Chapter: 11th Nutrition and Dietetics : Chapter 10 : Proteins and Lipids
Chemical composition of lipids
LIPIDS
The term ‘Lipids’ is
applied to a group of naturally occurring substances characterized by their
insolubility in water, greasy feel and solubility in organic solvents. They
occur in the plant and animal kingdom. Fats are a more concentrated form of
storage of energy than carbohydrates. In the presence of adequate supply of
carbohydrates, fat is stored in the adipose(fatty) tissue.
Chemical composition
of lipids
Fat is a complex
molecule constituting a mixture of fatty acids and an alcohol, generally
glycerol. Like carbohydrates, it contains carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, but it differs from a carbohydrate
in that it contains more carbon and hydrogen and less oxygen. When oxidized, it
gives 9 kilocalories. A molecule of fat consists of 3 molecules of fatty acids
and one molecule of glycerol. It is also known as triglyceride.
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