Fats in Foods
Fat is not only an energy carrier but also provides valuable minerals and vitamins. Fats usually contain vitamins A, D, E, and K. For this reason alone, the intake of fat from food is necessary. However, the "30-Percent-Rule" should be observed. This rule states that daily fat intake must not exceed 30%, as excess fat is stored in tissue, leading to obesity. If most people followed this rule, they would not have to deal with overweight.
Fats are not only found in oil and butter, but also in many other foods such as sweets, sausages, eggs, cheese, chocolate, and cakes. These hidden fats are often not considered during food intake, leading to an unintended surplus of fat in the body. For example, a casual consumption of a sausage can already cover the entire daily fat requirement.
Fats found in unprocessed foods are referred to as neutral fats or triglycerides. Organic fats are also called lipids. The energy gain from stored fats in the body during physical activity is called lipolysis.
Differentiation of Fats
In foods, two types of fats are distinguished. There are fats from fatty acids with a chemical double bond and fats from fatty acids with several chemical double bonds. In the food industry, these fats are divided into saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids contain only single bonds and no multiple bonds. All carbon atoms are saturated with hydrogen atoms. Due to this chemical structure, saturated fatty acids do not react. They immediately settle in the fat depots. Examples of saturated fatty acids include all hardened fats.
In unsaturated fatty acids, two carbon atoms are present in a molecule so that there is no reaction with hydrogen atoms. Simple, unsaturated fatty acids contain this double bond between carbon atoms. In polyunsaturated fatty acids, more than two carbon atoms can be present. Due to this structure, unsaturated fatty acids enter into compounds with the body and are indispensable for building certain organs because they provide important components.
Unsaturated fats are found in plant oils, while saturated fatty acids occur in meat and fish. An optimal fat supply is divided into one-third of saturated fatty acids, one-third unsaturated fatty acids , and the last third in polyunsaturated fatty acids.