Lipids in human nutrition

LFN 1232

Prof. Chandrani Liyanage

Fat is
A heterogeneous mixture of lipids
Predominantly triglycerides (95%), and
phospholipids(small proportion),
glycolipids and sterols
Stored mainly as triglycerides in fat
stores and esters of fatty acids
(saturated & unsaturated) and glycerol
Important in providing insulation
against cold

Principal dietary sources of

fat

Dairy products
Cooking oils and fats
Margarine, butter and other fats
Meat
Shell fish
Eggs
Biscuits
Cakes and sweet meats
Pastries and other snacks
Nuts and some grains

 Many foods contain structural fats,

phospholipids and glycolipids, cholesterol
and plant sterols
Eggs contain saturated and
monounsaturated fatty acids, lipoprotein,
triglycerols, cholesterol and phospholipids
Brain as a food provides animal sphingolipids
Dairy products contain milk fat globule
membranes
Green leafy veg contain galactolipids
Cereals, grains, vegetables and fruits contain
membrane lipids

Fatty acids
Are chains of hydrocarbons with the
carboxyl (acid) functional group (COOH)
at one end of the chain and a methyl
group (CH3) at the opposite end
Determine the characteristics or the
properties of the fat
Are different - in their length of the
carbon chain saturation liquid or
solid state at room temp stability and
spoilage

Length of the carbon chain

Short chains are more soluble

Short chains are more easily broken down
Short chains are less dense
Short chains oxidize more easily (become
rancid)
Shortest chain found in Butyric acid (in
butter) with 4 carbons
Fatty acids have even number of carbons
(from 4-26) most are 14-18

Saturation
Each C within the chain has 2 places for
bonds with H (C has 4 bonds and 2 are to the
adjacent Cs)
If each C has 2 H atoms the fatty acid is
saturated
If 2 C atoms are double bonded to each other
it is mono unsaturated having less H atoms
If more than 2 C atoms are unsaturated the
fatty acid is poly unsaturated
Most plant fats are unsaturated but fats of
tropical plants are saturated
Fish oils are unsaturated, animal fats are
saturated

Saturated fatty acids

Have straight chain structures with an
even number of C atoms
Number of C atoms can be 2-30 or more in
naturally occurring lipids
Unsaturated fatty acids
Contain double bonds
Have nutritional and biological importance
Removal of double bonds results in
ethylenic double bonds which are
unsaturated
Two types, cis (hydrogens on the same
side)or trans (hydrogens on opposite)

 Monounsaturated only one double

bond
Polyunsaturated two or more
double bonds
Unsaturated fats with one or more cis
double bonds are more common in
natural lipids than are trans
Polyunsaturated fats are susceptible
to oxidation but are protected by
natural antioxidants (vit E)

Liquid or solid state

Short chain and unsaturated fatty
acids are liquid at room temp. The
molecules are less dense when they
are smaller. The double bonds distort
the molecules so that they dont fit
together
Saturated chains are solid (dense)
because the fatty acid chains fit
together better

Stability and spoilage

Unsaturated fats
- oxidize more readily,
- they have shorter shelf life,
- spoilage is quicker,
- more easily absorbed

How to deal with spoilage?

Important in food industry
By using antioxidants such as butyrate
hydroxytolulene, butyrate hydroxyanisole,,
propyl gallate, Vit C and Vit A
Through hydrogenation a chemical process
that adds H to fatty acid chain
- vegetable oils are hydrogenated
especially shortenings and margarine to
make them solid
- hydrogenation forms Trans fatty acids
that may not be effectively used by the body

Contd
Trans fatty acids have similar effects of
saturated fats in the body. Therefore, intake
has to be restricted. Partially hydrogenated
is a term used in many snacks and
margarines
Hydrogenation raises the temp. Oil will
smoke and oil smoke affects structure
producing harmful by products. This
accumulates when fats are reused in cooking.
Therefore, more refined and less
polyunsaturated fats are better for cooking
Hydrogenation is not always necessary,
saturated hard fat can be mixed with
unsaturated fat to obtain desired hardness.
But this process does not prevent oxidation

Contd
Refrigeration to retard oxidation in
cold temp.
May cause crystallization of fat
molecules that affects the texture of
foods prepared with fats

Essential fatty acids

Of the 40 different fatty acids, 2 are
essential and need to include those 2 in our
diets (at least 3% should be of essential)
Majority of fatty acids can be converted to
fatty acids needed by the body
Some fatty acids interconversions require
Vit B6
Eczematous dermatitis can occur due to
poor intake of essential fatty acids,
commonly seen in children
Two groups of poly unsaturated fats are
essential, omega-3 and omega-6 .

Omega () fatty acids

Linolenic (-6) with 18 Cs and 2 double
bonds
Arachidonic (-6) 20 Cs and 4 double
bonds
Linolenic (-3) 18 Cs and 3 double bonds
Eicosopentaenoic (EPA) (-3) 20 Cs and
5 double bonds
Docosahexanoic (DHA) 22 Cs and 6
double bonds

Linolenic ( -3) and linoleic

( -6)
Are not converted or manufactured
these long chain fatty acids from other
fatty foods. Therefore, best to have
reserves of the specific fatty acids
needed.
Fairly common in plant oils
EPA and DHA are common in cold water
fatty fish
Linolenic acid is found in seed oils
(walnut,l inseed or flax)

Why important?
Essential fatty acids and their longer chain
molecular products are necessary for
maintenance of growth, good health and
reproduction, permeability of the biological
membranes to water sugars and metal
ions, eicosanoid synthesis
All EFAs are poly unsaturated fats , but all
polyunsaturated fats are not essential
EFA activity depends on the presence of a
cis-9, cis-12 methylene-interruped double
bond system

 Our diets are typically high in omega-6

fatty acids but low in omega-3 fatty acids.
Therefore, increasing the intake of omega3 fatty acids may help to
- lower serum cholesterol and triglycerides
- Raise HDL levels
- Reduce arthrosclerosis
- lower cancer risks
- Reduce inflammatory responses, arthritis
pains

Other lipids
Phospholipids - are modified triglycerides and major component of
all membrane cells. Cell membranes are structured
from a phospholipid bilayer. Most common phospholipid
is lecithin in which molecule choline is attached to the
phosphate portion. Choline is also a component of the
neurotransmitter chemical , acetylcholine.
- are useful emulsifiers particularly in food products
- are composed of a glycerol molecule with 2 fatty
acids attached by ester bonds and a highly polar
phosphate containing cpd attached to the 3rd C.
- are not essential nutrients. Can be manufactured by
the liver from any fats eaten
- All non-processed foods have phospholipids as a
part of the cell structure.
- Ingested phospholipids are digested to glycerol,
fatty acids and phosphate cpds.