LIPIDS

Good or Bad?
 Objectives
• To explain the role of lipids in metabolic
processes.
• To categorize fats, phospholipids, and steroids
• To differentiate saturated and unsaturated
fatty acids.
 •F•A•T•S•
• Dietary destruction!!!
• In reality, fats are elegant little
molecules.
• They play essential roles in the
biology of humans and other
organisms.
 •O•i•l•
Does it mix with water?

No. Biologically, why is this important?

Oil is a lipid. The property of chemically not

being able to mix with water gives lipids some
very important biological functions.
Why?
Terms to Remember
 What are LIPIDS?
• A lipid is an organic compound such as fat or
oil.

• Organisms use lipids to store energy, but

lipids have other important roles as well.
 Types of Lipids
• triglycerides: the main form of stored energy
in animals.
• phospholipids: the major components of cell
membranes.
• steroids: serve as chemical messengers and
have other roles.
• waxes: water resistant, which prevents water
from sticking on surfaces.
A fat molecule consists of two kinds of parts: a
glycerol backbone and three fatty acid tails.

Fat molecules are also called triacylglycerols or

triglycerides.
Fats
 Saturated Fatty Acids
• Carbon atoms are bonded to as many
hydrogen atoms as possible forming straight
chains.
• The straight chains can be packed together
very tightly, allowing them to store energy in a
compact form making them solid at room
temperature.
• Animals use saturated fatty acids to store
energy.
 Unsaturated Fatty Acids
• Some carbon atoms are not bonded to as
many hydrogen atoms as possible. Instead,
they are bonded to other groups of atoms.
• The chains cannot be packed together very
tightly, due to the double bonds making them
liquid at room temperature.
• Plants use unsaturated fatty acids to store
energy.
Cis & Trans Fatty Acid
 Essential Fatty Acids
• The human body can manufacture most of the
lipids it needs, however there are essential
fatty acids that need to be consumed.
• Essential fatty acids include omega-3 and
omega-6 fatty acids. Both of these fatty acids
are needed for important biological processes,
not just for energy.
 Omega 3 and Omega 6 cis
unsaturated fatty acid
• They are precursors (starting material) for the
synthesis of a number of important signaling
molecules, including ones that regulate
inflammation and mood.
• Omega-3 fatty acids in particular may reduce
the risk of sudden death from heart attacks,
decrease triglycerides in the blood, lower
blood pressure, and prevent the formation of
blood clots.
 Role of fats
• Many vitamins are fat-soluble; they must be
associated with fat molecules in order to be
effectively absorbed by the body.
• Fats also provide an efficient way to store
energy over long time periods. All types of fat
are high in energy. A gram of fat provides
9kcal (37kJ) of energy compared with 4kcal
(17kJ) for carbohydrate and protein.
• Provide insulation for the body.
 Types of Lipids
• triglycerides: the main form of stored energy
in animals.
• phospholipids: the major components of cell
membranes.
• steroids: serve as chemical messengers and
have other roles.
• waxes: water resistant, which prevents water
from sticking on surfaces.
 Phospholipids
• Specialized lipids called phospholipids are
major components of the plasma membrane.
Like fats, they are typically composed of fatty
acid chains attached to a backbone of glycerol.
 Types of Lipids
• triglycerides: the main form of stored energy
in animals.
• phospholipids: the major components of cell
membranes.
• steroids: serve as chemical messengers and
have other roles.
• waxes: water resistant, which prevents water
from sticking on surfaces.
 Steroids
• Steroids are another class of lipid molecules,
identifiable by their structure of four fused
carbon rings and several of them, like
cholesterol, also have a short tail.
• They are also hydrophobic and insoluble in
water.
• Cholesterol, the most common steroid, is mainly
synthesized in the liver and is the precursor to
many steroid hormones. These include the sex
hormones testosterone and estradiol, which are
secreted by the gonads (testes and ovaries).
• Cholesterol in the blood can have both
protective effects (in its high-density, or HDL,
form) and negative effects (in its low-density,
or LDL, form) on cardiovascular health.
 Types of Lipids
• triglycerides: the main form of stored energy
in animals.
• phospholipids: the major components of cell
membranes.
• steroids: serve as chemical messengers and
have other roles.
• waxes: water resistant, which prevents water
from sticking on surfaces.
 Waxes
• Wax covers the
feathers of some
aquatic birds and the
leaf surfaces of some
plants, where its
hydrophobic (water-
repelling) properties
prevent water from
sticking to, or soaking
into, the surface.
• Natural waxes are typically esters of fatty acids
and long chain alcohols.
• triglycerides: the main form of stored
energy in animals.
• phospholipids: the major components of
cell membranes.
• steroids: serve as chemical messengers
and have other roles.
• waxes: water resistant, which prevents
water from sticking on surfaces.
 Activity
1. Using your product, determine the serving size
and serving per container.
2. Anytime you eat more than one serving of a
product, multiply the nutritional facts by the
number of servings you eat, including the %
Daily Value.
3. Look at the type of fat, and how much
4. Check the nutrition information if the fat
content is high or low:
• 5% or less : LOW Fat
• 20% or more : HIGH Fat
Spot sugar on food labels
Names for sugar include:
• Honey
• Syrup
• Nectar
• Molasses
• Fruit juice concentrate
• Anything ending in ‘ose’ such as fructose,
glucose, dextrose and maltose.
Determine if High or Low:
• 5% or less : LOW
• 20% or more : HIGH
 Use ½ cw to answer the ff.:
• Name of Product: ________
• Type of Fat and %DV (Whole Pack): ________
• With trans fat? Yes or No? _____________
• Low fat or High fat? _________
• With sugar? Yes or No? _________
• Name of sugar indicated: _________
• Low sugar or High Sugar? __________
• Is it healthy to consume this product? Explain.