Chapter 3: fats

Question 1

What are the basic elements of a fat molecule?

Answer 1

Elements of a fat molecule

• Basic Elements are
• Carbon
• Hydrogen
• Oxygen
• A fat molecule is also known as Triglyceride
Element of Fat

• Different fat molecules contain different combination of fatty
acid
Combination determines the chemical and
physical properties of the fat.

Question 2

What are the types of fatty acids?

Answer 2

Saturated
Fatty
Acids
Unsaturated
Fatty Acids

Question 3

Elaborate on Saturated fatty acids.

Answer 3

Saturated acids are acids that contains only single bonds. All the carbon
atoms are linked
to the maximum
number of
hydrogen atoms

Question 4

Elaborate on unsaturated fatty acids

Answer 4

Unsaturated fatty acids are acids that contains one or more double bonds.All the carbon
atoms are not
linked to the
maximum
number of
hydrogen atoms

Question 5

What are the types of unsaturated fats?

Answer 5

Monounsaturated

Fat

Polyunsaturated

Fat

Question 6

Elaborate on monosaturated fats.

Answer 6

• have 1 double bond
• can combine with only one
hydrogen atom
• liquid at room temperature
• derive from plant sources
• e.g. olive oil or peanut oil

Question 7

Elaborate on polyunsaturated fats.

Answer 7

• have two or more double bond
• can combine with two or more
hydrogen atoms
• liquid at room temperature
• derive from plant sources
• e.g. soya bean oil, corn oil

Question 8

What are the sources of saturated fats?

Answer 8

Lard, Butter

Margarine, Ghee
Tallow

Question 9

What are examples of saturated fat sources from animals?

Answer 9

Butter, ghee,lard,fat,tissues in meat and fat underneath the skin of poultry.

Question 10

What are examples of polyunsaturated fat sources from animals?

Answer 10

Fish oils from oily fish,- salmon, sardines, and liver of cod fish.

Question 11

WHat are sources of unsaturated fats?

Answer 11

Corn oil Soya oil

Olive oil Canola oil

Question 12

What are sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats from plants?

Answer 12

Fat from seeds- sunflower oil, soya bean, oil, canoa oil and corn oil.
Fat from nuts- Peanut oil and walnut oil
Fat from fruit- avocado and olivie oil.

Question 13

What are sources of saturated fats from plants?

Answer 13

Fat from kernel- palm oil

Fat from fruit- coconut milk and cocoa butter

Question 14

What are trans fats?

Answer 14

Trans fats are a form of unsaturated fat
associated with a number of negative health
effects. Artificial trans fat is created during
hydrogenation, which converts liquid vegetable
oils into semi-solid partially hydrogenated oil.

*Trans fat can also be found naturally in meat and
dairy.

Question 15

Elaborate on Hydrogenation.

Answer 15

Liquid oils are converted to solid fats. This
process is used to make margarine and vegetable
shortening. During this conversion, unsaturated
fatty acids become more saturated, and trans

fatty acids are produced.

Question 16

Is trans fats good or bad?

Answer 16

Is trans fat good or bad?

Bad! Trans fats not only raise LDL cholesterol
(bad cholesterol) like saturated fat, they also
lower HDL (good cholesterol), thereby
doubling your risk of heart disease.

Consumption of trans fat has been linked to
cancers.

Question 17

What are the functions of fats?

Answer 17

1) Rich Source of Energy
2) Provide warmth/ insulation
3) Solvent for fat-soluble vitamins
4) Protect vital organs

Question 18

Elaborate on the first function of fats.

Answer 18

Rich Source of Energy

• Provides body with rich source of energy
• 1 g of fat = 9 kcal

• Provides twice as much of energy than carbohydrate and
proteins

• Used as an energy reserve  whenever needed fats would be
converted to energy

Question 19

Elaborate on the second function of fats.

Answer 19

Provide warmth/ insulation
• Fats underneath our skin or adipose tissues, act as an
insulator to keep our body warm.

• This helps to prevent excessive loss of heat from our

body.

Question 20

Elaborate on the third function of fats.

Answer 20

Solvent for fat-soluble vitamins
• Fats act as a solvent for fat- soluble vitamins A,
D, E and K.

• These fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed and
stored temporarily in the fat tissues of our
body and used when needed.

Question 21

Elaborate on the fourth function of fats.

Answer 21

Protect vital organs
• Fats help to protect our internal organs (e.g.
kidney, liver, heart, etc…) against shock and
damage, by surrounding and cushioning them.

Question 22

What are some other functions of fats?

Answer 22

Other functions of Fat…

• Provides a high satiety value and makes food palatable.
• Provides palatable texture and colour in food- eg

potato chips and fried chicken wings

Question 23

What are the functions of fats in cooking?

Answer 23

Improves
• Flavour
• Texture
• Tenderness
• Colour

Question 24

What is the recommended daily intake of fats?

Answer 24

Recommended daily intake of fats

• 20-30% of food intake should consists of fats
• 1⁄3 of total fat should be from saturated and
• 2⁄3 from unsaturated fats.

Question 25

how do you reduce fats in food?

Answer 25

Reduce animal fat intake, e.g. butter, lard, ghee.
• Replace full cream dairy products with low fat substitute. e.g. low
fat cheese, low fat/ non-fat yogurt, low fat spread, skimmed milk.

• Spread butter thinly on bread.
• Trim visible fat from meat.
• Replace red meat with poultry and white fish which contains less

fat.

• Reduce intake of snacks, e.g. biscuits and cakes, chocolates, ice-
cream as they contained hidden fat.

• Modify recipes. E.g. replace coconut milk with skimmed milk.
• Replace deep frying with grilling and baking.