Products
Fats for medical use and medicines and dietary supplements made from them are available in pharmacies and drugstores. They are also available in grocery stores. Fats are also called butter, such as shea butter.
Structure and properties
Fats are semi-solid to solid and lipophilic mixtures of substances (lipids) consisting mainly of triglycerides. These are organic compounds of glycerol (glycerol) whose three hydroxyl groups are esterified with fatty acids. Triglycerides consist of only three chemical elements: Carbon (C), Oxygen (O) and Hydrogen (H). The various triglycerides and fats differ in the fatty acids they contain. The saturated fatty acids (without double bonds) are more common in fats. They are characterized by a higher stability. Fats can be of vegetable and animal origin and, less frequently, can also be produced synthetically. In addition to triglycerides, fats contain other compounds in low concentrations. These include fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin E and vitamin A, steroids such as cholesterol (this only in animal fats), carotenoids and secondary plant constituents. Fatty oils differ from fats in that they are liquid at room temperature. Because ambient temperatures vary around the world, coconut fat, for example, exists as coconut oil in the countries of origin and as fat in Central Europe. Waxes are esters of fatty acids with long-chain primary alcohols, and essential oils consist mainly of isoprenoids.
Effects
Fatty oils have skin-conditioning, skin-protecting, and skin-regenerating properties. Fatty acids have vital functions in the body, for example, in building cell membranes, storing and transporting energy, thermoisolation, and signal transduction.
Areas of application
In pharmacy and medicine, fats are used for the following applications, among others (selection):
- For the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, as an ointment base.
- For skin care, for example, in the form of the pure fats, as creams, ointments and lotions.
- Some fats are taken as dietary supplements, for example, coconut oil.
- For the production of soaps, for example, with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH).
Furthermore, fats have an essential importance as food.
Dosage
Fats should be consumed sparingly as food due to their high calorific value. Nutritionists primarily recommend vegetable oil and especially canola oil, as it contains a high amount of unsaturated fatty acids. Nuts, seeds and kernels are considered healthy in small amounts. Butter should be consumed in small amounts.
Examples (selection)
Fats that are used medicinally and/or only as food:
- Butter from animal milk (e.g., from milk coolers, goat butter, spread), frying butter.
- Cocoa butter
- Coconut oil
- Margarine (spreadable fat)
- Palm fat
- Lard (slaughter fat), e.g. lard, goose fat
- Shea butter
Hydrogenation (breaking the double bonds) can be used to obtain a fat from an oil. For example, the solid hydrogenated peanut oil is obtained from the liquid peanut oil.
Adverse effects
Fats have an extremely high caloric value of over 700 to 800 kcal per 100 g. Excessive intake can promote the development of overweight and obesity and the development of secondary diseases. Fat consists mainly of saturated fatty acids. Fats deteriorate over time, becoming rancid due to atmospheric oxygen, among other things. Their shelf life is limited. They should therefore be stored as cool as possible and protected from light.
