Oil and Fats

Fats are solid while oils are liquid, because fats and oil molecules contain different fatty acid with different properties. Chemists call fats and oil ‘triglycerides’ because they consist of three fatty acid molecules joined to a glycerol molecule.

Fatty acids are the main components of fats and oil. There are about twenty fatty acids that the body needs to maintain normal function.

Two of these, though, the body can’t make on its own and must receive through diet – omega 3 and omega 6 acids.

Oil and fats improve palatability of foods when used a seasoning or dressing. Apart from the flavor, texture and satiety these give, they are important in assimilation of fat soluble vitamins in the body.

Glee and butter are rich in vitamin A. Most of the hydrogenated fats are fortified with vitamin A Use of these thus helps to meet part of the day’s need of vitamin A.

Oils include vegetables oils such as groundnut, sesame, coconut and mustard. Fats include ghee, butter, margarine as well as hydrogenated fats such as the different brands of vanaspati.

A minimum level of fat in the diet is necessary to facilitate absorption of fat-soluble vitamins in the diet.

Oil and fats are essential constituents of all forms of plants and animal life. The largest source of oil at present is the seeds of annual plants, such as flax, soybean, cottonseed and the peanut. Some of these plants, such as the castor plant and the oil bearing varieties of flax, are cultivated for their oil alone.

The commercial land animal fats are included butter, lard, tallow, chicken fat and fish oils.

The good fats for cooking are in the oleic family, sometimes known as omega-9 fats, which include both animal and vegetable sources: butter, lard, olive oil, hazel nut oil and peanut oil. Avocado oil seems also good.
Oil and Fats