Meaning of Fatty acid and glycerol ?
Answers
One major class of lipids is called glycerolipids. Glycerolipids are composed of glycerol and fatty acids.
Glycerol , has three carbon atoms, each of which has a hydroxyl (-OH) group bound to it.
Fatty acids are fairly long linear hydrocarbon chains with a carboxylic acid group at one end. Fatty acids are named based on the number of carbon atoms and carbon-carbon double bonds in the chain.
Glycerol is a carbohydrate that can be made in the body from glucose and obtained through the diet as a food additive. It also exists naturally in triglycerides (TGs) and phospholipids (PLs). Glycerol has applications in food manufacturing as a sweetener, thickener, solvent and preservative. Fatty acids, which are fats, can also be made in the body and obtained through the diet in TGs and PLs. Fatty acids supply more energy per gram and play a more significant role in human health than glycerol.