Difference between Fat and Cholesterol: Overview, Questions, Preparation

Fats and cholesterol are the important groups of nutrients to limit in your diet to reduce the risk of chronic health problems. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like compound. Cholesterol and Fats are the most common lipids.

Fats are esters of fatty acids. Fats are triglycerides (often called triacylglycerol), which is a fatty acid trimester of glycerol. Triglycerides are the major components of vegetable oils and fatty tissue in animals. These are important for human health because they provide most of the lipids in our diet. 

The differential characteristic of a triglyceride is its state at room temperature. 

• Short-chain unsaturated triglycerides are liquid at room temperature. 
• Long-chain saturated triglycerides are solid at room temperature.

Cholesterol is an essential lipid found in the cell membrane. It is a sterol, so technically, cholesterol is a combination of steroid and alcohol. The excess amount of cholesterol in our body leads to the accumulation of plaque. Plaque sticks to the walls of arteries and leads to atherosclerosis.

The chapter Biomolecules deals with carbohydrates, lipids, fatty acids, cholesterol, fats and triglycerides. This topic difference between fat and cholesterol has the weight-age of below 5 marks.

1. What are the functions of fats in food products?

Answer: Functions of fats in food products are:

• Fats alter food appearance, acts as emulsifiers and flavours.
• The type of fat in food determines the melting point of the final product.
• They play a satiety role in increasing the taste of the food.

2. What are the most common fatty acids?

Answer: Saturated fatty acids like butyric, lauric, palmitic, stearic acids. Unsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid, palmitoleic, myristoleic acids.

3. What are the uses of fats?

Answer: Uses of fats:

• Fats as raw materials and as intermediates for scores of new chemicals.
• Fats act as fuel for cells in plants and animals.
• Fats function as food reserves to supply energy.
• Fats separated from tissues contain small amounts of phospholipids, sterols, vitamins. These substances act as emulsifying agents or growth factors.

Q: What is the difference between fat and fatty acids?

Q: What are the functions of lipids?

Q: What are sterols?

Q: Explain the role of triglycerides in health?

Q: What health conditions can cause high cholesterol?