Nutrition and Health facts regarding lipid consumption
- Most of the lipid found in food is in the form of triacylglycerols, cholesterol and phospholipids.
- A minimum amount of dietary fat is necessary to facilitate absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and carotenoids.
- Humans and other mammals have a dietary requirement
for certain essential fatty acids, such as linoleic acid (an omega-6
fatty acid) and alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) because
they cannot be synthesized from simple precursors in the diet. Both of these fatty acids are 18-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids differing in the number and position of the double bonds.
- Most vegetable oils are rich in
linoleic acid (safflower, sunflower, and corn oils). Alpha-linolenic
acid is found in the green leaves of plants, and in selected seeds, nuts
and legumes (particularly rapeseed, walnut and soy).
- Fish oils are particularly rich in the longer-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
- A large number of studies have shown
positive health benefits associated with consumption of omega-3 fatty
acids on infant development, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and
various mental illnesses, such as
depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and dementia. In
contrast, it is now well-established that consumption of trans fats,
such as those present in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
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