Properties: Animal Fats and Oils
Fats and oils, whether plant or animal-based, are saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. They mainly differ in the ratio of fatty acids to their content of vitamins and minerals. This particularly concerns the fat-soluble vitamins. The proportion of saturated fatty acids is significantly higher in animal fats and oils than in plant ones.
Animal fats are rich in carbohydrates and proteins and have a very good energy content. Fats carry flavors and aromas, hence they are a much-used ingredient in kitchens.
The composition of fatty acids can be influenced by the feeding and housing conditions of animals. For example, the storage of unsaturated fatty acids increases under cold conditions. Concentrate feed affects the fatty acid synthesis in ruminants.
Uses: Animal Fats and Oils
Animal fats are particularly contained in meat and sausages, but also in various animal products such as eggs, milk, and dairy products like cheese.
Health: Animal Fats and Oils
In animal fats, cholesterol is present, therefore consumption should always be moderate. Animal fats consist, just like plant fats, of glycerides, i.e., fatty acids. The main difference lies in the composition of saturated, unsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Fats are much better than their reputation and for the body more than just an energy provider; they have their justification in nutrition. Important is to find the balanced mix of animal and plant oils and fats.
Especially unhealthy are artificial trans fats. These can be found in baked goods, ready meals, pizza, instant soups, spreads, sauces, cookies, and sweets as well as various fried foods. They arise through hardening but also through repeated heating of fats.
In cancer research, it is assumed that cancer cells particularly require sugar and carbohydrates to multiply. Since energy can be obtained from fats just the same, cancer researchers claim that a fat-rich diet can "starve" cancer. However, other researchers critically view a purely ketogenic diet again.
The term "Animal Fats" indicates that these fats come from animals. Animal fats and oils differ not only in taste but also through their fatty acids, consistency, and origin.
Animal fats are absorbed through various foodstuffs:
- directly via meat
- as "hidden" fats in sausages, sweets, convenience foods
- suet, lard, tallow
- eggs and egg products
- milk and dairy products (yogurt, cheese)
Milk Fat
Milk fat is one of the most popular products among animal fats and oils. The fat content in milk varies and depends on feeding, health, and housing conditions of the milking animals. The fat in milk is present in the form of droplets or spheres and is surrounded by a layer of lipids. This stabilizes the fat droplets within the milk. To prevent fat deposits at the surface of the milk, the fats are reduced to smaller particles through the technical process of homogenization.
The evenly distributed fat globules in milk and the low melting point of milk make milk fat easily digestible. Milk fat is primarily contained in dairy products. Animal fats and oils are found, for example, in cheese, yogurt, butter, and milk drinks.
Slaughter Fat
Animal fats and oils that arise as a by-product of meat production are referred to as slaughter fats. The high content of saturated fatty acids makes these fats difficult to digest. In households, they are often used for frying or cooking.
Examples of animal fats and oils include lard or tallow. The naming is based on the type of slaughtered animal. Available in trade are goose fat and pork fat among others. Another common naming combines the purpose of use with the term edible fat, such as fry oil or cooking fat.
Marine Oil
By-products of fishing are marine oils, mostly sold as fish oil or fish grease. They contain a very high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids. Especially through taste and smell they differ from other products in the category animal fats and oils. The unsaturated fatty acids from marine oil become usable for the human body only through technical processes such as refining or hydrogenation. Through hydrogenation - raising the melting point - marine oil becomes firmer and has a longer shelf life.