Which chemicals are regarded as lipids? Are dietary fats same as lipid?

1 Answer
Feb 12, 2017

Lipids are a large group of chemicals and it includes fats, oils, waxes, phospholipids, etc. So they vary in composition.

Explanation:

  • All lipids are not fats, but all fats are lipids. Fats are made of fatty acids and GLYCEROL. (I think you wanted to know this)

One glycerol can attach to maximum three fatty acids. There could be monoglyceride, diglyceride and triglyceride, depending on the number of fatty acids attached to the glycerol.

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  • Then there are phospholipids involved in the formation of all biomembranes in the form of lipid bilayer.

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  • Another group of lipid is sterol : hormones like corticosteroids secreted from adrenal gland, cholesterol, an important component of animal cells and fat soluble vitamin D are among various examples.

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There are more complicated lipid molecules: such as sphingolipids, saccharolipids, etc.