- type of lipid

- building blocks: fatty acids

- Lipids are hyrdophobic: "water fearing" repel water; fat is not soluble in water

- storage form of fat in the body

- >95% of fat we eat in in the form of TG

- glycerol backbone (hydrophilic portion) connected to 3 long chain fatty acids (hydrophobic portion); during fat digestion connection breaks

- only single bonds; linear in structure so its easier for molecules to aggregate together

- solid at room temp

- most raise blood cholesterol

- contain double bonds which make the molecule more bulky

- monounsaturated : contain only 1 double bond in FA (ie olive oil, canola oil)

- polyunsaturated: contain more than 1 double bond in FA

- Linoleic acid (omega 6): forms bloodclots

- linolenic acid (omega 3): dissolved bloodclots

- found in vegggies, flax seeds, plant oils, fish oils

- LIPOPROTEINS: contain TG, cholesterol, phospholipids, protein

- 4 Major Lipoproteins: Chylomicrons, VLDL, LDL, HDL

- transport fats such as TG as well as cholesterol to body's cells

- Trans fatty acids: polyunsaturated fats that undergo partial hydrogenateion (margarine); increase LDL and lower HDL cholesterol levels

- Steroids: type of lipid; include cholesterol, cortisol, bile acids, Vitamin D, androgens, estrogens

- small intestine use bile to begin breaking down fat

- bile breaks larger fat globules into smaller fat globules known as MICELLES

- pancreatic lipase can then access the individual TG molecules and breaks them into 3 components: one monoglyceride and 2 free fatty acid chains