NUTR 200
Exam 2 Review
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Chapter 6
Know the basic structure and function of triglycerides, phospholipids and sterols.
How are triglycerides (specifically the fatty acid part) classified?
What are SFAs, MUFAs and PUFAs?
What are fats?
A type of lipid
Lipids: diverse class of molecules that are insoluble in water
3 types of lipids
1. Triglycerides
2. Phospholipids
3. Sterols
Triglycerides
- Composed of 3 fatty acid molecules
- Fatty acids: long chains of carbon atoms surrounded by hydrogen atoms
- Glycerol molecule: 3 carbon alcohol, backbone of a triglyceride
Classified by
- Length of their carbon chain → Short, medium, or long
- Level of saturation → how many hydrogen atoms surround each carbon
→ saturated fatty acids (SFA): hydrogen atoms surrounding every carbon in the chain and no
double bonds (saturated with hydrogen)
, → monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA): lack hydrogen atoms in one region and have one
double bond
→ polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA): lack hydrogen atoms in multiple locations and have
two or more double bonds
- Shape → determined by how the fat is chemically processed
- Short and medium chain fatty acids are digested and absorbed more quickly than long-chain fatty
acids
Phospholipids
Composed of
- Glycerol backbone
- 2 fatty acids (FA)
- phosphate
Phospholipids are manufactured in our bodies and are not required in our diet
- They are important components of cell membranes
- Amphipathic
Sterols
Sterols are lipids containing multiple rings of carbon atoms
- Essential components of cell membranes
- Help maintain structural integrity
- Many hormones
- Manufactured in our bodies and are not essential components of our diet
- Cholesterol is the major sterol found in the body
Shape of saturation
The hydrogen atoms at the unsaturated region can be arranged in different positions
Cis: the same side of the carbon chain
Trans: opposite sides of the chain
What is hydrogenation?
Hydrogenation: the addition of hydrogen atoms to unsaturated FAs
- Converts liquid fats (oils) into a semisolid (spreadable) or solid form
- Used to create margarine from plant oil
- Often creates trans fatty acids (these increase risk for cardiovascular disease)
- Must be listed on food labels as partially hydrogenated oil
What are the 2 essential fatty acids? Where do we find them in foods? What do they do in the
human body?
Essential fatty acids
- 2 fatty acids can not be synthesized in the body and must be obtained in the diet
- Linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid
- Converted into important regulatory compounds in the body
, - Precursors to eicosanoids
- Regulate cell function → GI motility, blood clotting, blood pressure, vessel permeability,
inflammation
Linoleic acid
- Omega-6 fatty acid
- Found in vegetable and nut oils
- Converted in body to arachidonic acid
- Involved in blood clotting and blood pressure
Alpha-linolenic acid
Omega-3 fatty acid
- Found in dark green leafy vegetables, fish and fish oils and flax and flaxseed oil
- Converted to EPA and DHA
- Important regulators of inflammation, blood clotting and blood pressure
What are the functions of fats?
Why do we need fats?
→ they provide energy
- Fat is very dense, providing 9 kcal/gram
- 30-70% of the energy used at rest comes from fat
- Fatty acids are used for energy during low to moderate intensity physical activity exercise
- Fat is also used for energy storage in adipose tissue
→ they transport some vitamins
- Vitamins A, D, E, and K are soluble in fat, and fat is required for absorption across intestinal wall
- Vitamin A: essential for vision
- Vitamin D: maintain bone health (we produce when UV lights hit our skin)
- Vitamin E: protects cell membranes from by-products of metabolism
- Vitamin K: important for blood clotting (produced by bacteria in large intestine)
→ help maintain cell function –
- Phospholipids, cholesterol and fatty acids help maintain cell membrane integrity, permeability of
cell and regulate binding of substances to the cell
- Fats help maintain membrane fluidity and flexibility
- Enable red blood cells to move through small capillaries
- White blood cells move out of capillaries and fats help them squish to do this
- PUFAs are important for healthy brain and spinal cord tissue
→ provides protection
- Adipose tissue pads our body and protects organs
- No living person can have 0% body fat
- Fat acts as insulation to retain body heat
- Where we store fat does have a relation to health
→ contribute to flavor, texture and satiety of food
- Fat provides flavor and texture of foods example: creamy, crisp, moist, tender
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