Chapter 4 book notes Flashcards
Fat is a member of a class of compounds called?
Lipids
Lipids in foods and human body include:
-triglycerides (fats &oils)
-phospholipids
-sterols
Too little and too much fat both have what affect on the body?
-harmful effect
In what two ways do fatty acids differ?
-in chain length and degree of saturation
Chain length
-the number of carbons in a fatty acid.
Degree of saturation
-chemical structure
-the # of hydrogen atoms the carbons in the fatty acid are holding.
Saturated fatty acid
-Every available carbon is filled to capacity with hydrogen atoms and has single bonds between carbons.
Unsaturation
-places where the hydrogen atoms are missing are called points of unsaturation.
-has at least one double bond between its carbons
A triglyceride can contain a combo of fatty acids such as:
-long chain
-short chain
-saturated
-monosaturated
-polysaturated
Fats that contain shorter chains or are more unsaturated fatty acids are:
-softer at room temperature and melt more easily.
compare these three fats:
1)lard
2)chicken fat
3)safflower oil
1)lard is most saturated and hardest
2)chicken fat is less saturated and somewhat soft
3) safflower oil is most unsaturated and is liquid @ room temp.
Saturation influencesâŠ
-stability
What kind of bond is unstable?
-double bonds
-so polyunsaturated fatty acids spoil most readily.
Fats can become what when exposed to oxygen?
-rancid
Oxygenation of unsaturated fats produces what?
-produces a variety of compounds that smell and taste rancid.
What kind of fat is more resistant to oxidation and less likely to become rancid?
-saturated fats
(3) ways manufactures can protect fat-containing products against rancidity:
1)Products sealed airtight and refrigerated (expensive and inconvenient)
2)adding antioxidants to compete for the oxygen and thus protect oil (BHA & BHT)
3)Manufacturers saturate some or all of the points of unsaturation by adding hydrogen atoms (hydrogenation)
Two advantages of hydrogenation:
1)protects against oxidation (prolonging shelf life)
2)alters texture of foods by increasing solidity of fats.
Hydrogenation of vegetable oil=
Hydrogenation of fats=
-spreadable margarine
-piecrusts become flaky and puddings become creamy
Disadvantages of hydrogenation:
-makes polyunsaturated fats more saturated
-health advantages of using polyunsaturated fats instead of saturated fats is lost.
-CHNAGES SHAPE FROM CIS TO TRANS
Cis-fatty acids
-naturally most unsaturated fatty acids
Cis form
-hydrogen atoms next to the double bonds are on the same side of the carbon chain.
Trans fatty acids
-only a few fatty acids in nature are trans fatty acids
-milk and meat products
Trans form
-hydrogen atoms next to double bonds are on opposite sides of carbon chain.
What does cis and trans form for fatty acids affect?
-affects function in the body
Function of trans fatty acids in body
-behave like saturated fats
-increase blood cholesterol and risk of heart disease.
What naturally occurring trans fatty acid may have health benefits?
-conjugated linoleic acid.
what two fatty acids can the body not synthesize that it needs?
-linoleic acid and linolenic acid
Linoleic acid & linolenic acid
-polyunsaturated fatty acids
-cannot be made from other substances in the body so they must be obtained from food. (ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS)
Where can linolenic acid and linoleic acid be found?
-small amounts in plant oils
-body readily stores them, making deficiencies unlikely.
Body functions/effects of linoleic & linolenic acid (6)
-blood pressure
-blood clot formation
-blood lipid concentration
-immune response
-inflammatory response to injury.
-structural components of cell membranes.
Linoleic acid
-omega-6 fatty acid
-found in seeds of plants and in oils produced from seeds
-vegetable oil, seeds, nuts, and whole grain foods
Linolenic acid
-also known as omega 3 fatty acids (EPA & DHA)
linolenic acid makes:
EPA & DHA, although process is slow
Where is DHA and EPA primarily found?
-oil of certain fishes such as salmon and mackerel
Roles that DHA & EPA play in the body
-metabolism
-disease prevention (ex:heart disease)
-brain development
Only DHA helps with
-rods and cones of the retina of the eye.
what % do phospholipids and sterols make in the diet?
5%
Among the phospholipids, what is of particular interest?
-lecithins