Trans Fat Flashcards
What are trans fats?
Man-made, processed unsaturated fats
Commonly found in hydrogenated oils such as hydrogenated palm oil.
How are trans fats created?
By adding hydrogen to unsaturated fats
This process increases saturation and shelf stability.
What health issues are linked to trans fats?
Increased heart disease
Trans fats are considered worse than saturated fats in their effects on heart health.
What are saturated fats?
Fats saturated at the maximum number of covalent hydrogen bonds
Typically solid at room temperature and derived mostly from animal sources.
What defines unsaturated fats?
Contain one or more double bonds
Usually liquid at room temperature and sourced primarily from plants.
What is the composition of DNA?
Nucleotides with a phosphate group, deoxyribose sugar, and bases (adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine)
DNA stores hereditary information and encodes protein synthesis.
What is the role of RNA?
Stores and transmits genetic information
Composed of ribose sugar and uracil instead of thymine.
What is metabolism?
All chemical reactions in the body, including breaking down and building up molecules
Involves energy transformations through bond-breaking and bond-forming processes.
What happens during bond-breaking in metabolism?
Releases energy by freeing electrons
Examples include degradation of sugars and proteins.
What is the function of enzymes?
Catalyze chemical reactions by lowering activation energy
Enzymes bind specifically to substrates at their active sites.
What is a metabolic pathway?
A series of stepwise chemical reactions within a living system
Each reaction is catalyzed by a specific enzyme.
What regulates metabolic pathways?
End products can act as inhibitors
They bind to the first enzyme in the pathway, altering its shape and halting the process.
Fill in the blank: Enzyme names typically end in _______.
-ase
True or False: Saturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature.
False
What are the main types of lipids discussed?
- Saturated Fats
- Unsaturated Fats
What is the primary purpose of enzymes in biochemical reactions?
To facilitate bond formation or breakage
Enzymes catalyze reactions without being consumed.
What are the physical properties of saturated fats?
Solid at room temperature
This is due to their fully saturated bonds.
What is the function of nucleic acids?
Essential for storing and transmitting genetic information
