Sci/241 Meet the Fats

• According to the “Face the Fats” article, what are bad fats, better fats, and best fats?

According to American Heart Association (2012) there are four types of fat: saturated fats, monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and trans-fats. Saturated and trans-fats are the “bad” fats because of their negative effects on cholesterol. They increase the LDL cholesterol levels in our bodies and are a major contributor to heart disease and plaque buildup in our arteries. Mono and polyunsaturated fats maintain a liquid consistency in our bodies. Mono and polyunsaturated fats also help our bodies absorb nutrients, produce some hormones, and can aid in keeping our body temperatures up.

• Define saturated fat, unsaturated fat, trans-fatty acids, and hydrogenated fats. How are trans-fatty acids harmful?

According to the text (American Heart Association, 2012):

Saturated fat: By-product of animal based foods. Butter, meat, cheeses, are the main way our bodies ingest saturated fats. These fats are solid at room temperature and on a molecular level have carbon atoms that are saturated with hydrogen atoms.

Unsaturated fat: Poly and Monounsaturated fats are differentiated by their atomic makeup. Polyunsaturated fats have more than one double bonded carbon in its molecular structure while monounsaturated fats have only one double bonded carbon molecule in its structure.

Hydrogenated fats: Made through a chemical process where regular vegetable oils are bombarded with hydrogen to solidify them in an effort to extend the shelf life of the foods that include the fat.

Trans-fatty acids: Manufactured through a process that takes vegetable based oils and is bombarded with hydrogen to give the oil a thicker, more solid consistency. This is another fat that can be found in animal based food products, but in small amounts. They are sometimes listed as “partially hydrogenated oils” on some food labels. This type of fat is unique in the way it works to lower...