Lipids
Lipids are broadly defined as water insoluble biological molecules. Lipids, the most important group of which are the fats and oils, are particularly important to the body for several reasons. They are a concentrated energy source, providing more energy per gram than the carbohydrates. Unlike the carbohydrates, the body is able to store lipids in the body, and they are therefore an important long term source of energy. Despite this, their role in obesity and heart disease makes the over ingestion of lipids potentially dangerous.
Many lipids are esters, which result from the chemical reaction of a carboxylic acid with an alcohol.
Triglycerides, esters formed from one molecule of glycerol (an alcohol) and three fatty acid molecules (carboxylic acids), make up most of the lipids stored in our bodies or found in our diet.
The carbon chains of the fatty acids (R, R' and R") involved are usually three different straight chains (no branching) of 10 to 20 carbon atoms.
Continue and read about the fats and oils.
