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Hello you fatty,
{{dablink|This article is about lipid molecules, for FAT see [[File Allocation Table]].}}
Your mission, if you choose to accept it, will be to get as fat as you can, then sit on a futon. Beware, he may claim that you are sexually harassing him...Now, get to eating cakes you soon-to-be fatty.
Love,
Bush's Mother


P.S. I have some fresh baked cookies over here.
In [[biochemistry]], '''''fat''''' is a generic term for a class of [[lipid]]s. Fats are produced by organic processes in [[animal]]s and [[plant]]s.
All fats are insoluble in [[water]] and have a [[density]] significantly below that of water (i.e. they float on water.)
Fats that are [[liquid]] at [[room temperature]] are often referred to as [[oil]].

== Chemical composition ==
Most fats are composed primarily of [[triglyceride]]s; some monoglycerides and diglycerides are mixed in, produced by incomplete [[ester]]ification. These are extracted and used as an ingredient.

Products with a lot of saturated fats tend to be solid at room temperature, while products containing [[unsaturated fat]]s, which include [[monounsaturated fat]]s and [[polyunsaturated fat]]s, tend to be liquid at room temperature.

Predominantly saturated fats (solid at [[room temperature]]) include all [[animal fat]]s (e.g. [[milk]] fat, [[lard]], [[tallow]]), as well as [[palm oil]], [[coconut]] oil, [[cocoa butter]] and [[hydrogenation|hydrogenated]] [[vegetable oil]] ([[shortening]]).
All other vegetable fats, such as those coming from [[olive]], [[peanut]], [[maize]] ([[corn oil]]), [[cottonseed oil|cottonseed]], [[sunflower]], [[safflower]], and [[soybean]], are predominantly unsaturated and remain liquid at room temperature.
However, both vegetable and animal fats contain saturated and unsaturated fats. Some oils (such as
olive oil) contain mainly monounsaturated fats, while others present quite a high percentage of polyunsaturated fats (sunflower, rape).

== Utilization ==
In the ancient [[Minoan culture]], and in many of the other early [[Mediterranean]] [[culture]]s, [[olive oil]] was a very important commodity and at times used as a measure of [[wealth]].

Different varieties of fat have seen, and indeed still see, much use as [[lubricant]]s, although recently various [[synthetic]] substances and [[petroleum]] derivatives has taken over in most industrial applications.

In [[cooking]], products with a high fat content are often used as enhancers of taste, for example [[butter]], [[milk]], [[cheese]] and other [[dairy]] products.

Animal fat or "drippings" are also used in the traditional [[cuisine]] of [[Europe]]an countries. In [[Denmark ]] [[pork]] ''fedt'' (the fat from the frying pan after the meat has been cooked) is drained and filtered to [[strain]] any large [[particles]]. It is then placed in a container and cooled down until solid. It can be kept for extremely long periods of time in a refrigerator. Often it is used as a more flavourful alternative to [[butter]] or [[margarine]], and is easily spread even when cold.

In traditional [[Jewish cuisine]] the fat from [[chicken]]s, known as ''schmaltz'', is used.

Another use of fat in cooking is as heat conductor in [[frying]].

== Fats in nutrition ==
Fat is one of the three main classes of food and, at approximately 38 [[Joule|kJ]] (9 [[Calorie|Cal]]) per [[gram]], as compared to [[sugar]] with 17 kJ (4 Cal) per gram or [[ethanol]] with 29 kJ (7 Cal) per gram, the most concentrated form of [[metabolic energy]] available to humans.
[[Vitamin]]s [[Vitamin A|A]], [[Vitamin D|D]], [[Vitamin E|E]], and [[Vitamin K|K]] are fat-soluble meaning they can only be digested, absorbed, and transported in conjunction with fats. Fats are sources of [[essential fatty acid]]s, an important dietary requirement.

They also serve as energy stores for the body. In [[food]], there are two types of fats: [[Saturated_fat|saturated]] and [[Unsaturated_fat|unsaturated]]. Fats are broken down in the body to release glycerol and free fatty acids. The glycerol can be converted to glucose by the liver and thus used as a source of energy. The fatty acids are a good source of energy for many tissues, especially heart and skeletal muscle.

=== The biological imperative ===
All varieties of fat have an extraordinary [[energy]] content. In animals, fat acts as an energy reserve, and is stored in fatty tissue, normally located subcutaneously or surrounding organs. Fatty tissue consist of fat [[cell (biology)|cell]]s, designed to store energy in the form of fat.

Energy is stored as fatty tissue when the [[nutrition]]/energy content of the blood remains higher than is consumed by muscular and other activity. When the energy content in the blood lessens, the fatty tissue reacts by releasing a corresponding amount of energy from the fat [[cell (biology)|cell]]s. This activity is controlled by [[insulin]] and other [[hormone]]s in the [[body]].

===Adipose tissue===
[[Adipose tissue|Adipose]], or fatty, tissue is the human body's means of storing metabolic energy over extended periods of time. The location of the tissue determines its metabolic profile: "visceral fat" (around the abdomen) is prone to lead to [[insulin resistance]], while "peripheral fat" (around the limbs) is much more harmless.

==Metabolism==
''See also [[fat anabolism]] and [[fat catabolism]]''

The [[metabolism]] of lipids is a closely regulated system in virtually all lifeforms. It is effected by a variety of [[enzyme]]s and, in higher organisms, regulated by [[hormone]]s. Research is ongoing on the relative influence of various hormonal regulators on the [[anabolism]] (production) and [[catabolism]] (breakdown, also termed ''lipolysis'') of fatty molecules.

A subject of particularly close study is [[cholesterol]], which is a fatty substance best known for its role in development of [[atherosclerosis]].

==See also==
{{cookbookpar|Oil and fat}}
* [[Carbohydrate]]
* [[Protein]]
* [[Lipid]]
* [[Biodiesel]]
* [[Brown fat]]
* [[Omega-3 fatty acid]]

==External link==
* [http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/fattyacids.html Chemical Structure of Fats and Fatty acids]

[[Category:Lipids]]
[[Category:Nutrition]]
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[[th:ไขมัน]]

Revision as of 15:12, 28 January 2005

Hello you fatty, Your mission, if you choose to accept it, will be to get as fat as you can, then sit on a futon. Beware, he may claim that you are sexually harassing him...Now, get to eating cakes you soon-to-be fatty. Love, Bush's Mother

P.S. I have some fresh baked cookies over here.