2.1.3

Fats

Test yourself on Fats

Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

Why Do We Need Fats?

We need fats for the following reasons:

Provide energy

Provide energy

  • Fats are concentrated energy sources.
    • We get double the amount of energy per gram of fat than we do per gram of carbohydrate or protein.
Cholesterol

Cholesterol

  • We use fat to form cholesterol.
  • Cholesterol - a vital component of cell membranes.
Source of vitamins

Source of vitamins

  • Fats contain vitamins A, D, E and K (in fat-soluble form).
Provide insulation

Provide insulation

  • Fat helps us to keep warm by creating an insulating layer beneath the skin.
    • Our bones and our organs are protected by these layers.

Saturated and Unsaturated Fats

Triglycerides make up fats. Triglycerides are esters formed from fatty acids and glycerol.

Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids

Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids

  • Fatty acids are chains of carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms.
  • There are two types:
    • Saturated fatty acids - contain single C-C bonds only.
    • Unsaturated fatty acids - contain one or more C=C double bond.
Saturated and unsaturated fats

Saturated and unsaturated fats

  • During digestion, the human body breaks down fat into fatty acids.
  • If there are more saturated fatty acids, it's a saturated fat.
  • If there are more unsaturated fatty acids, it's an unsaturated fat.
Saturated fats

Saturated fats

  • Saturated fats are unhealthier than unsaturated fats.
  • Eating lots of saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels and put us at greater risk of heart disease.
  • We mostly get saturated fats from animal sources, like beef and dairy sources. Palm oil is an example of a plant-based source.
  • At room temperature, saturated fats tend to be solid.
Unsaturated fats

Unsaturated fats

  • Unsaturated fats are the healthier of the two.
  • We mostly get unsaturated fats from vegetable sources with high-fat content, like pecans, pumpkin seeds and avocados.
  • At room temperature, unsaturated fats tend to be soft or liquid.
  • There are two types of unsaturated fats:
    • Monounsaturated - have one C=C double bond. We get them from hazelnuts and avocados among other things.
    • Polyunsaturated - have two or more C=C double bonds. We get them from walnuts and flax seeds among other things.
Lowering cholesterol

Lowering cholesterol

  • Research shows that a person can lower their cholesterol by eating unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats.

How Much Fat Do We Need?

Our bodies need enough fat to work properly. But too much fat in the diet can be harmful.

Dietary reference values

Dietary reference values

  • Government guidelines - less than 35% of our daily food energy intake.
    • Less than 11% should come from saturated fat.
  • Average adult - around 70g of fat per day.
    • No more than 20g of this should be saturated fat.
  • The majority of UK residents consume more fat than this.
Consequences of too much fat

Consequences of too much fat

  • Gaining weight.
  • Obesity, which can lead to type 2 diabetes.
  • Excess saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels.
    • Cholesterol restricts the flow of blood around the body by clogging up blood vessels.
    • A person will be more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, shortage of breath or coronary heart disease.
Consequences of too little fat

Consequences of too little fat

  • Vitamin deficiency, as the body doesn't get enough of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
    • Thinner fat layers beneath the skin for protection. So bones may bruise more easily if knocked.
  • Less insulation.
  • If someone isn't eating enough carbohydrates, the body will resort to using fat stores to get energy. The person may lose weight if they're not eating enough fat.
Jump to other topics
1

Food Preparation Skills

1.1

Food Preparation Skills

1.1.1General Practical Skills1.1.2Knife Skills1.1.3Preparing Fruit, Vegetables & Using Equipment1.1.4Cooking Methods: Prepare, Shape & Combine1.1.5Sauce Making, Tenderising & Marinating1.1.6Dough & Pastry1.1.7Shaping & Finishing Dough1.1.8Raising Agents & Mixtures1.1.9End of Topic Test - Food Preparation Skills 1
2

Food, Nutrition & Health

2.1

Macronutrients

2.1.1Proteins2.1.2Proteins 22.1.3Fats2.1.4Carbohydrates2.1.5Carbohydrates 2
2.2

Micronutrients

2.2.1Fat-Soluble Vitamins2.2.2Water-Soluble Vitamins2.2.3Minerals & Water2.2.4Minerals & Water 22.2.5End of Topic Test - Macro & Micronutrients
2.3

Nutritional Needs & Health

2.3.1Informed Choices for a Balanced Diet2.3.2Informed Choices for a Balanced Diet 22.3.3Energy Needs2.3.4Nutritional Analysis2.3.5Diet Modifications2.3.6Diet-Related Problems2.3.7Diet-Related Problems 22.3.8End of Topic Test - Nutritional Needs & Health
3

Food Science

3.1

Cooking of Food & Heat Transfer

3.1.1Reasons for Cooking & Heat Transfer3.1.2Water-Based Cooking Methods3.1.3Fat-Based Cooking Methods3.1.4Dry Cooking Methods3.1.5Dry Cooking Methods 2
3.2

Functional & Chemical Properties of Food

3.2.1Proteins & Carbohydrates3.2.2Fats & Oils3.2.3Raising Agents3.2.4End of Topic Test - Food Science
4

Food Safety

4.1

Food Spoilage & Contamination

4.1.1Microorganisms & Signs of Food Spoilage4.1.2Enzymes & Signs of Food Spoilage4.1.3Food Poisoning4.1.4Bacterial Contamination4.1.5Microorganisms in Food Production
4.2

Principles of Food Safety

4.2.1Temperature Control4.2.2Ambient Foods & Food Labels4.2.3Preparing, Cooking & Serving Food4.2.4End of Topic Test - Food Safety
5

Food Choice

5.1

Factors Affecting Food Choice

5.1.1Factors Which Influence Food Choice5.1.2Food Choices5.1.3Religious Food Choices5.1.4Food Labels5.1.5Mandatory Food Labels5.1.6Optional Food Labels5.1.7Marketing Influences5.1.8End of Topic Test - Food Choice
5.2

British & International Cuisines

5.2.1British Cuisine5.2.2Japanese Cuisine5.2.3Japanese Ingredients & Dishes5.2.4Spanish Cuisine5.2.5Spanish Ingredients & Dishes
5.3

Sensory Evaluation

5.3.1Taste Receptors & Olfactory Systems5.3.2Sensory Testing Methods5.3.3Sensory Testing Methods 25.3.4End of Topic Test - Cuisines & Senses
6

Food Provenance

6.1

Environmental Impact & Sustainability of Food

6.1.1Food Sources - Intensive & Organic Farming6.1.2Food Sources - Genetically Modified Crops6.1.3Food Sources - Reared Food6.1.4Food Sources - Caught Food6.1.5Food & The Environment6.1.6Food & The Environment 26.1.7Sustainability of Food6.1.8Sustainability of Food 26.1.9End of Topic Test - Environmental Impacts
6.2

Food Processing & Production

6.2.1Primary Food Processing6.2.2Primary Food Processing 26.2.3Secondary Food Processing6.2.4Fortification6.2.5Additives6.2.6End of Topic Test - Food Processing & Production

Practice questions on Fats

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    Why do we need fats?Fill in the list
  2. 2
    Which vitamins are found in fats?Fill in the list
  3. 3
    How does the amount of energy provided per gram of fat compare to the amount of energy per gram of carbohydrate or protein?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    Which of the following vitamins is NOT found in fats?Multiple choice
  5. 5
    What type of chemical compound are triglycerides?Multiple choice
Answer all questions on Fats

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

  • Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions

  • Mini-mock exams based on your study history

  • Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium

Proteins 2

Carbohydrates