30 Examples of Fats

Miscellanea / by admin / July 04, 2021

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The fats are organic substances, that is to say that their molecules are mainly composed of atoms carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. They are the kinds of lipids that contain fatty acids. For example: peanuts, tuna, margarine, butter.

Here we refer to all lipids containing fatty acids. However, lipids that are found in solid state and are of animal origin, while the lipids found in liquid state at room temperature, and that are mostly of plant origin.

It is a very heterogeneous group, but all fats have characteristics in common:

Function of fats

One of the main functions of fat is to store energy. While a gram of carbohydrates or from protein It has 4 kilocalories, a gram of fat has 9 kilocalories. Therefore, fat is the ideal material for storing energy.

However, fats fulfill other functions, such as creating tissues that insulate from the cold, protect organs, participate in the absorption of vitamins and the synthesis of hormones, form cell membranes and envelop nervous tissue.

What are essential fatty acids?

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It is called "essential”To substances that the human body needs for its proper functioning and cannot produce itself. This is why you need to get them from food.

In the case of fats, there are essential fatty acids that are essential for the human body, such as linoleic, arachidonic and lonoleic. These fatty acids are obtained from vegetable oils.

What is saturation?

Fats are usually made up of one glycerin molecule and one, two, or three fatty acids. When a compound is saturated, all its atoms are joined by a single bond and there is no possibility of any other atom joining. This is what he means by saturation: the maximum number of atoms attached to the molecule has been reached. Due to their molecular structure, Saturated fats are solid to temperature environment.

In contrast, if a compound is unsaturated, the atoms are linked by more than one bond. In these cases, double or triple bonds are observed. Due to their molecular structure, unsaturated fats they are liquid at room temperature.

What is a trans fat?

When a fatty acid is unsaturated, its double or triple bonds can be broken through hydrogen atoms. Let's imagine links as joined hands. If two carbon atoms are bonded to each other by a double bond (the two hands of both are bonded to each other) a carbon atom can be added. hydrogen to each one: each one can “shake hands” with the new hydrogen atom, and in any case remain attached to the other carbon atom by bonding remaining.

This process is called hydrogenation and it is the process by which unsaturated fats become saturated. This process occurs naturally only in the milk and body fat of cows and other ruminants.

However, it is widely used in industry, since it allows the oils to solidify, giving a special texture to the food, plus they are less vulnerable to rancidity.

Dangers of saturated fats

Although fats are essential for the functioning of the body, not all of them are beneficial.

The Saturated fats They favor the accumulation of cholesterol (low-density cholesterol or LDL) in the walls of the arteries. This accumulation hinders blood circulation, affecting all the organs and tissues, including the brain.

Trans fats have all the risks of saturated fats, but also reduce the so-called "good cholesterol": high cholesterol. density (HDL). HDL cholesterol helps maintain the internal walls of the veins, preventing arteriosclerosis, heart attacks and strokes. Consuming trans fat reduces this protection.

In addition, a excessive consumption of any type of fat favors the excessive accumulation of adipose tissue (fats) in the body. Although we all need the reserve of energy that adipose tissue represents, the excess of it causes diseases such as obesity. Obesity is not only an aesthetic problem, but it is associated with circulatory, metabolic, joint, respiratory, digestive diseases and can even cause psychiatric disorders.

Infrequent consumption of saturated fat does not necessarily cause problems, unless there is a natural predisposition of the body for cardiovascular problems. Furthermore, some of the harmful effects of measured consumption of saturated fat can be counteracted by lifestyle, for example by exercise.