????The Nutrition Information Centr?e ??of the
肆客足球 of Stellenbosch? (NICUS)
Nutrients
?Lipids (fats)
- Lipids Provide a concentrated form of energy to the body.
- Fat pads in the body protect organs and bones from injury.
- Excess dietary fat is stored in the body's fat cells.
- Lipids act as a carrier of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and therefore assist with the digestion, absorption and transport of the fat-soluble vitamins.
- They Provide essential fatty acids (EFA) i.e. omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that cannot be produced by the body. EFAs are needed to prevent symptoms associated with EFA deficiency
- All naturally occurring fats are usually mixtures of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MFAs) and saturated fatty acids (SFAs).
??? | Characteristics |
Saturated Fatty Acids | Usually solid at room temperature |
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids | Liquid at room temperature |
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids | Liquid at room temperature |
- SFAs are usually found in animal products.
- PUFAs are usually found in plant products (except coconut, cocoa and palm tree products which contain SFAs) and fish products.
-
MFAs are usually found in olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, peanuts, pecans, almonds and avocados.??