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Fat
Fat is one of the three main macronutrients, along with the other two: carbohydrate and protein. Fats molecules consist of primarily carbon and hydrogen atoms, thus they are all hydrocarbon molecules. Examples include cholesterol, phospholipids and triglycerides.
The terms “lipid”, “oil” and “fat” are often confused. “Lipid” is the general term, though a lipid is not necessarily a triglyceride. “Oil” normally refers to a lipid with short or unsaturated fatty acid chains that is liquid at room temperature, while “fat” (in the strict sense) may specifically refer to lipids that are solids at room temperature – however, “fat” (in the broad sense) may be used in food science as a synonym for lipid. Fats, like other lipids, are generally hydrophobic, and are soluble in organic solvents and insoluble in water.
Fat is an important foodstuff for many forms of life, and fats serve both structural and metabolic functions. They are a necessary part of the diet of most heterotrophs (including humans) and are the most energy dense, thus the most efficient form of energy storage and do not bind water thus do not increase body mass as much as proteins, especially carbohydrates, both of which bind a lot more water.
Some fatty acids that are set free by the digestion of fats are called essential because they cannot be synthesized in the body from simpler constituents. There are two essential fatty acids (EFAs) in human nutrition: alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) and linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid). Other lipids needed by the body can be synthesized from these and other fats. Fats and other lipids are broken down in the body by enzymes called lipases produced in the pancreas.
Fats and oils are categorized according to the number and bonding of the carbon atoms in the aliphatic chain. Fats that are saturated fats have no double bonds between the carbons in the chain. Unsaturated fats have one or more double bonded carbons in the chain. The nomenclature is based on the non-acid (non-carbonyl) end of the chain. This end is called the omega end or the n-end. Thus alpha-linolenic acid is called an omega-3 fatty acid because the 3rd carbon from that end is the first double bonded carbon in the chain counting from that end. Some oils and fats have multiple double bonds and are therefore called polyunsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats can be further divided into cis fats, which are the most common in nature, and trans fats, which are rare in nature. Unsaturated fats can be altered by reaction with hydrogen effected by a catalyst. This action, called hydrogenation, tends to break all the double bonds and makes a fully saturated fat. To make vegetable shortening, then, liquid cis-unsaturated fats such as vegetable oils are hydrogenated to produce saturated fats, which have more desirable physical properties e.g., they melt at a desirable temperature (30–40 °C), and store well, whereas polyunsaturated oils go rancid when they react with oxygen in the air. However, trans fats are generated during hydrogenation as contaminants created by an unwanted side reaction on the catalyst during partial hydrogenation.
Saturated fats can stack themselves in a closely packed arrangement, so they can solidify easily and are typically solid at room temperature. For example, animal fats tallow and lard are high in saturated fatty acid content and are solids. Olive and linseed oils on the other hand are unsaturated and liquid. Fats serve both as energy sources for the body, and as stores for energy in excess of what the body needs immediately. Each gram of fat when burned or metabolized releases about 9 food calories (37 kJ = 8.8 kcal). Fats are broken down in the healthy body to release their constituents, glycerol and fatty acids. Glycerol itself can be converted to glucose by the liver and so become a source of energy.
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Fat (adjective)
Carrying more fat than usual on one’s body; plump; not lean or thin.
“The fat man had trouble getting through the door.”
“The fattest pig should yield the most meat.”
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Fat (adjective)
Thick.
“The fat wallets of the men from the city brought joy to the peddlers.”
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Fat (adjective)
Bountiful.
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Fat (adjective)
Oily; greasy; unctuous; rich; said of food.
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Fat (adjective)
Exhibiting the qualities of a fat animal; coarse; heavy; gross; dull; stupid.
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Fat (adjective)
Fertile; productive.
“a fat soil;”
“a fat pasture”
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Fat (adjective)
Rich; producing a large income; desirable.
“a fat benefice;”
“a fat office;”
“a fat job”
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Fat (adjective)
Abounding in riches; affluent; fortunate.
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Fat (adjective)
Of a character which enables the compositor to make large wages; said of matter containing blank, cuts, or many leads, etc.
“a fat take;”
“a fat page”
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Fat (adjective)
alternative form of phat
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Fat (noun)
A specialized animal tissue with a high oil content, used for long-term storage of energy.
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Fat (noun)
A refined substance chemically resembling the oils in animal fat.
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Fat (noun)
That part of an organization deemed wasteful.
“We need to trim the fat in this company”
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Fat (noun)
An erection.
“I saw Daniel crack a fat.”
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Fat (noun)
A poorly played shot where the ball is struck by the top part of the club head. (see also thin, shank, toe)
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Fat (noun)
The best or richest productions; the best part.
“to live on the fat of the land”
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Fat (noun)
Work containing much blank, or its equivalent, and therefore profitable to the compositor.
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Fat (noun)
A large tub or vessel for water, wine, or other liquids; a cistern.
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Fat (noun)
A dry measure, generally equal to nine bushels.
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Fat (verb)
To make fat; to fatten.
“kill the fatted calf”
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Fat (verb)
To become fat; to fatten.
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Big (adjective)
Of great size, large.
“Elephants are big animals, and they eat a lot.”
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Big (adjective)
Thought to have undue influence.
“There were concerns about the ethics of big science.”
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Big (adjective)
Popular.
“That style is very big right now in Europe, especially among teenagers.”
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Big (adjective)
Adult.
“Kids should get help from big people if they want to use the kitchen.”
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Big (adjective)
Fat.
“Gosh, she is big!”
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Big (adjective)
Important or significant.
“What’s so big about that? I do it all the time.”
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Big (adjective)
Enthusiastic (about).
“I’m not big on the idea, but if you want to go ahead with it, I won’t stop you.”
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Big (adjective)
of Mature, conscientious, principled; generous.
“That’s very big of you, thank you!”
“I tried to be the bigger person and just let it go, but I couldn’t help myself.”
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Big (adjective)
Well-endowed, possessing large breasts in the case of a woman or a large penis in the case of a man.
“Whoa, Nadia has gotten pretty big since she hit puberty.”
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Big (adjective)
Large with young; pregnant; swelling; ready to give birth or produce.
“She was big with child.”
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Big (adjective)
Used as an intensifier, especially of negative-valence nouns
“You are a big liar.”
“Why are you in such a big hurry?”
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Big (adverb)
In a loud manner.
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Big (adverb)
In a boasting manner.
“He’s always talking big, but he never delivers.”
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Big (adverb)
In a large amount or to a large extent.
“He won big betting on the croquet championship.”
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Big (adverb)
On a large scale, expansively.
“You’ve got to think big to succeed at Amalgamated Plumbing.”
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Big (adverb)
Hard.
“He hit him big and the guy just crumpled.”
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Big (noun)
Someone or something that is large in stature
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Big (noun)
An important or powerful person; a celebrity; a big name.
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Big (noun)
The big leagues, big time.
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Big (noun)
One or more kinds of barley, especially six-rowed barley.
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Big (verb)
To praise, recommend, or promote.
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Big (verb)
to inhabit; occupy
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Big (verb)
to locate oneself
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Big (verb)
to build; erect; fashion
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Big (verb)
to dwell; have a dwelling
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Fat (noun)
a natural oily substance occurring in animal bodies, especially when deposited as a layer under the skin or around certain organs
“whales and seals insulate themselves with layers of fat”
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Fat (noun)
a fatty substance made from animal or plant products, used in cooking
“a diet high in animal fats”
“sizzling fat”
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Fat (noun)
the presence of excess fat in a person or animal
“he was a tall man, running to fat”
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Fat (noun)
any of a group of natural esters of glycerol and various fatty acids, which are solid at room temperature and are the main constituents of animal and vegetable fat
“some 40 per cent of our daily calories are derived from dietary fats”
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Fat (adjective)
(of a person or animal) having a large amount of excess flesh
“the driver was a fat wheezing man”
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Fat (adjective)
(of an animal bred for food) made plump for slaughter.
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Fat (adjective)
containing much fat
“fat bacon”
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Fat (adjective)
(of coal) containing a high proportion of volatile oils.
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Fat (adjective)
large in bulk or circumference
“a fat cigarette”
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Fat (adjective)
(especially in the context of financial reward) substantial
“a fat profit”
“a fat cheque”
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Fat (adjective)
used ironically to express the belief that something is unlikely or does not exist
“fat chance she had of influencing Guy’s decisions”
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Fat (verb)
make or become fat
“the hogs have been fatting”
“numbers of black cattle are fatted here”
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Big (adjective)
of considerable size or extent
“big staff cuts”
“big buildings”
“her big hazel eyes”
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Big (adjective)
larger than other items of the same kind
“my big toe”
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Big (adjective)
grown-up
“I’m a big girl now”
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Big (adjective)
elder
“my big sister”
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Big (adjective)
on an ambitiously large scale
“a small company with big plans”
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Big (adjective)
doing a specified action very often or on a very large scale
“a big gambler”
“a big eater”
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Big (adjective)
showing great enthusiasm
“a big tennis fan”
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Big (adjective)
of considerable importance or seriousness
“it’s a big decision”
“his biggest problem is money”
“he made a big mistake”
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Big (adjective)
very popular or successful
“African bands which are big in Britain”
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Big (adjective)
holding an important position or playing an influential role
“as a senior in college, he was a big man on campus”
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Big (adjective)
generous
“‘I’m inclined to take pity on you.’ ‘That’s big of you!’”
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Big (verb)
praise or recommend something highly
“the record’s been on the streets a while now, but it’s still worth bigging up”
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Big (noun)
the major league in a professional sport
“the day he made it to the bigs, he forgot every minor league ballpark he ever played in”