Dietary Fats And Blood Lipids Lab Flashcards
What is the energy content per unit weight of fats?
Approx 9 kcal/g
What is the energy content per unit weight of proteins and carbohydrates?
Approx 4 kcal/g
In terms of the general population, what proportion of our energy should come from fats?
About a third:
- 70g per day for women
- 90g per day for men
List some of the molecules which are considered ‘fats’.
- sterols e.g. cholesterol
- phospholipids
- triglycerides
What is a fatty acid?
A carboxylic acid (COOH) with a long chain of hydrocarbons.
How many fatty acids does a triglyceride contain?
3
How many fatty acids does a phospholipid contain?
2
How many fatty acids does cholesterol contain?
1
How much saturated fat does the government recommend men and women consume each day?
Women < 20g
Men < 30g
What is a saturated fat?
A fat with no double bonds between carbon atoms.
What is an unsaturated fat?
A fat with 1 or more double bonds between carbon atoms (mono- or poly-).
What are the main types of polyunsaturated fats?
Omega-3 and omega-6
What are the 2 distinct structural configurations of unsaturated fatty acids?
Cis and trans
Describe cis-unsaturated fatty acids.
- hydrogen atoms attached to the carbon double bond on the same side
- have a bent configuration
Describe trans-fatty acids.
- hydrogen atoms attached to carbon double bonds on different sides
- generally linear in structure
- do not occur commonly in nature, usually produced by industrial hydrogenation
List some examples of foods high in saturated fat.
- pastry
- coconut oil
- hard cheese
- soured cream
List some examples of foods high in mono-unsaturated fat.
- avocado
- olives
- rapeseed oil
List some examples of foods with poly-unsaturated fat.
- salmon
- rapeseed oil
- walnuts
Why is fat essential for the body?
- provides energy, essential fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)