Fats
| Definition: |
The glyceryl esters of a fatty acid, or of a mixture of fatty acids. They are generally odorless, colorless, and tasteless if pure, but they may be flavored according to origin. Fats are insoluble in water, soluble in most organic solvents. They occur in animal and vegetable tissue and are generally obtained by boiling or by extraction under pressure. They are important in the diet (DIETARY FATS) as a source of energy. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed) |
| Notes: |
table fats only or fats "outside the body"; differentiate from LIPIDS ("inside the body" but not body fat which = ADIPOSE TISSUE); do not confuse with DIETARY FATS |
Fats Categories.
 |
Dietary Fats - Fats present in food, especially in animal products such as meat, meat products, butter, ghee. They are present in lower amounts in nuts, seeds, and avocados. |
 |
Fats, Unsaturated - Fats containing one or more double bonds, as from oleic acid, an unsaturated fatty acid. |
Fats Definitions and Terms
MedicalGlossary.org is designed as a free, browsable resource for all. The medical terms and definitions are not intended to replace medical informaion provided by licensed healthcare professionals. Please see a doctor if you need medical assistance. Don't see the medical term you were researching? Send us an e-mail from our "about us" page. We will do our best to research and classify new medical terms in a timely manner. Our current list of medical terms is over 26,000. Data sources include the U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2004 Medical Subject Headings.
|