The Function of Fat's In The Body
Posted by Brittney Casalina on
The Functions of Fats in the Body
This part of our Facts on Fats review explains in more detail the different functions that dietary fats have in the human body, it covers dietary recommendations on fats from (inter)national authoritative bodies, and discusses to what extent people comply with these recommendations by looking at the current consumption levels throughout Europe. A significant part of this review is dedicated to the current advances in nutrition science on the relation between dietary fat consumption and health outcomes, including obesity and cardiovascular disease. For easier understanding of the current document, written for a somewhat more advanced reader, it may be worthwhile to first read Functions, Classification and Characteristics of Fats.
1. Why are dietary fats important?
Functions, Classification and Characteristics of Fats describes the role of fats in taste perception and the importance of fats in a number of food technology applications. From a nutritional point of view, dietary fats are important for several health related aspects and for optimal functioning of the human body. Dietary fats are not just a source of energy; they function as structural building blocks of the body, carry fat-soluble vitamins, are involved in vital physiological processes in the body, and are indispensable for a number of important biological functions including growth and development. The importance of dietary fats is explained in more detail below.
Provision of energy
Fats are a source of energy in the human diet, together with carbohydrates and proteins, the other two main macronutrients. Fat is the most concentrated source providing 9 kcal per 1 gram consumed, which is more than double the energy content of protein or carbohydrate (4 kcal per gram) and more than quadruple the energy content of fibre (2 kcal per gram). Fat can be stored in the body’s fat tissue, which releases fatty acids when energy is required (see box: Body fat).
Structural component
The membranes around the cells in our body physically separate the inside from the outside of the cell, and control the movement of substances in and out of the cells. They are mainly made of phospholipids, triglycerides and cholesterol (see Functions, Classification and Characteristics of Fats). Both length and saturation of the fatty acids from phospholipids and triglycerides affect the arrangement of the membrane and thereby its fluidity. Shorter chain fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids are less stiff and less viscous, making the membranes more flexible. This influences a range of important biological functions such as the process of endocytosis in which a cell wraps itself around a particle to allow its uptake.1
The brain is very rich in fat (60%) and has a unique fatty acid composition; docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the major brain fatty acid. The lipids of the retina also contain very high concentrations of DHA.2
Carrier of vitamins
In the diet, fat is a carrier for the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, and supports their absorption in the intestine. Consuming sufficient amounts of fatty foods that contain these vitamins is thus essential for adequate intake of these micronutrients.
Other biological functions
Our bodies cannot produce the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) linoleic acid (LA) and alpha linolenic acid (ALA) as described in Functions, Classification and Characteristics of Fats. Without these essential fatty acids some vital functions would be compromised, thus they must be provided by the diet. LA and ALA can be converted to longer chain fatty acids and compounds with hormone-like or inflammatory properties (such as prostaglandins or leukotrienes, respectively). As such, essential fatty acids are involved in many physiological processes such as blood clotting, wound healing and inflammation. Although the body is able to convert LA and ALA into the long chain versions arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and, to a lesser extent, to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), this conversion seems limited.3 The longer chain fatty acids EPA and DHA are said to be “conditionally essential” and it is recommended to consume direct sources of these particular long chain fatty acids. The richest source of EPA and DHA is oily fish, including anchovy, salmon, tuna and mackerel. See Functions, Classification and Characteristics of Fats for a more complete overview of the most common fatty acids and foods in which they can be found.