The Fats of Life : : Essential Fatty Acids in Health and Disease / / Glen D. Lawrence.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter Rutgers University Press Backlist eBook-Package 2000-2013
• VerfasserIn: Lawrence, Glen D.,
• Place / Publishing House: New Brunswick, NJ : : Rutgers University Press, , [2010]; ©2010
• Year of Publication: 2010
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (296 p.) :; 60 illustrations

Omega-3s, trans-fats, polyunsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acidùresearch facts about fatty acids and their relationship to heart disease and atherosclerosis, obesity, cancer, and neurological disorders abound. Chemical names appear on every nutrition label. But, just what do these terms mean in health and disease? The Fats of Life delineates the importance of essential fatty acids, with a focus on distinctions between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid variants. The chemical and biochemical characteristics of these fatty acids and their metabolism to a vast array of potent bioactive messengers are described in the context of their potential effects on general health and impact on various diseases and neurological disorders. Glen D. Lawrence addresses in detail the capacity for polyunsaturated fatty acids to influence asthma, atherosclerosis, heart disease, inflammation, cancer, and immunity. Lawrence makes clear that our understanding of the biochemical and physiological effects of dietary fats has advanced tremendously as a result of careful research, but he also stresses that this knowledge has not easily translated into sound dietary recommendations.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- CONTENTS -- FIGURES -- TABLES -- PREFACE -- ABBREVIATIONS -- PART ONE. Nutritional, Chemical, and Physiological Properties of Dietary Fats -- PART TWO. Dietary Fats in Health and Disease -- PART THREE. Influence of Diet on Overall Health -- APPENDIX A. FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMICAL BONDING AND POLARITY -- APPENDIX B. FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF DIETARY FATS AND OILS -- APPENDIX C. CHEMICAL STRUCTURES OF EICOSANOIDS -- APPENDIX D. HUMAN LIPOPROTEINS: THEIR COMPONENTS, PROPERTIES, AND ASSOCIATED PROTEINS -- APPENDIX E. OVERVIEW OF NEURONAL PROCESSES -- GLOSSARY -- REFERENCES -- INDEX -- ABOUT THE AUTHOR