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Hello you fatty, |
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{{dablink|This article is about lipid molecules, for FAT see [[File Allocation Table]].}} |
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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. |
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Love, |
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Bush's Mother |
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P.S. I have some fresh baked cookies over here. |
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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. |
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All fats are insoluble in [[water]] and have a [[density]] significantly below that of water (i.e. they float on water.) |
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Fats that are [[liquid]] at [[room temperature]] are often referred to as [[oil]]. |
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== Chemical composition == |
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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. |
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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. |
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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]]). |
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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. |
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However, both vegetable and animal fats contain saturated and unsaturated fats. Some oils (such as |
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olive oil) contain mainly monounsaturated fats, while others present quite a high percentage of polyunsaturated fats (sunflower, rape). |
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== Utilization == |
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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]]. |
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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. |
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In [[cooking]], products with a high fat content are often used as enhancers of taste, for example [[butter]], [[milk]], [[cheese]] and other [[dairy]] products. |
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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. |
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In traditional [[Jewish cuisine]] the fat from [[chicken]]s, known as ''schmaltz'', is used. |
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Another use of fat in cooking is as heat conductor in [[frying]]. |
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== Fats in nutrition == |
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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. |
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[[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. |
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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. |
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=== The biological imperative === |
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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. |
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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]]. |
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===Adipose tissue=== |
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[[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. |
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==Metabolism== |
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''See also [[fat anabolism]] and [[fat catabolism]]'' |
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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. |
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A subject of particularly close study is [[cholesterol]], which is a fatty substance best known for its role in development of [[atherosclerosis]]. |
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==See also== |
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{{cookbookpar|Oil and fat}} |
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* [[Carbohydrate]] |
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* [[Protein]] |
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* [[Lipid]] |
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* [[Biodiesel]] |
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* [[Brown fat]] |
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* [[Omega-3 fatty acid]] |
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==External link== |
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* [http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/fattyacids.html Chemical Structure of Fats and Fatty acids] |
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[[Category:Lipids]] |
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[[Category:Nutrition]] |
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[[de:Fett]] |
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[[eo:Graso]] |
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[[es:grasa]] |
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[[fi:rasva]] |
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[[ja:脂肪]] |
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[[nl:vet]] |
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[[pl:T%C5%82uszcz]] |
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[[su:gajih]] |
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[[sv:Fett]] |
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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.