fats

• Fats (Lipids)

  Solid or liquid form. Liquid fats are called oils.
• Composition of fats


  • Made up of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O)
  • Contain twice as much carbon as protein or carbohydrates, and therefore produce twice as much energy
• Composition of fats


  1. Each fat unit is made up of three fatty acids and one glycerol molecule

  2. During digestion, these are separated so that they can be used by the body
• Omega 3


  A type of unsaturated fat found in oily fish, nuts and seeds. Important for brain development and help to lower blood cholesterol levels.
• Classification of fats


  • Saturated fat (contains cholesterol, found in foods from animals)
  • Unsaturated fat (does not contain cholesterol, found in foods from vegetable or plant sources and oily fish)
• Reference Intake for fats

  • Average adult should not consume more than 70 g of fat per day, no more than 20 g of this fat should be saturated
  • No more than 30% of daily energy intake should be from fats, better to get energy from carbohydrates and lean protein foods
• Functions of fats


  • Produce heat and energy
  • Adipose tissue helps to keep the body warm
  • Layer of fat surrounds vital organs to protect them from damage
  • Fats are a source of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K
• Health problems associated with having too much fat in the diet

  • Obesity (fats are high in kilocalories, eating too much causes weight gain)
  • Coronary heart disease (too much cholesterol in the blood causes it to stick to artery walls, increasing risk of heart attacks)
• Reducing fat in the diet

  1. Limit high-fat foods, such as takeaways

  2. Use low-fat cooking methods (e.g. grilling, steaming or baking) instead of frying

  3. Modify recipes to reduce fat content, e.g. use olive oil instead of butter for frying

  4. Choose low-fat, fresh, unprocessed meats. Trim any visible fat from meat before cooking

  5. Choose low-fat products, e.g. low-fat cheese, low-fat yoghurt

  6. Always read food labels to check fat content (particularly saturated fats)