.
43 Omega The last letter of the Greek alphabet (ω), used by chemists to refer to the
position of the closest double bond to the methyl (CH3) end of a fatty
acid.
44 Omega-3 fatty acid A polyunsaturated fatty acid in which the closest double bond to the
methyl (CH3) end of the carbon chain is three carbons away.
45 Omega-6 fatty acid A polyunsaturated fatty acid in which the closest double bond to the
methyl (CH3) end of the carbon chain is six carbons away.
46 Oxidation (OKS-ee- The process of a substance combining with oxygen; oxidation reactions
day-shun) involve the loss of electrons.
47 Phospholipid (FOS- A compound similar to a triglyceride but having a phosphate group (a
foe-LIP-id) phosphorus-containing salt) and choline (or another nitrogen-containing
compound) in place of one of the fatty acids.
48 Plaque (PLACK) An accumulation of fatty deposits, smooth muscle cells and fibrous
connective tissue that develops in the artery walls in atherosclerosis.
Plaque associated with atherosclerosis is known as atheromatous (ATH-
er-OH-ma-tus) plaque.
49 Sterols (STARE-ols or Compounds containing a four-ring carbon structure with any of a variety
STEER-ols) of side chains attached.
50 Trans On the other side of; refers to a chemical configuration in which the
hydrogen atoms are located on opposite sides of a double bond.
51 Trans-fatty acids Fatty acids with hydrogens on opposite sides of the double bond.
52 Triglycerides (try- The chief form of fat in the diet and the major storage form of fat in the
GLISS-er-rides) body; composed of a molecule of glycerol with three fatty acids
attached; also called triacylglycerols (try-ay-seel-GLISS-er-ols).
Tri = three
Glyceride = of glycerol
53 VLDL (very-low- The type of lipoprotein made primarily by liver cells to transport lipids
density lipoprotein) to various tissues in the body; composed primarily of triglycerides.
Glossary of Fatty Acids Terms
54 Fatty acids Organic compounds composed of a carbon chain with hydrogens
attached and an acid group (COOH) at one end and a methyl group
(CH3) at the other end.
55 Monounsaturated fatty A fatty acid that lacks two hydrogen atoms and has one double bond
acid (MUFA) between carbons—for example, oleic acid. A monounsaturated fat is
composed of triglycerides in which most of the fatty acids are
monounsaturated.
Mono = one
56 Point of unsaturation The double bond of a fatty acid, where hydrogen atoms can easily be
added to the structure.
57 Polyunsaturated fatty A fatty acid that lacks four or more hydrogen atoms and has two or more
acid (PUFA) double bonds between carbons—for example, linoleic acid (two double
bonds) and linolenic acid (three double bonds). A polyunsaturated fat is
For Internal Circulation Only
Page 31 of 32
MPU 3343 NUTRITION & PUBLIC HEALTH
Chapter 3 The Lipids: Triglycerides, Phospholipids and Sterols