Fats Flashcards
What is the difference between fats and oil?
Fat is solid at room temperature and oil is liquid at room temperature.
What are the similarities between fats and oil?
They have the same functions.
What are the functions of fat?
Provides the fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K)
Protects vital organs
Make all body cells. Concentrated source of energy
Keeps body warm
Provides essential fatty acid
What are the functions of fat in food?
Improves flavour, texture and smell
Makes food easier to swallow
Takes longer to digest and slows stomach from emptying.
What are the sources of fat?
Visible, invisible, animal and plant.
Visible Fat:
Can be seen (meat rind/marbling and butter).
Invisible fat:
Can’t be seen easily (crisps, biscuits, cakes and emulsions-milk).
What are emulsions?
Fat molecules that have been dispersed in water e.g milk.
Animal fat:
Butter, ghee, lard, meat, oily fish, hard cheeses, cream, eggs, chocolate and pastries. (Dairy based products).
Plant fat:
Vegetable oil, avocados, olives, nuts, seeds and fat spreads.
What is hydrogenation?
The process when vegetable oils are hardened to become solids at room temperature. These contain trans fats and are thought to cause heart problems.
What is the chemical name for fat?
Triglyceride
What is triglyceride made up of?
3 fatty acids and 1 glycerol molecule. It can either be saturated or unsaturated.
What is the chemical structure of triglyceride?
Saturated fat=single bonds made up of 1 carbon and 3 hydrogen molecules (full).
Unsaturated=some missing hydrogen atoms. Forms a double bond.
What are some sources of saturated fat?
Meat and some vegetable oils e.g coconut oil.
What are some sources of unsaturated fat?
Nuts, seeds, sunflower/olive oil and oily fish.
What health issues can saturated fat cause?
Heart disease, cholesterol, fatty deposits- BAD
How is unsaturated fat good for your health?
Lowers cholesterol and reduces risk of heart disease- GOOD
Which place has lots of unsaturated fat sources?
The Mediterranean
What are the types of unsaturated fats?
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
Monounsaturated fats:
1 double bond e.g avocados, cashews and peanuts.
Polyunsaturated fats:
2 or more double bonds e.g corn, soya and sunflower oil.
What are the essential fatty acids?
Omega 3 and Omega 6.
Omega 3:
Oily fish, seeds, leafy/green vegetables.
Omega 6:
Vegetables, grains, seeds.
Cheap, used in processed foods.
Deficiency rare in western diet.
What are fatty acids vital for?
Brain, heart and nervous system functioning.
Cholesterol:
Fatty substance needed for normal body functions. Essential part of cell membranes and helps with digestion of fats. Made by the body but can be found in fatty foods. Made up of lipoproteins.
What are foods high in to raise cholesterol levels?
Saturated fat.
What are lipoproteins?
Proteins that carry cholesterol around the body.
What are the 2 types of lipoproteins?
High Density Lipoprotein- GOOD
Low Density Lipoprotein- BAD
What happens if you have too much LDL?
Build up and heart disease.
What do HDL protect the body against?
Heart disease.
What is the dietary reference value from FOOD ENERGY in fats?
35%
What is the dietary reference value from SATURATED FAT?
11%
What is the dietary reference value from ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS?
1-2%
Excess:
Too much saturated fat could lead to a raise in LDL
Increases risk of heart disease and obesity.
Deficiency:
Unlikely in economically developed countries.
