5.11: Functions of Fat
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Fat has other important functions besides serving as a concentrated energy source. Fat carries the fat-soluble vitamins in both food and the body, and insulates the body against cold and injury. Fat also provides longer satiety (satisfaction of hunger), carries fat-soluble flavors, and gives a smooth texture to foods.
When cookies are said to be so delicious that they melt in your mouth, it’s the cookie’s fat that melts. Meat marbled with fat is more tender, juicy, and flavorful. Fat also makes other foods more tender, moist and flavorful—as in croissants baked with layers of butter. When food is deep-fried, it cooks quickly (fast food) as the fat browns, flavors, and crisps the outside—as in fried chicken and french fries.
Four kinds of fat discussed here are: triglycerides, fatty acids, lecithin, and cholesterol (Figure 5.2).