273 Virgin Olive Oil Benefits · phosphatidylcholine A phospholipid that is one of the main constituents of lipid bilayers in cell membranes. It is also found in egg yolk and, together with bile salts, helps to solubilise bile acids in bile. It is the most significant component of lecithin. (see also “Choline”) · lecithin Lecithin is mainly composed of phosphatidylcholine. For this reason, the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, although lecithin extracts also contain other compounds. ………………………………………………………………………………………… - low density lipids Lipids produced in the liver and released into the bloodstream to be delivered to different tissues throughout the body. When present in excess, they are associated with cardiovascular disease. A well-known example is “bad” cholesterol, which refers to cholesterol carried by low-density lipoproteins (LDL - “Low-Density Lipoproteins”-). ………………………………………………………………………………………… - saponifiable; unsaponifiable The structural heterogeneity of lipids makes their systematic classification difficult, although their chemical behaviour is well established. The lipid component of a biological sample can be extracted using organic solvents (methanol, ethanol, acetone, chloroform, etc.) and then subjected to basic hydrolysis or saponification. Saponification is a chemical process in which esters of fatty origin, those found in lipids containing fatty acids (glycerides, phospholipids, and cholesterol esters) are transformed by sodium hydroxide -NaOH- (commonly known as caustic soda) into glycerol (or glycerin) and a carboxylic acid (see carboxylation). The latter, in the form of sodium carboxylate, forms micelles (or soaps). The typical method for saponification involves boiling fats while vigorously stirring in sodium hydroxide until a pasty material is obtained. fats + sodium hydroxide à soap + glycerol Fats that undergo this reaction are classified as saponifiable, while those that do not are considered unsaponifiable. · saponifiable This category includes lipids that contain at least one fatty acid (saturated or unsaturated) linked to glycerol through ester bonds, forming glycerides (monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides), phospholipids, or cholesterol esters. The presence of at least one fatty acid molecule allows them to form micelles or soaps during the saponification process. This fraction represents more than 98% by weight of olive oil. · unsaponifiable This category includes lipids that do not contain fatty acids in their structure and lack ester functional groups; as a result, they do not undergo saponification when treated with sodium hydroxide. Compounds in this unsaponifiable fraction include cholesterol, steroid hormones, eicosanoids (prostaglandins, thromboxanes, leukotrienes), vitamins A, D, E and K, and carotenoids. This fraction accounts for approximately 2% by weight of virgin olive oils, but includes a wide variety of minor compounds with notable nutritional and organoleptic properties.
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