What is Fat?
Fats are made from single molecules of fatty acids attached to glycerol, a 3-carbon backbone.
The most popular form of fat is called a triglyceride, or triacylglycerol which comprises 3-fatty acids added to the backbone, and resembles a fork without the handle. Fats and cholesterol belong to a special group of molecules called lipids. Fats and oils are terms commonly used to refer to food sources of triglycerides. Often fat and oil are considered different based on appearance; fat is solid at room temperature and oil is liquid.
There exists a class of bio-molecules called lipids. Fats belong to this class. They are insoluble in water and generally soluble in organic solvents. There are different types of fats. Saturated fats and trans fats, these two fats are solid at room temperature. They are mostly found in animals example red meat. Trans fats are made to change and increase their shelf life. They are hard at room temperature. They are responsible to increase cholesterol levels in the body. Example snacks like chips, etc. Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. They help to control cholesterol levels. There are two types of unsaturated fats and they are polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats.
What is Cholesterol?
It is produced in the body and to build membrane around the cell in order to protect it. It is a chemical compound that is waxy in nature. The liver produces cholesterol, it is found in red fat meat, cheese, butter, egg. Lipoprotein help in the transport of these through the blood. Increased cholesterol levels are not good for health as it causes cardiovascular disease.
Cholesterol is not an essential nutrient that must be obtained from food. But it is an important part of our cell membranes and its naturally present in all our cells already because the human body actually makes all the cholesterol it needs.
Difference between Fat and Cholesterol Table
Fats and cholesterol are two distinct types of lipids that are organic compounds that are insoluble in water. While they are often present together in food and blood, they have very distinct mechanisms and just a few roles in common.
Fats provide calorie energy, but cholesterol does not. Both fats and cholesterol can be produced in the diet and can be synthesized in the body , particularly in the liver. Lipids, however, are consumed in the intestines together. Since blood is mainly water, it is distributed through water-soluble carrier molecules called lipoproteins.
To make you understand how fat and cholesterol are different from each other, here are some major differences between fat and cholesterol:
| Difference between Fat and Cholesterol | |
|---|---|
| FAT | CHOLESTEROL |
| It provides energy in calories | It does not |
| Found in animals, vegetable oils, seafood, poultry | Dietary cholesterol found in animals |
| Types: Trans, saturated, unsaturated, total | Types: Triglycerides, LDL, HDL, VLDL |
| It was derived in the 12th century | It was derived in the 19th century |
These were some important differences between cholesterol and fat.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
What is the difference between fat and cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a form of lipids, just as fats are. Nevertheless, as opposed to fat, cholesterol can not be consumed, sweated or burned for energy. This is present only in animal products, including beef, chicken, fish, poultry, organic meat and high fat dairy foods.
How do Fats affect cholesterol?
Dietary fat, particularly saturated and trans fats, can increase total blood and LDL cholesterol levels. Replacing some saturated fats with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (especially olive and canola oil) can help lower blood cholesterol levels. Higher levels of HDL cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Is cholesterol a fatty acid?
Cholesterol is an unsaturated alcohol in the steroid family of compounds; it is essential for the proper functioning of all animal cells and is a central component of their cell membranes. Triglycerides are fatty acid esters of glycerol which are the primary lipid portion of animal food fats which fat deposits.
What type of fat is cholesterol?
Saturated fats raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good”) cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol rates, which increasing raise the risk of cardiovascular disease. Trans fat. Trans fat. This type of fat occurs naturally in small amounts in some foods.
What is the bad type of cholesterol?
Cholesterol travels through the blood to proteins called lipoproteins. There are two types of lipoproteins that carry cholesterol throughout the body: LDL (low-density lipoprotein), sometimes called “bad” cholesterol, which makes up most of your body’s cholesterol.
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Related Links:
| Difference between fats and oils | Classification of lipids |
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