What Are Fats?

What Are Fats? — page 1 — WHY FATS ARE IMPORTANT clats News reports magazine articles and other sources often warn people about the fats contained in food Much of the information is disturbing It is true that some types of fat are unhealthy Over time they can lead to dangerous health conditions Also fats contain more calories than other nutrients Human skin has three layers the epidermis the dermis and a layer made mostly of fat Body fat stores energy and cushions bones VOCABULARY hair Nutrients are things that the body needs in order to grow and stay healthy Fats are nutrients as are proteins carbohydrates minerals vitamins and water oil gland dermis nerve Sweat gland blood vessels hair follicle

What Are Fats? — page 2 — A boy enjoys a meal of grilled salmon Salmon is one food that contains healthy fat If people eat lots of fatty foods they may be taking in more calories than they burn Not all fats cause problems though In fact fats are necessary They are part of the normal growth process They help to produce healthy skin In addition the fat stored in the body is a source of energy for times when food is unavailable Body fat also provides cushioning tissue to protect organs from injury It helps to keep the body warm in cold weather too It is important to learn which types and amounts of fat are beneficial and which ones can cause harm Children and adults alike can adopt either healthy or harmful eating habits They can choose to eat foods that have the right amount of healthy fat On the other hand they can choose foods that contain too much fat or unhealthy types of fat 5

What Are Fats? — page 3 — Where Do Fats Come From Fats are substances called lipids Lipids are found in the cells of living things They do not dissolve in water Fats are made up of different molecules including molecules called fatty acids Fatty acids are the parts of fats used by the body When doctors and dieticians speak of fats they often are talking about fatty acids Some fats are solid not liquid at room temperature Solid fats may come from animals or plants Hundreds of popular foods contain solid 6 Butter left is an example of a solid fat Olive oil right is an example of a liquid fat

What Are Fats? — page 4 — A man adds olive oil to vegetables while cooking It is important to learn which forms of fat are healthiest fat for example dairy products such as ice cream and butter cookies cakes pastries pizza burgers and hot dogs Solid fat is also commonly used to cook fried foods such as French fries and fried chicken Compare and Contrast Fats do not dissolve in water Can you think of common cooking ingredients that do dissolve in water Other fats are liquid at room temperature These fats are called oils Oils used in cooking often come from olives corn soybeans sunflowers and safflower Oil also comes from peanuts and other nuts Some fatty acids are necessary to a healthy human diet Others are less useful to the body Studying how fats affect human health is a complicated science 7

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