1. Fats

2. Fats
They are insoluble in water but soluble in non-polar organic solvents (acetone, alcohol, chloroform, benzene and ether).
Chemically, fats are composed of 3 fatty acids joined to an alcohol group of glycerol.
Fatty acids and alcohol are the building block components of fats.
The fats are the important constituents of diet due their higher energy value
They contain a large portion of carbon and hydrogen bonds and release large amount of energy on breakdown.
On hydrolysis fatss yields alcohol and fatty acids.
Sometimes we hear about fat and all the negative aspects – like a high fat diet can increase the risk of heart disease.
Although true, we often forget that fat is an important nutrient in our diet – we need it for normal body functions.
Some fats are essential; meaning, we need to eat them because our body cannot make these fats.
Fat:
is a nutrient
provides us with energy
adds a wonderful taste and texture to foods
makes us feel full longer because we digest fat more slowly than other nutrients
helps us absorb fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K.

3. Components of fats Alcohol is a component of fat.
Glycerol is an alcohol. It contains three alcohol groups (OH).

4. Fatty acids
Fatty acids are straight chain hydrocarbon compounds, one end with acid group and other end with a methyl group. They are the building blocks of fats.
Fatty acids within 16 to 18 carbon atoms are the most abundant in nature.

5. Types of fatty acids
The fatty acids are classified into two types, such as saturated fatty acids (contains single bond) and unsaturated fatty acids (Contains double bonds).
Examples:
Stearic acid – C17H35COOH – Saturated
Oleic acid – C17H33COOH - Unsaturated
Stearic acid
Oleic acid

6. Structure of fat
Fats are esters (Esters: is a compound formed by the combination of an acid with a glycerol with removal of water) of glycerol and fatty acids.
They are formed by the combination of alcohol and fatty acids.
Usually a fat is made of a glycerol and three fatty acids. Such fat is called as triglyceride.

7. Types of Fat Fatty Acids:
Organic acid units that make up fat. There are three types…
Saturated
Polyunsaturated
If there is more than one double bond then the fatty acid is known as a polyunsaturated fatty acid.
Monounsaturated
If there is one double bond, the fatty acid is known as a monounsaturated fatty acid.

8. Naturally occurring saturated and unsaturated fatty acids
Lauric acid
Myristic acid
Palmitic acid
Stearic acid
Arachidic acid
Unsaturated fatty acids:
Palmitoleic acid
Oleic acid
Linoleic acid
Linolenic acid
Arachidonic acid

9. Essential and non-essential fatty acids
Man can not synthesis some fatty acids in his body and these must be included in diet is called as essential fatty acis.
The examples are linoleic acid, linolenic acid and arachidonic acid.
Certain fatty acids can be synthesized in the tissue from other fatty acids. These fatty acids are need not be included in diet and called as non-essential fatty acids.
The examples are Palmitoleic acid and Oleic acid.

10. Functions of fats
Everyone needs to include fat in their diet as it helps the body maintain its core temperature and absorb nutrients and provides us with energy.
Although we need to consume fat every day in order for our body to support body functions, it is important to keep in mind that certain fats are good for you while others are not. Eg. Monounsaturated fats helps to lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and help raise levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol. But Saturated fats increase the LDL level.
Good fats work to keep our bodies healthy and protect our hearts but bad fats can do the opposite, damaging your heart and increasing the risk of disease.

11. Provide Energy:
Although the main source of energy for our bodies is carbohydrates, fat is used as a source of backup energy in cases when carbohydrates are not available.
This is a concentrated energy source but it is important to remember that each gram of fat has more than nine calories.
One gram of fats yields 9.3 Kilocalories of energy, while the same amount of carbohydrate yields 4.5 kilocalories.
so it is advised to avoid having more than 20 to 35% of your daily calories from fat

12. 2. Absorb Vitamins:
Certain vitamins, which are known as fat-soluble, need fat in order to be absorbed and stored.
Some examples include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K, all of which are an essential part of everyone’s daily diet.
Vitamin A is responsible for promoting good vision and keeping our eyes healthy.
vitamin D helps us absorb calcium.
Vitamin E neutralized free radicals, protecting cells in the process.
Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting. If you don’t have enough fat in your body, you become deficient in one or more of these vitamins.

13. 3. Store Fat for Subsequent Use:
Our bodies can also store fats to be used later on.
If you consume food that includes more energy than the body needs to perform its normal functions, any excess food is stored as subcutaneous fat under the skin.
Sometimes this adipose tissue will be stored in the thighs and stomach, causing lumpy patches.
The body also stores fats around our vital organs to help protect them from outside impacts or any sudden movements.

14. 4. Maintain Proper Body Temperature:
A thin fat layer is located right underneath the skin. This layer of fat is designed to insulate the body, keeping heat inside and therefore helping us maintain the proper body temperature.
In addition to insulating, this layer of fat can also protect the inner core from extreme temperature changes. That is because when our skin temperatures significantly drop, our fat deposits will generate and then release heat which helps increase the temperature.

15. 5. Protect Your Body:
The body also has a layer of fat that is surrounding major organs (including the brain and heart), nerves, tissues and bones and this is designed to act like a protective cushion.
If for some reason you experience a sudden impact or even severe trauma, this layer of fat will absorb as much of the shock as it can so it can protect these essential organs and structures from being significantly damaged.

16. 6. Cells maintenance:
Fats keep our cells healthy because they are a part of the essential membrane that can be found surrounding each of the body’s cells.
It is important that each cell has a healthy cell membrane as without it, the cell wouldn’t be able to function.
Fat is also used in the process of building new cells and it is essential for nerve function and normal brain development.

17. 7. Brain and its functions:
Fat also helps build the brain as it provides the structural components of the various cell membranes found in the brain.
In addition, it also creates the structural components for myelin (Protein + phospholipids) which is a fatty insulating sheath which surrounds the various nerve fibers, helping them carry messages more quickly.

18. 8. Production of hormones and regulation:
Fats are also responsible for making hormones. That is because they regulate the body’s production of the hormones.
Fat is also one of the structural components of prostaglandins, which are one of the most crucial substances found in the body as these hormone-like substances prevents platelet aggregation in blood and other important functions in the body.

19. 9. Hair and Skin maintenance:
Fat also helps maintain healthy hair and skin. Because it helps our bodies absorb increased amounts of vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K through the bloodstream.