5041 Fats Terms and Definitions at www.MedicalGlossary.org

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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

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