Essential Dietary Fat

Fat, a crucial nutrient comprising approximately 30-45% of the energy in Western diets, holds a significant role in supporting various bodily functions. Scientifically referred to as lipids, fats are an essential component alongside proteins and carbohydrates, serving as a primary source of energy for the body. Each gram of fat consumed provides a substantial 9 calories worth of energy, making it a vital contributor to overall nutritional requirements.

Total fat intake encompasses saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats, with cholesterol belonging to the sterol lipid family. The strategic incorporation of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats into the diet can effectively reduce blood cholesterol levels when replacing saturated fats. Understanding the distinct categories of fats aids in making informed dietary choices for optimal health.

Chemically, fats are compounds formed from fatty acids, characterized by their greasy, solid nature in animal tissues and some plants. Despite the body's ability to synthesize most necessary fatty acids from other constituents like carbohydrates and proteins, certain fats are indispensable for specific bodily functions.

The brain, a vital organ, requires saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, cholesterol, and various other fats for optimal functioning. Fats play a crucial role in the composition of cell membranes, contributing to the flexibility and regulation of nutrient transfer into and out of cells. Additionally, specific fats act as precursors to essential components like vitamin D and sex hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone.

Saturated fats, primarily derived from animal products, are contrasted by the prevalence of unsaturated fats in both animal and vegetable foods. Understanding the sources and types of fats empowers individuals to make dietary choices that align with their health goals.

The significance of dietary fat is further emphasized by its role in early infancy, where 35% of weight gain is attributed to fat. Most dietary fats exist in the form of triglycerides, which consist of three fatty acids esterified to a glycerol backbone. This composition underscores the importance of a balanced fat intake for overall growth and development, especially during critical phases of life.

In conclusion, the multifaceted role of dietary fat extends beyond mere energy provision. It influences crucial aspects of bodily function, from cell membrane structure to the synthesis of essential hormones and vitamins. A nuanced understanding of the different types of fats empowers individuals to make informed dietary choices, promoting overall health and well-being.
Essential Dietary Fat

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Caprylic acid

Caprylic acid is an eight-carbon saturated fatty acid. Empirical formula for caprylic acid is C8H16O2. It occurs as a normal constituent of fats and oils in various foods.

It naturally found in palm and coconut oil a in the milk of humans and bovines. Along with butyric and lauric acid, it constitutes a major proportion of naturally occurring saturated fats and oils.

Caprylic acid is classified as a medium-chain fatty acid and is chemically known as octanoic acid. It is colorless leaf or oily liq.; unpleasant odor; burning rancid taste.

Caprylic acid is commercially manufactured by the oxidation of octanol. It can also be synthesized from 1-heptene. The U.S Food and Drug Administration has approved caprylic acid with “generally recognizable as safe” GRAS status.
Caprylic acid

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Category of fatty acid: Omega 7

One category of fatty acid called Omega-7, which the site of unsaturation is seven carbon atoms from the end of the carbon chain. The two most common omega-7 fatty acids in nature are palmitoleic acid and vaccenic acid. Whereas Omega-3, -6, -9, and -12 are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAS), Omega-7 (Palmitoleic Acid) is a monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA).

Palmitoleic Acid (Omega-7) has been studied for its potential benefit towards many important health applications including heart health, anti-inflammation, insulin sensitivity, antimicrobial effects, moisture replenishment of mucosal membranes, and anti-aging benefits for skin, hair and nails.

Omega-7 has been shown to combat hyperglycemia by increasing insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake, and reducing insulin resistance thus lowering blood glucose levels. Omega-7 has been shown to attenuate dyslipidemia through multiple mechanisms, such as lowering circulating triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL.

Studies show that omega-7 improves lipid balance by favorably regulating fat production within fat cells, while regulating fat burning. That means less fat deposition—and lower levels of fat and triglycerides in blood and liver tissue (J Anim Sci. 2012 Oct;90(10):3433-41).

A good source of Palmitoleic Acid is obtained from the oil of the Macadamia plant (Macadamia integrifolia). Macadamias are large, spreading evergreen trees reaching 10 to 15 meters high and almost as wide.
Category of fatty acid: Omega 7

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Basic concept of fatty acid

Compounds of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen with a functional group, a carbonyl carbon, CH3.(CH2)n.COOH. The fatty acids, the simplest of the lipids, are defined as monocarboxylic acids that tend to be more soluble in organic solvents than in water.

Most fatty acids in food consist of a straight of carbon atoms ending with a carboxyl group, that is soluble in water and non polar hydrocarbon chain that is insoluble in water but soluble in the common organic solvents. They may be double bond between some of these carbon atoms.

The melting point of a fatty acid is affected by its chain length, its degree of unsaturation and whether the double bonds are cis or trans.

Fatty acid serves at least three vital functions: such as linolenic acid, are essential nutrients; other, particularly the short chain fatty acids, provides energy; long chain fatty acids are structural components of cell membranes.

The number of known natural fatty acids exceeds 1000 although only a relatively small number – perhaps 2o—50 are of common concern. A large number of fatty acids exist in nature because the hydrocarbon chain may be of varying lengths (i.e. containing a varying number of carbon atoms linked together) an may have different degrees of unsaturation (unsaturation refers to the presence of double bonds between carbon atoms within the hydrocarbon chain).

Basic concept of fatty acid

Linolenic acid

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Naturally occurring unsaturated fatty acids: Arachidonic acid

Arachidonic acid, which is polyunsaturated fatty acid, is used in the animal body for a number of biological functions. Arachidonic acid (AA), all-cis-5, 8, 11, 14-eicosatetraenoic acid (where eicos or eikosi in Greek refers to the number 20), is an omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA).
Its chemical formula is C20H32O2, 20:4(ω -6), where 20:4 refers to its 20 carbon atom chain with four double bonds, and (ω -6) refers to the position of the first double bond from the last, omega carbon atom. Arachidonic acid has an average mass of 304.467 g/mol and usually assumes a hairpin structure.

It is a component of phospholipid membranes and is a precursor to an extensive group of compounds called eicosanoids. Three of them: prostaglandins, leukotrienes and thromboxanes are largely responsible for the regulation of inflammatory processes.

Arachidonic acid can be stored in membrane phospholipids and released from nuclear envelop or plasma membrane by cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2), either constitutively or in respond to a variety of cell specific stimuli, including growth factors, hormones, cytokines, signaling molecules, or cell trauma.

Arachidonic acid can be provided to humans and mammals by an exogenous source supplied either by the direct consumption of dietary food that contains high level of arachidonic acid, whole eggs, salmon, tuna, a wide range of lean meat and its visible meat fats, or through the parent molecule, linoleic acid (LA; 18:2n-6).
Naturally occurring unsaturated fatty acids: Arachidonic acid

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Behenic acid

Behenic acid ( is poorly absorbed; the absorption rate of palmitic acid is 95–98% and that of behenic acid is 30%. Empirical Formula of behenic acid is C22H44O2.

Behenic acid is a long-chain saturated fatty acid that exists naturally as a triglyceride in canola, peanut, and marine animal oils as well as animal milk fats and peanut skins.

It is one of the saturated long-chain fatty acids of sunflower oil. Although this acid is poorly absorbed by animals or humans, it has been shown to act as a cholesterol-raising agent in humans.

Behenic acid is soluble in the organic solvent dimethyl formamide (DMF), which should be purged with an inert gas, at a concentration of approximately 3 mg/ml. Behenic acid is sparingly soluble in aqueous buffers. For maximum solubility in aqueous buffers, behenic acid should first be dissolved in DMF and then diluted with the aqueous buffer of choice.

This acid is used as an alternative to stearic acid for improved skin feel, greater stability and better active delivery. Applications include sticks, emulsions, sun care, antiperspirants and pomades. Formulators can use this in all personal care formulations for emulsifying, thickening, and gelling.
Behenic acid

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Palmitic acid

Fatty acids are carbon chains with a methyl group at one end of the molecule (designated omega, ω) and a carboxyl group at the other end.

The most common saturated fatty acid in animals, plants and microorganisms is palmitic acid (16:0). Palmitic acid is a common constituent of fat and coconut oil. Palmitic acid also been found in apple, beer, preferment of bread, celery, roasted cocoa bean, country cure ham, essential oil of lemon, heated milk, essential oil of sweet orange, potato, black tea and tomato.

Palmitic and related fatty acid are classified as saturated because their carbon atom building blocks are fully occupied by hydrogen.

High consumption of saturated fats, especially those containing large amounts of palmitic acid, correlates with elevated serum cholesterol and increased risk of cardiovascular disease among American man. Many studies indicated that compared with carbohydrates, palmitic acid raises serum total and LDL cholesterol levels but less an effect on HDL cholesterol. However, a few studies indicated that palmitic acid might not raise total and LDL cholesterol concentration compared with carbohydrates.
Palmitic acid

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Safflower edible uses

Around the world, safflower is mainly grown for its edible oil cooking salad oil and margarine. Safflower is cultivated in the United States as an oilseed crop.

Safflower oil is sprayed on various edible products to prevent them absorbing or losing water and thus extends their shelf life.

In affluent countries, research linking health and diet has increased the demand for the oil, which has the highest polyunsaturated/saturated ratios of any oil available.

In addition to seed, safflower has been known and grown since ancient times for its brilliantly colored flowers, which were used to extract yellow and orange dyes for food and fabrics.

Recently interest in safflower as a source of color for use in food is gaining importance owing to a recent ban on the use of synthetic colors in food in the European countries and elsewhere.

Safflower oil is popular for edible uses because of its high unsaturated fatty acid content.

Polyunsaturated fats are associated with lowering of blood cholesterol. Also, mono-unsaturated such as oleic safflower oil tends to lower blood levels of LDL without affecting HDL. The flowers are also reported to have medicinal properties to cure several chronic diseases, like hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, spondylosis and sterility in both men and women.
Safflower edible uses

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Fatty acid: building block of fat

Fat is a major source of fuel energy for the body and aids in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoids.

Both animals- and plant- derived food products contain fat. Food fat provides taste, consistency, and helps people feel full.

Dietary fat consists primarily (98 percent) of triacylglycerol, which is composed of one glycerol molecule esterified with three fatty acid molecules, and smaller amounts of phospholipids and sterol.

Fatty acids are hydrocarbon chains that contain a methyl (CH3-) and a carboxyl (-COOH) end. They are responsible for the different properties of the triglycerides; while the glycerol component is identical for every triglyceride.

Several aspects can differentiate the fatty acid components:
*carbon chain length
*number of double bond
*location of double bond
*configuration of the hydrogen atoms attached to the carbon atoms joined by the double bond, cis or trans *position of the fatty acids regarding the glycerol

Fatty acids are named according to the number of carbon atoms in the chain. In turn the name of the fatty acids refers back to the name of the saturated hydrocarbon with same number of carbon atoms.

So stearic acid has 18 carbon atoms and is related to the alkane with 18 carbon atoms, i.e. octadecane.

The type of fatty acids consumed plays an important role in the etiology of a variety of degenerative diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, immunity and inflammatory disease, renal disease, diabetes, neuromuscular disorders, liver disease, visual dysfunction, psychiatric disorders, and aging.
Fatty acid: building block of fat

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What is monounsaturated fat?

The unsaturated fatty acids may contain one or more double or triple bonds and so can be separated into monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and acetylenic fatty acids.

Monounsaturated fats are not associated with heart disease and are found in olive oil and rape seed oil. It is occurs naturally in the cis form in love oil, canola oil, avocado, olives, pecans, peanuts and other nuts. 

Monounsaturated fats help lower LDL, and slightly increase HDL, which removes cholesterol from the arteries and helps protect against coronary heart disease.

When substitute for carbohydrate, monounsaturated fat reduces serum triglyceride levels. Monounsaturated fats like olive oil are cleared from the blood faster than saturated fats, and this reduces the window of opportunity for the development of atherosclerosis.

Monounsaturated fats also help to prevent the blood from becoming sticky after a fatty meal and forming dangerous clots by reducing platelet aggregation.
What is monounsaturated fat?

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Saturated fatty acid and cardiovascular disease

The source of saturated fatty acids in human diet are mainly derived from animal products, oils used for cooking or ready-cooked meals from the food industry. It also come from home cooking fats such as lard, hard margarines.

Saturated fatty acids have been positively correlated with the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in many epidemiological studies.

Saturated fatty acid with intermediate chain lengths – lauric, mytristic, and palmitic acids increase plasma cholesterol concentration whereas short chain fatty acids and stearic acid results in little or change in plasma cholesterol concentrations.

The higher level of serum total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol in turn lead to atherosclerosis and increased the risk of coronary heart disease.

The American Heart Association and the 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee recommend that the daily overall fat consumption comprises 25% to 35% of the diet’s daily energy content.

Of this intake, less than 7% should come from saturated fats and the rest be divided equally between polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.

Saturated fatty acid and cardiovascular disease

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