Energy rich Macronutrients. - Fats

Energy giving Macronutrient - Fats

FATTY FOOD-STUFFS

Fats / lipids is an energy giving macronutrient required by the body along with carbohydrates and proteins. It is said as energy - rich as fats on breakdown gives more energy compared to carbohydrates and proteins. It is a reserved store of energy for the body.

Fats / lipids  are complex organic compounds containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Food fats are made up of glycerol and fatty acids. It is soluble in organic solvents and insoluble in water.

🍎Classification of fats :-

🍇Few  important terminologies related to fats and their sources:-  

 

1. Saturated fats are the fats which are solid at room temperature . E.g. Ghee, Butter, Cheese, Lard, etc.
2. Unsaturated fats are the fats which are liquids at room temperature. E.g.Vegetable oil, Olive oil, Nuts and Oilseeds.
3. PUFA stands for Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acids. E.g. Sunflower oil, Safflower oil, Corn oils, Fatty Fish oils, Walnuts, Flaxseeds, etc.   
4. MUFA stands for Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids. E.g. Peanut, Soyabean, Olive oil, Sesame oil, Avocadoes, etc.
5. Omega-3 fatty acids is a type of polyunsaturated fats which is not synthesized by the body and hence must be supplied through food. It is required for the proper functioning of the heart. E.g.Cod Oil, Walnut, Flaxseeds,etc.
6. Essential fatty acids (EFA) are the one which is not synthesized by the body and they must be supplied through food. E.g.- Linoleic acid, Lionolenic acid and Arachidonic acid .       
7. Visible fats are the fats present in Butter, Ghee, Lard, Coconut oil, Groundnut oil,etc. This food gives maximum fats compared to other macro and micro nutrients.
8. Invisible fats are the fats which are present in nuts and oilseeds like mustards, sesame, egg yolk contains fats in varied amount along with other macro and micro - nutrients. 
9. Trans Fats are artificial fats created in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to a liquid vegetable oils to make them more solids. E.g. Margerine or shortenings used in cakes, cookies, frozen pizza, mayonaise, etc.  

🐠Functions of Fats :-       

A] Concentrated sources of energy :- Each gram of fats provides approaximately 9K.cal /gm of energy which is more than carbohydrates and proteins (i.e.4K.cal/gm). This energy is stored in  adipose tissues in our body.

B]  Carrier of fats soluble vitamins :- Fats are the carrier of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K in the body. They are needed for their proper absorption and utilisation.

C] Padding :- Fats provides padding around the vital organs such as kidney, heart, etc and protects them from shocks and external injuries.

D] Insulation :- Adipose tissues, where fat is stored, serves as an insulation material under the skin and helps in maintaining body temperature.

E] Palatability :- Fats are used as cooking medium for fried foods. It is also used as a seasoning, adds flavour in small amount and increases palatibility of food.

F] Satiety value :-  Fats containing foodstuff takes a longer time to digest and thus gives us feeling of fullness and satisfaction.

Considering the function of fats, it is clear that fats is also essential requirement of a daily diet. Fats present in the foodstuff are of two types - Good Fats and Bad Fats.

• Good Fats :- Increases HDL (High Density Lipids) i.e. Good cholesterol in the body and is good for keeping healthy heart. It should be included in our daily diet. E.g. Mono and Poly unsaturated fats like nuts, vegetable oils, peanuts,etc.
• Bad Fats :- Increases LDL (Low Density Lipids) i.e. Bad cholesterol in the body . It increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and obesity in the body. E.g. Saturated Fats and Trans Fats  like butter, margerine, cheese, beef, pork, etc.

Points to be noted :-

• Consumption of fats should be restricted to moderate as all fats are high in calories.
• Foods containing mono and poly unsaturated fats should be included in the diet.
• Foods containing saturated and trans fats should be eaten very sparingly.
• Eating refined carbohydrates in place of saturated fats does lowers bad cholesterol but it also lowers the good cholesterol and increases triglycerides. the net effect is bad for heart.

Concluding myself,

        Fats are also an essential macronutrients required in our daily diet. But one should be very choosy in selecting the type of fats and amount to be consumed. It's one factor when consumed in excess leads to many problem in our body. In Weight management, Cardiaovascular diseases and Keto diets, fats plays an important factor of consideration.