TriglyceridesVictoria Alizo4/18/2016

Fat Stats in American Food

- typical American diet ⇒ 34% of calories from fat. - Some of the fats we eat are visible, but others are less

obvious.- The sources of fat in the American diet have changed

over the past 40 years.- Americans have reduced their intake of eggs, red meat,

whole milk, and butter but have increased the amount of fat they consume from pizza, pasta dishes, snack foods, and fast food, so the amount and type of fat in the diet have changed little.

Balance and moderation is the key- Too much of the wrong

types of fat increases the risk of chronic disease.

- A healthy diet includes the right kinds of fats along with plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

What is a Lipid?In order to understand what a triglyceride is, we have to understand what a lipid first.

Lipid: a diverse group of organic compounds, most of which do not dissolve in water. Don’t dissolve in water.

- Function: add calories, texture, and flavor to our foods. Insulation in the body.

- 4 types of lipids: Triglycerides, fatty acids, phosphoglycerides (phospholipids), and sterols.

- Unsaturated (healthier) and saturated (not as healthy)

Types of Lipids- Triglycerides: commonly referred to as fat, are the most abundant lipid in

our diet and our bodies.

- Fatty acids: made up of a carbon chain with an acid group at one end. The more saturated it is with the element hydrogen, the less health properties it has.

- Phosphoglycerides: a type of phospholipid. In organic chemistry, it has a backbone of glycerol, two fatty acids, and a phosphate group. Phosphoglycerides allow water and oil to mix. Used as emulsifiers in the food industry and are an important component of cell membranes and lipoproteins.

- Sterols: made up of multiple chemical rings. The best known sterol is cholesterol. Cholesterol is made by the body and consumed in animal foods in the diet. In the body, it is a component of cell membranes and is used to synthesize vitamin D, bile acids, and a number of hormones. LDL is bad cholesterol and HDL is good cholesterol

Lipids in the Digestive Tract ⇒ Triglycerides- Some triglyceride digestion begins in the stomach due to the

action of gastric lipase

- In the small intestine, muscular churning mixes chyme with bile from the gallbladder to break fat into small globules. This allows pancreatic lipase (an enzyme) to access these fats for digestion.

Functions of Dietary Fats (primarily Triglycerides) in Body- Dietary fat is needed for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and to

provide essential fatty acids.

- In the body, triglycerides in adipose tissue provide a concentrated source of energy and insulate the body against shock and temperature changes.

- Oils lubricate body surfaces.

- Triglycerides provide a concentrated source of energy in the body.

- Throughout the day triglycerides are continuously stored in adipose tissue and then broken down to release fatty acids, depending on the immediate energy needs of the body.

Fats/Lipids and Health in general- Fat contains 9 kcalories per gram.

- A high-fat diet therefore increases the likelihood of weight gain, but it is not the primary cause of obesity.

- Consuming more energy than expended leads to weight gain regardless of whether the energy is from fat, carbohydrate, or protein.

- Diets high in fat are associated with an increased incidence of certain types of cancer.

- In some types of cancer, such as breast cancer, fat may act as a tumor promoter, increasing the rate of tumor growth.

- In the case of colon cancer, dietary fat in the colon may act as a tumor initiator by forming compounds that cause mutations.

- Heart disease narrowing or blockage of the blood vessels⇒

Heart disease (Cardiovascular disease) and dietary fats- According to MayoClinic.org, heart disease is defined as:

conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke. Other heart conditions, such as those that affect your heart's muscle, valves or rhythm, also are considered forms of heart disease.

- High blood levels of total and LDL cholesterol are a risk factor for heart disease.

- High blood HDL cholesterol protects against heart disease.

- The risk of heart disease is also increased by diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity.

- Individual nutrients and dietary components, whole foods, and dietary patterns affect the risk of heart disease.

Heart disease (cont’d)- Diets high in saturated fat, trans fatty acids, and cholesterol increase the risk

of heart disease.

- Diets high in omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, certain B vitamins, and plant foods containing fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals reduce the risk of heart disease.

- The total dietary and lifestyle pattern is more important than any individual dietary factor in reducing heart disease risk.

What is it called when you have a high amount of triglycerides?- It is called Hypertriglyceridemia ⇒ Defined as high (hyper-) blood

levels (-emia) of triglycerides, the most abundant fatty molecule in your body

- No symptoms are present, although high levels may be associated with skin lesions known as xanthomas.

- Your body uses triglycerides for energy

- You need some triglycerides for good health. But high triglycerides might raise your risk of heart disease and may be a sign of metabolic syndrome. ⇒ In high levels of triglycerides in the bloodstream have been linked to atherosclerosis and, by extension, the risk of heart disease and stroke.

- Causes: Obesity, poorly controlled diabetes, hypothyroidism, kidney disease. Consuming high-refined carbs, regularly eating more calories than you burn, drinking a lot of alcohol.

- The diagnosis is made on blood tests, often performed as part of screening.

- Hereditary predisposition

Treatment of Hypertriglyceridemia- Weight loss and dietary modification may improve

hypertriglyceridemia.

- Lose weight and stay at a healthy weight.

- Limit fats and sugars in your diet.

- Be more active.

- Quit smoking.

- Limit alcohol.- The decision to treat hypertriglyceridemia with medication depends

on the levels and on the presence of other risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

How much fat do I need to eat? And what kinds?- The Dietary Guidelines recommend that total fat account for no more than

30% of energy, that saturated fat account for no more than 10% of energy, and that dietary cholesterol be no more than 300 mg per day.

- To keep the amount and type of fat in the diet healthy added fats, protein sources, and processed foods must be chosen carefully.

- Following the MyPlate recommendations to choose liquid oils rather than solid fats will help provide a healthy amount and ratio of essential fatty acids.

- Limiting animal fats from the protein and dairy groups reduces saturated fat intake.

- Choosing fish increases intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Eating nuts and seeds increase both monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids.

- Processed foods can be high in saturated and trans fat.

- A diet based on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean meats and low-fat dairy products will meet the recommendations for fat intake.

How much food do I need to eat? (cont’d) --Low fat foods- Low-fat foods are made by removing the fat or by including

fat replacers, which simulate the taste and texture of fats.

- Some fat replacers are made by using mixtures of carbohydrates or proteins to simulate the properties of fat, and some use lipids that are modified to reduce absorption.

- Low-fat foods and products containing fat replacers can help reduce fat and energy intake when used in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

Thank you!

Any questions??

ReferencesGrosvenor, Mary B., and Lori A. Smolin. Visualizing Nutrition: Everyday Choices. 2nd ed. N.p.: Wiley, 2012. Print."Heart disease" Mayo Clinic. MayoClinic.org, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016."Triglycerides: Why Do They Matter?" Mayo Clinic. MayoClinic.org, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.