THE LIPIDS: TRIGLYCERIDES, PHOSPHOLIPIDS, AND STEROLS Part1 The Chemist’s View of Fatty Acids and Triglycerides • 1. Every triglyceride contains one molecule of glycerol and three fatty acids (basically, chains of carbon atoms). • 2. Fatty acids may be 4 to 24 (even numbers of) carbons long, the 18-carbon ones being the most common in foods and especially noteworthy in nutrition. • 3. Fatty acids may be saturated or unsaturated. Unsaturated fatty acids may have one or more points of unsaturation that is, they may be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. The Chemist’s View of Fatty Acids and Triglycerides • 4. Of special importance in nutrition are the polyunsaturated fatty acids known as omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. • The 18-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids are: • linolenic acid (omega-3) • linoleic acid (omega-6). • Both are essential fatty acids that the body cannot make. • Lipids: • A family of compounds that includes triglycerides, phospholipids, and sterols. • Lipids are characterized by their insolubility in water. (include the fat-soluble vitamins). Fatty Acids • All fatty acids have the same basic structure—a chain of carbon and hydrogen atoms with an acid group (COOH) at one end and a methyl group (CH3) at the other end. • Fatty acids may differ from one another in the: • Length of their carbon chains. • The number and location of their double bonds.

The Lipids - Triglycerides, Phospholipids, and Sterols

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