Macronutrients Part 2: Lipids Flashcards
# Define macronutrients. They are required in?
Macronutrients are vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids.
Required in large amounts.
Define a triglyceride.
A triglyceride is fatty acids linked together to a glycerol backbone.
List the different types of lipids.
- Fats
- Cholesterol
- Phospholipids
- Waxes
- Steroids
Are all fats lipids?
Are all lipids fats?
All fats are lipids, but not all lipids are fats.
What is the most concentrated source of energy?
Lipids
In what situation can lipids be helpful (nutrition)?
Lipids could help animals with low appetite meet their nutritional requirements.
Are lipids polar or non-polar? Therefore they are?
Non-polar and are therefore water insoluble.
What fatty acids are not attached to glycerol?
Free fatty acids or non-esterefied fatty acids (NFA)
What varies in fatty acids?
Fatty acids vary in number of carbon double bonds that are not saturated with hydrogen (C=C)
What does it mean when a fatty acid has high fluidity?
That means there is a higher number of un-saturated bonds.
Unsaturated fats can provide?
Give an example
Health benefits
E.g. omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
What are fatty acids prone to?
Rancidity and oxidative damage.
Name two animal sources of common dietary fatty acids:
Palmatic acid (16:0) Stearic Acid (18:0)
Name two marine sources of common dietary fatty acids
◦ Eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA; 20:5) n-3
◦ Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6) n-3
Name three plant sources of common dietary fatty acids
◦ Alpha linolenic acid (18:3)n-3
◦ Linoleic acid (18:2) n-6
◦ Oleic (18:1) n-9
What, other than the body, can synthesize essential fats?
Gut microbes
E.g.
Give an example of essential fat synthesis
linoleic acid can be converted to arachidonic acid
◦ Cats have a slow enzymatic pathway for this, and so require arachidonic acid
Define linoleic acid
◦ An essential omega-6 fatty acid (dogs and cats)
List the oils that are high in Linoleic Acid
Corn oil, safflower oil, walnut oil, canola oil, cottonseeed oil.
What is the importance of linoleic acid?
◦ Immune function
◦ Skin barrier function
Define arachadonic acid
◦ An essential omega-6 fatty acid in cats
What can be metabolized from linoleic acid?
Arachidonic acid
What foods contain high amounts of arachidonic acid?
Animal fats such as Chicken and eggs
What is the importance of arachidonic acid?
◦ Important for immune function and primarily for reproductive success in queens
What is the source of alpha linolenic acid?
◦ plant-based (flaxseed, chia, soybean…)
Describe the structure and function of Alpha linolenic acid.
◦ essential omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids
◦ Ensures adequate neuronal function
Alpha linolenic acid can be transformed into?
In what species does this occur in?
◦ May be transformed to long chain omega-3 fatty acids in some species (not much in dogs and cats)
What is the function of EPA and DHA?
◦ Neural function and development
◦ Immunomodulation
EPA and DHA are sourced from?
Marine source
EPA and DHA are what type of fatty acid?
Long-chain omega-3 fatty acid