Fats and Fatty Acids Fat is an important component of diet and serves a number of important functions in the body. It is a concentrated source of energy and supplies more than twice the amount of energy furnished by proteins or carbohydrates. Presence of fat in the food is important for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. These are also important for the structure and function of cells.
Fats are tryglycerides of fatty acids and glycerol.
The glycerol portion maybe saturated or unsaturated. These have two hydrogen atoms attached to each carbon atom in the chain i.e. there are no double bonds in the chain. SFA's are a poor source of EFA's. These have fewer than the maximum number of hydrogen atoms attached to the carbon atom in the chain, so they have a double bond. They could be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated.