What Are the Functions of Lipids in the Body?

Lipids are one of the important nutrients needed by the human body. They supply energy needed by the body and essential fatty acids required by the body, and are a component of human cell tissues. The human body needs to ingest a certain amount of lipids every day, but excessive intake can lead to the occurrence and development of diseases such as hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis.

Lipids

English noun: Lipid

Can not be dissolved in water

1. Definition of simple lipids : fatty acids and alcohols

Normal people generally digest fats from food every day, among which triglycerides account for more than 90%. In addition, there are a small amount of phospholipids, cholesterol and its esters, and some free fatty acids. Lipids in food cannot be digested in the oral cavity and stomach of adults. This is because there is no enzyme for digesting lipids in the oral cavity. Although there is a small amount of lipase in the stomach, this enzyme is only active at neutral pH, so This enzyme has almost no activity in normal gastric juice (but in infants, the gastric acid concentration is low, the pH in the stomach is close to neutral, and fat, especially milk fat, can be partially digested). The digestion and absorption of lipids are mainly carried out in the small intestine. First, in the upper part of the small intestine, food is made from bile acid salts in the bile through peristalsis in the small intestine.

1. Lipases are widely found in animals, plants and microorganisms. In the human body, the digestion of fat is mainly in the small intestine, catalyzed by pancreatic lipase, bile salts and

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Reasonable intake of lipid foods can ensure the normal operation of the stomach and intestines. Too much or too little intake is not conducive to the normal absorption and digestion of the stomach. If too much lipid is ingested, when it enters the duodenum, it will stimulate the production of gastrin, which will restrain the gastrointestinal motility, and then affect the gastrointestinal function; too little intake is not enough to maintain the body's metabolism. need. Intake of foods containing unsaturated fatty acids, such as marine fish, olive oil, and soy products, in our daily diet is good for our health ^[2] .