Lipids any of a class of organic compounds that are fatty acids or their

derivatives and are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents. They
include many natural oils, waxes, and steroids.

Example: any of a class of organic compounds that are fatty acids or their
derivatives and are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents. They
include many natural oils, waxes, and steroids.

Lipids have several functions in organisms. They are a structural

component of the cell membrane. They are used as signaling molecules, as is
the case with steroids. They are also used for energy storage. The most
common class of lipids is triglycerides, which are fats and oils. The second
most common class of lipids is phospholipids, the lipids that make up the cell
membrane in animals and plants.

How do saturated fats affect my health?

Replacing foods that are high in saturated fat with healthier options can lower
blood cholesterol levels and improve lipid profiles

What foods contain saturated fats?

Saturated fats occur naturally in many foods. The majority come mainly from
animal sources, including meat and dairy products.

Examples are:

 fatty beef,
 lamb,
 pork,
 poultry with skin,
 beef fat (tallow),
 lard and cream,
 butter,
 cheese and
 other dairy products made from whole or reduced-fat (2 percent) milk.

Facts about polyunsaturated fats

Polyunsaturated fat is a type of dietary fat. It is one of the healthy fats, along
with monounsaturated fat.
Polyunsaturated fat is found in plant and animal foods, such as salmon,
vegetable oils, and some nuts and seeds. Eating moderate amounts of
 polyunsaturated (and monounsaturated) fat in place of saturated and trans
fats can benefit your health.

Polyunsaturated fat is different than saturated fat and trans fat. These
unhealthy fats can increase your risk for heart disease and other health
problems.

How Polyunsaturated Fats Affect Your Health

Polyunsaturated fats can help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol. Cholesterol is a
soft, waxy substance that can cause clogged or blocked arteries (blood vessels).
Having low LDL cholesterol reduces your risk for heart disease.
Polyunsaturated fats include omega-3 and omega-6 fats. These are essential
fatty acids that the body needs for brain function and cell growth. Our bodies
DO NOT make essential fatty acids, so you can only get them from food.

Omega-3 fatty acids are good for your heart in several ways. They help:
 Reduce triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood

 Reduce the risk of an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)

 Slow the build-up of plaque in your arteries

 Slightly lower your blood pressure

Omega-6 fatty acids may help:

 Control your blood sugar

 Reduce your risk of diabetes

 Lower your blood pressure

Facts about monounsaturated fats

Monounsaturated fat is a type of dietary fat. It is one of the healthy fats, along
with polyunsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fats are liquid at room
temperature, but start to harden when chilled.
Saturated fats and trans fats are solid at room temperature. These unhealthy
fats can increase your risk for heart disease and other health problems.
Monounsaturated fats are found in plant foods, such as nuts, avocados, and
vegetable oils. Eating moderate amounts of monounsaturated (and
polyunsaturated) fats in place of saturated and trans fats can benefit your
health.

How Monounsaturated Fats Affect Your Health

Monounsaturated fats are good for your health in several ways:
 They can help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol level. Cholesterol is a soft, waxy
substance that can cause clogged, or blocked, arteries (blood vessels). Keeping
your LDL level low reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke.
 Eaten in place of unhealthy fats, these fats may help people with type 2
diabetes manage their blood sugar.

 Monounsaturated fats help develop and maintain your cells. The fat is also
high in vitamin E, necessary for healthy vision, a healthy immune system, and
other benefits.
How Much you can eat
Your body needs some fats for energy and other functions. Monounsaturated
fats are a healthy choice.

How much should you get every day? Here are recommendations from the 2010
Dietary Guidelines for Americans:

 You should get no more than 25% to 30% of your daily calories from fats. Make
sure most of those fats are monounsaturated or polyunsaturated.

 You should limit saturated fat to less than 10% of your daily calories.

 To further reduce your heart disease risk, limit saturated fats to less than 7%
of your total daily calories.

 For a 2,000 calorie diet, that is 140 to 200 calories or 16 to 22 grams of

saturated fats a day.

Eating healthier fats is good for your health. But eating too much fat can lead
to weight gain. All fats contain 9 calories per gram of fat. This is more than
twice the amount found in carbohydrates and protein.
It is not enough to add foods high in unsaturated fats to a diet filled with
unhealthy foods and fats. Instead, replace saturated or trans fats with
healthier fats.

Xerophthalmia, also known as dry eyes is a medical condition in which

the eye fails to produce tears. It may be caused by vitamin A deficiency, which
is sometimes used to describe that condition, although there may be other
causes.

Pellagra

Pellagra is a disease that occurs when a person does not get

enough niacin (one of the B complex vitamins) or tryptophan (an amino acid).
Metabolism is a term that is used to describe all chemical reactions involved in
maintaining the living state of the cells and the organism. Metabolism can be
conveniently divided into two categories:

 Catabolism - the breakdown of molecules to obtain energy

 Anabolism - the synthesis of all compounds needed by the cells

Metabolism is closely linked to nutrition and the availability of nutrients.

Bioenergetics is a term which describes the biochemical or metabolic pathways
by which the cell ultimately obtains energy. Energy formation is one of the vital
components of metabolism.

Nutrition, metabolism and energy

Nutrition is the key to metabolism. The pathways of metabolism rely upon

nutrients that they breakdown in order to produce energy. This energy in turn
is required by the body to synthesize new proteins, nucleic acids (DNA, RNA)
etc.

Nutrients in relation to metabolism encompass bodily requirement for various

substances, individual functions in body, amount needed, level below which
poor health results etc.

Essential nutrients supply energy (calories) and supply the necessary

chemicals which the body itself cannot synthesize. Food provides a variety of
substances that are essential for the building, upkeep, and repair of body
tissues, and for the efficient functioning of the body.

The diet needs essential nutrients like carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen,
phosphorus, sulfur, and around 20 other inorganic elements. The major
elements are supplied in carbohydrates, lipids, and protein. In addition,
vitamins, minerals and water are necessary.
What causes scurvy?

The primary cause of scurvy is insufficient intake of vitamin C (ascorbic acid).

This may be due to ignorance, famine, anorexia, restrictive diets (due to
allergies, food fads, etc.), or difficulty orally ingesting foods. Historically, scurvy
was the result of long sea voyages where sailors did not bring along enough
foods with vitamin C.

Who gets scurvy?

Though scurvy is a very rare disease, it still occurs in some patients - usually
elderly people, alcoholics, or those that live on a diet devoid of fresh fruits and
vegetables. Similarly, infants or children who are on special or poor diets for
any number of economic or social reasons may be prone to scurvy.

Arteriosclerosis occurs when the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients
from your heart to the rest of your body (arteries) become thick and stiff —
sometimes restricting blood flow to your organs and tissues. Healthy arteries
are flexible and elastic, but over time, the walls in your arteries can harden, a
condition commonly called hardening of the arteries.