5

Lipids: Essential En
ergy-Supplying Nutr
ients

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What Are Lipids?

• Lipids
• Diverse group of molecules that are insoluble in w
ater

• Fats
• The lipid content of diets and foods

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What Are Lipids?

• Three types of lipids are found in foods and in

body cells and tissues:
• Triglycerides
• Phospholipids
• Sterols

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Triglycerides

• Triglycerides (triacylglycerides) contain:

• Three fatty acid molecules
• One glycerol molecule

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Triglycerides

• Fatty acids are classified by:

• Carbon chain length
• Saturation level
• Shape

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Triglycerides: Chain Length

• Short-, medium-, or long-chain fatty acids

• Carbons can be numbered
• Carboxyl end (COOH): -carbon (alpha—first)
• Methyl end (CH3): Ω-carbon (omega—last)
• Determines method of lipid digestion, abso
rption, metabolism, and use

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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Triglycerides: Saturation

• Saturated fatty acids have hydrogen ato

ms surrounding every carbon in the chai
n
• Monounsaturated fatty acids lack one h
ydrogen atom (one double bond)
• Polyunsaturated fatty acids have more t
han one double bond

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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Triglycerides: Shape

• Determined by the saturation of the carbon ch

ains
• Saturated fatty acids pack tightly together and
are solid at room temperature
• Animal fats, butter, and lard are high in saturated f
atty acids

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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Triglycerides: Shape

• Unsaturated fatty acids do not stack together

well and are more liquid at room temperature
• Hydrogen atoms at the unsaturated part can b
e arranged in different positions:
• Cis: same side of the carbon chain
• Trans: opposite sides of the chain

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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Triglycerides

• Hydrogenation: hydrogen atoms are added to

unsaturated fatty acids
• Make oils more solid and more saturated
• Create trans fatty acids
• Reduce oxidation; resist rancidity
• Increase risk of cardiovascular disease

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Triglycerides

• Essential fatty acids: cannot be made by the b

ody and must be obtained from food
• Linoleic acid (omega-6 fatty acid)
• Found in vegetable and nut oils
• Alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3 fatty acid)
• Found in vegetables, soy, flaxseeds, walnuts

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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Triglycerides

• Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and fish oil

• Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
• Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
• Reduce risk of heart disease
• Stimulate prostaglandins and thromboxanes that r
educe inflammatory responses
• Reduce blood clotting and plasma triglycerides

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Phospholipids

• Phospholipids contain
• Glycerol backbone, two fatty acids, phosphate
• Soluble in water
• Transport fat in the bloodstream
• Manufactured in our bodies (not required)

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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Sterols

• Sterols contain multiple rings of carbon atoms

• Plant sterols appear to block the absorption of
dietary cholesterol
• Cholesterol is made in our bodies and therefor
e is not necessary in the diet
• Sex hormones, vitamin D, bile

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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Digestion of Fats

• Fat digestion begins in the small intestine

• Cholecystokinin (CCK) and secretin: gallbladder c
ontractions release bile
• Bile is produced by the liver and stored in the gall
bladder
• Bile emulsifies fat into small droplets
• Pancreatic enzymes break fat into two fatty acids
and a monoglyceride

Fat Digestion
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Absorption of Fats

• Lipoprotein transports lipids for absorption

• Chylomicron: lipoprotein produced in intestine
to transport lipids from a meal
• Composed of fatty acids surrounded by phospholi
pids and proteins
• Soluble in water

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Absorption of Fats

• Chylomicrons are absorbed by cells of the sm

all intestine, then:
• Travel through the lymphatic system
• Transferred to the bloodstream

• Short- and medium-chain fatty acids are absor

bed more quickly since they are not arranged i
nto chylomicrons

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Absorption of Fats

• Triglycerides in the chylomicrons must be disa

ssembled by lipoprotein lipase before they ca
n enter body cells
• In body cells, triglycerides can be:
• Used immediately for energy
• Used to make lipid-containing compounds
• Stored in muscle and adipose tissues

Lipid Absorption

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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
The Roles of Fat

• 9 kcal per gram • Regulates cell function

• Major fuel at rest • Maintains membrane
• Endurance exercise • Protects the body
• Stored energy • Provides flavors and text
• Essential fatty acids ures of foods
• Fat-soluble vitamins • Helps us feel satiated

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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
How Much Fat?

• Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (

AMDR) for fat: 20−35% of calories
• Minimize saturated and trans fatty acid intake
to lower risk of heart disease
• Active people may need more energy from car
bohydrates and can reduce their fat intake to
20−25% of total calories

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How Much Fat?

• Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) set for esse

ntial fatty acids
• Linoleic acid: AMDR of 5−10% of energy
• Alpha-linolenic acid: 0.6−1.2% of energy
• 5:1 to 10:1 ratio of linolenic:alpha-linolenic acid
• Saturated fat: less than 7% of energy
• Trans fats: reduced to the absolute minimum

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Food Sources of Fat

• Visible fats
• Fats we add to foods
• Butter, cream, mayonnaise, salad dressings

• Invisible fats
• Fats hidden within foods
• Occur naturally or added during processing
• Baked goods, dairy, meats, fast foods

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Food Sources of Fat

• Beneficial fats
• Omega-3 fatty acids may be low in diets
• Fish, walnuts, soy, canola, flaxseed

• Switching to more healthful fats without increa

sing total fat intake
• Use olive or canola oil in place of butter or margari
ne
• Select low-fat or nonfat dairy products

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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Food Sources of Fat

• Fat replacers
• Used to lower fat content of foods
• Found in chips, cakes, cookies
• May cause GI side effects in large amounts
• Example: olestra (Olean)

Fats in Food

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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Cardiovascular Disease

• Cardiovascular disease
• Dysfunction of the heart or blood vessels
• Can result in heart attack or stroke

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Cardiovascular Disease

• Risk factors for cardiovascular disease:

• Being overweight
• Physical inactivity
• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes mellitus
• Inflammation

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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Cardiovascular Disease

• Dietary fats increase blood lipids

• Highly saturated and trans fat intakes increas
e blood cholesterol
• Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and
blood triglycerides

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Cardiovascular Disease

• Blood lipids include:

• Chylomicrons—present only after a meal
• Very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL)
• Low-density lipoproteins (LDL)
• High-density lipoproteins (HDL)

Lipoproteins: VLDL, LDL, a

nd HDL
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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Cardiovascular Disease

• Diets high in saturated fats

• Decrease the removal of LDLs from the blood
• Increase blood cholesterol levels
• Contribute to the formation of plaques that can blo
ck arteries

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© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Cardiovascular Disease

• Diets high in trans fatty acids:

• Can raise blood levels of LDL-cholesterol as much
as saturated fat
• Are abundant in hydrogenated vegetable oils (mar
garine, baked goods, fried foods)
• FDA requires that trans fatty acid content be li
sted on labels for conventional foods and som
e dietary supplements

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Cardiovascular Disease

• Lifestyle changes can prevent or reduce

cardiovascular heart disease
• Total fat intake: 20−35% total calories
• Saturated fat: less than 7% total calories
• Cholesterol: less than 300 mg per day
• Trans fat: reduce to absolute minimum
• Increase omega-3 fatty acids
• Dietary fiber: 20−30 grams per day
• Folate: 400 micrograms/day

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Cardiovascular Disease

• Lifestyle changes can prevent or reduce cardiovascu

lar heart disease
• Maintain normal blood glucose level
• Eat throughout the day
• No more than 2 alcoholic beverages per day for men and
1 drink per day for women
• Maintain an active lifestyle
• Maintain a healthful body weight
• Decrease salt intake (DASH diet)

Fast Food Trends

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Cardiovascular Disease

• Medicines help reduce risk

• Endogenous cholesterol synthesis inhibitors: stati
ns
• Bile acid sequestrants
• Nicotinic acid

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