COMPOSITION AND QUALITY OF FOOD FATS

Abstract

Fats are biologically important organic substances present in all living organisms. Fats used by humans in everyday nutrition are of plant and animal origin. Vegetable oils do not contain cholesterol, have a more favorable fatty acid composition, contain mostly unsaturated fatty acids, primarily an essential, they have a more favorable ratio between n 3 and n 6 fatty acids, more favorable ratio between polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids, lower atherogenic index and greater presence of antioxidants. These oils are rich source of tocopherols, which act as natural antioxidants and therefore are more sustainable than animal fats. Over the past few decades animal fats from the diet are increasingly abandoned and replaced with vegetable oils. Today, vegetable oils play a major role in a daily human nutrition. From a nutritional and health aspect point of view, the use of vegetable oils is more beneficial in contrast to animal fats