Fats are one of the most essential macronutrients present in food and among the main sources of energy in the body. Our body uses fats to maintain body temperature, keep warm, and transport vitamins (including vitamin A, D, E, and K, which are fat-soluble) in the blood. We get fats from our diet. Fats ‘s food examples include eggs, walnuts, vegetable oils, and dairy products like ghee, cheese, etc. Many people refrain from consuming fat-rich food as an excess of fats leads to several problems, including but not limited to hypertension, obesity, heart problems, and blood pressure. However, not all fat is bad, and consuming a healthy amount of fats is required for the proper functioning of the body.
Fats Meaning
Fats, in scientific terms, are esters formed by the combination of fatty acids (carboxylic acid) and glycerol (which is an example of trihydroxy alcohol). Before moving further, let’s understand what fatty acids are. Fatty acids are long-chain carboxylic acids in which an even number of carbon atoms join together. They can be saturated or unsaturated. Saturated fatty acids have no double or triple bonds along the chain of the molecule. Unsaturated fatty acids, on the other hand, have multiple bonds.
Three fatty acid units combine with three hydroxyl groups of glycerol to yield the consequent triglyceride. Triglycerides can be of two types–simple and complex. Simple triglycerides are obtained when a glycerol unit is combined with three units of the same fatty acid. However, simple triglycerides hardly occur in nature. Naturally, mixed triglycerides are formed by the combination of glycerol with different types of fatty acids.
Good and Bad Fats
Health-conscious people avoid consuming fats, and they are not entirely in the wrong. Fats are known to be the root cause of many life-threatening diseases like heart problems, high cholesterol, and obesity. However, if fats are so bad, why does our body need them in the first place? Well, that is because not all fats are bad.
Monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats are known to be good and healthy. They are obtained from plants and vegetables. Good fats food examples are avocados, peanuts, olives, pistachios, etc. We get monounsaturated fats from these items. Polyunsaturated fats, i.e., those with a high degree of unsaturation, are obtained from walnuts and flax seeds.
Bad fats or saturated fats are obtained mostly from animal sources like milk, meat, cheese, ghee, etc. Consuming saturated fats in a high quantity can block the arteries through which our blood flows. The arteries’ path becomes narrower, making it difficult for the blood to flow properly. The heart has to put in extra efforts to pump blood, which leads to heart problems.
Trans fats: Trans fats are synthetically manufactured in laboratories. They are very unhealthy, and their intake in large quantities is injurious to health. They are found in processed and packaged foods like potato chips, cookies, etc. They are also found naturally in small quantities in animal products like meat and milk.
Saponification of Fat
Soaps are long-chain hydrocarbons having sodium carboxylate as the ending group. The process of converting fats or oils into soap and the corresponding alcohol is called saponification of fat. Fats are esters that are prone to attack by alkali and acids. In the presence of sodium hydroxide, fats hydrolysed into sodium salt of fatty acid and glycerol.
We can determine the amount of fat present in any food by the process of saponification. A known amount of fat is taken and titrated against sodium or potassium hydroxide. An acid-base titration happens, and the endpoint of the titration is denoted by the neutralisation of all fatty acids. The saponification value is defined as the amount of alkali–such as potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide–(in milligrams) required to carry out the saponification of one gram of fat.
Conclusion
Fats are one of the major sources of nutrients in the body. They are made up of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. They are called triglycerides, which are formed from the combination of fatty acids and glycerol.Fats are solid at room temperature. They can be synthesised chemically or obtained from natural sources like plants and animals. Generally, they have a negative connotation associated with them and their consumption. However, not all fats are bad, and it is important to consume foods that are rich in unsaturated fats like avocados, olive, dry fruits, etc. Our body can synthesise a large variety of fatty acids by itself, but a few essential fatty acids have to be consumed externally in our diet. They are formed from linolenic acid, linoleic acid, and arachidonic acid.