Table of Contents
What are also known as triglycerides?
‘Triacylglycerols’ is the correct chemical name but they are more commonly known as ‘triglycerides’ and this term will be used throughout this chapter. Triglycerides are the major dietary fat. They are hydrolysed in the gut by lipases to fatty acids and monoglycerides.
What type of biological molecule is a triglyceride?
Lipids include fats, oils, waxes, phospholipids, and steroids. A fat molecule, such as a triglyceride, consists of two main components—glycerol and fatty acids. Glycerol is an organic compound with three carbon atoms, five hydrogen atoms, and three hydroxyl (–OH) groups.
Is triglyceride another name for fat?
5 Triglycerides. Triglycerides (TGs, also called neutral fats, triacylglycerols, or triacylglycerides) are a common, simple type of lipid consisting of three long-chain fatty acids esterified to glycerol [126].
What is another name for triglyceride synthesis?
Lipogenesis is the conversion of fatty acid and glycerol into fats OR metabolic process through which acetyl-CoA is converted to triglyceride for storage in fat.
Are triglycerides found in food?
Triglycerides are obtained from food eat or are released from your liver and are used to meet short-term energy needs. When too much food is consumed or significant high-fat foods or foods that contain high levels of simple carbohydrates, the excess is converted to triglycerides and is stored as body fat.
What type of triglyceride is healthy?
A simple blood test can reveal whether your triglycerides fall into a healthy range: Normal — Less than 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or less than 1.7 millimoles per liter (mmol/L) Borderline high — 150 to 199 mg/dL (1.8 to 2.2 mmol/L) High — 200 to 499 mg/dL (2.3 to 5.6 mmol/L)
What is the chemical structure of a triglyceride?
Chemical structure. Triglycerides are chemically tri esters of fatty acids and glycerol. Triglycerides are formed by combining glycerol with three fatty acid molecules. Alcohols have a hydroxyl (HO–) group. Organic acids have a carboxyl (–COOH) group.
Which is an example of an unsaturated fat triglyceride?
Example of an unsaturated fat triglyceride (C55H98O6). Left part: glycerol; right part, from top to bottom: palmitic acid, oleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid. A triglyceride (TG, triacylglycerol, TAG, or triacylglyceride) is an ester derived from glycerol and three fatty acids (from tri- and glyceride).
Where are triglycerides found in the human body?
Triglyceride. Triglycerides are the main constituents of body fat in humans and other animals, as well as vegetable fat. They are also present in the blood to enable the bidirectional transference of adipose fat and blood glucose from the liver, and are a major component of human skin oils.
What kind of fat is triacylglycerol with three identical fatty acids?
A triacylglycerol with three identical fatty acids is termed a simple triacylglycerol. These are exceedingly rare in nature. A triacylglycerol with two or three different fatty acids is termed a mixed triacylglycerol and makes up the bulk of the fat.