Lipids In The Body Research Paper
The Role of Lipids in the Body
Donna Pote
Western Governors University
The Role of Lipids in the Body
We have all been told at one time or another to be careful to limit the amount of fat in our diets. The thing is, fats play an important role in our body. They store and provide energy, insulate and protect our organs, and act as messengers, helping protein do their jobs. They start chemical reactions that help our immune system, reproduction and other aspects of basic metabolism. (Dutchen, 2010) What is important to remember is there are two different kinds of fatty acids, saturated and unsaturated. Sometimes referred to as the bad fat and the good fat.
Saturated fats are made of fatty acids that do not have any double bonded carbons, …show more content…
The double bonded carbon causes the tail of this fatty acid to be bent, which prevents them from stacking together like saturated fats. Due to their shape they are usually a liquid at room temperature. Most unsaturated fats are considered essential, meaning the body does not produce them, so we must consume them in our diet. These are usually found in plant based products such as nuts, vegetable oil, and corn oil, as well as in fish. Pictured on the next page is a model of unsaturated and saturated fatty acid molecules, demonstrating their structure. As well as a diagram of the fluid mosaic model. (Wolfe, Thinkwell Biochemistry-section 2.6.2 Saturated vs. Unsaturated Fats, 2000) (Sanders, …show more content…
Linoleic acid and alpha linoleic acid are essential for our bodies. In the body these fatty acids are modified to make eicosanoids. These are the signaling molecules that have complex control over growth, inflammation, immunity, maintaining healthy skin, to name just a few. They are made by oxidation of twenty carbon chain fatty acids. The amount of these fatty acids in the diet will affect the body’s ability to make these eicosanoids, therefore having a direct effect on all of the functions the eicosanoids are responsible for, including growth, immunity, healthy skin and a host of other jobs these are responsible for performing. (Eicosanoids, 2014) Like all things in life, moderation is key and it is important to have fats in our diets, in
Donna Pote
Western Governors University
The Role of Lipids in the Body
We have all been told at one time or another to be careful to limit the amount of fat in our diets. The thing is, fats play an important role in our body. They store and provide energy, insulate and protect our organs, and act as messengers, helping protein do their jobs. They start chemical reactions that help our immune system, reproduction and other aspects of basic metabolism. (Dutchen, 2010) What is important to remember is there are two different kinds of fatty acids, saturated and unsaturated. Sometimes referred to as the bad fat and the good fat.
Saturated fats are made of fatty acids that do not have any double bonded carbons, …show more content…
The double bonded carbon causes the tail of this fatty acid to be bent, which prevents them from stacking together like saturated fats. Due to their shape they are usually a liquid at room temperature. Most unsaturated fats are considered essential, meaning the body does not produce them, so we must consume them in our diet. These are usually found in plant based products such as nuts, vegetable oil, and corn oil, as well as in fish. Pictured on the next page is a model of unsaturated and saturated fatty acid molecules, demonstrating their structure. As well as a diagram of the fluid mosaic model. (Wolfe, Thinkwell Biochemistry-section 2.6.2 Saturated vs. Unsaturated Fats, 2000) (Sanders, …show more content…
Linoleic acid and alpha linoleic acid are essential for our bodies. In the body these fatty acids are modified to make eicosanoids. These are the signaling molecules that have complex control over growth, inflammation, immunity, maintaining healthy skin, to name just a few. They are made by oxidation of twenty carbon chain fatty acids. The amount of these fatty acids in the diet will affect the body’s ability to make these eicosanoids, therefore having a direct effect on all of the functions the eicosanoids are responsible for, including growth, immunity, healthy skin and a host of other jobs these are responsible for performing. (Eicosanoids, 2014) Like all things in life, moderation is key and it is important to have fats in our diets, in