Eatwell Plate Analysis
The Eatwell plate, originally designed by the Food Standards Agency, is the current food guide used within the UK to demonstrate the government’s dietary guidelines, using the visual representation of a plate to advise what constitutes a healthy balance diet (refer to figure 1). The plate is segmented into five food groups to assist in demonstrating the types of foods and the proportions which should be considered for a healthy balanced diet (Public Health England, 2014).
Dietary Fats
Dietary fats can be found across all segments of the Eatwell plate as key examples of foods include milk and dairy foods, animal fats, fish oils, nuts and confectionary foods (refer to table 1). It is one of the three key macronutrients required by the body …show more content…
95% of the dietary fat consumed can be found in the form of triacylglycerol and primarily stored as this form within the adipose tissue (Webb, 2012). The structure of triacylglycerol comprise of three fatty acid molecules linked to a three carbon glycerol molecule (refer to figure 2). The biological and physical properties of a triacylglycerol can differ upon the types of fatty acids it comprises of (Mann & Truswell, …show more content…
Fat stored within adipose tissue provides a large reserve of energy accessible for variety of metabolic processes such as growth/development, insulating/protecting organs, to fuelling endurance exercise by the process of fatty acid oxidation (Jeukendrup & Gleeson, 2010; Smuts & Wolmarans, 2013).
Dietary fat are also a source of key essential fatty acids (EFA); from the PUFA family these include Linoleic acid (omega 6) and α-Linolenic acid (omega 3) (Smuts & Wolmarans, 2013). Due to the body’s inability to synthesis these fatty acids it is essential they are consumed through the diet. These EFA are particular important in maintaining the structure of the cell membrane, but also produce Eicosanoids a group of regulatory molecules that influence/regulate physiological functions such as constriction/dilation of blood vessels & inflammatory response (Mann & Truswell, 2012; Smuts & Wolmarans, 2013). Deficiency of EFA can result in the following symptoms: scaly, dry, bleeding skin, excessive thirst and impaired liver function due to lipid build up within the liver (Mann & Truswell,
Dietary Fats
Dietary fats can be found across all segments of the Eatwell plate as key examples of foods include milk and dairy foods, animal fats, fish oils, nuts and confectionary foods (refer to table 1). It is one of the three key macronutrients required by the body …show more content…
95% of the dietary fat consumed can be found in the form of triacylglycerol and primarily stored as this form within the adipose tissue (Webb, 2012). The structure of triacylglycerol comprise of three fatty acid molecules linked to a three carbon glycerol molecule (refer to figure 2). The biological and physical properties of a triacylglycerol can differ upon the types of fatty acids it comprises of (Mann & Truswell, …show more content…
Fat stored within adipose tissue provides a large reserve of energy accessible for variety of metabolic processes such as growth/development, insulating/protecting organs, to fuelling endurance exercise by the process of fatty acid oxidation (Jeukendrup & Gleeson, 2010; Smuts & Wolmarans, 2013).
Dietary fat are also a source of key essential fatty acids (EFA); from the PUFA family these include Linoleic acid (omega 6) and α-Linolenic acid (omega 3) (Smuts & Wolmarans, 2013). Due to the body’s inability to synthesis these fatty acids it is essential they are consumed through the diet. These EFA are particular important in maintaining the structure of the cell membrane, but also produce Eicosanoids a group of regulatory molecules that influence/regulate physiological functions such as constriction/dilation of blood vessels & inflammatory response (Mann & Truswell, 2012; Smuts & Wolmarans, 2013). Deficiency of EFA can result in the following symptoms: scaly, dry, bleeding skin, excessive thirst and impaired liver function due to lipid build up within the liver (Mann & Truswell,