Question

How do lipids relate to the food pyramid?

Answer 1

Hint: Food pyramid consists of many types of food and the ratio of each type of food that we need to inculcate in our daily life. This food pyramid contains up to five groups which are- Fruits and vegetables, starchy food, dairy products, protein rich food and fats. To attain a balanced diet, the right amount of each food is necessary to adapt in our daily life.

Complete answer:
-Lipids are also known as “Triglycerides”. These molecules contain three or triple hydroxyl alcohol molecules (known as Glycerol) which are connected to three fatty acid chains (carboxylic acid chains). The reaction that takes place is called “Triple Condensation Reaction” and water is a by- product of the reaction.
-The fatty acid chains of this molecule contain many C-H bonds. These C-H bonds make it possible for lipids to accommodate a large amount of chemical energy which converts into energy during the respiration of cells.
-But breakdown of this molecule takes a lot of time and it is hard to break this molecule in comparison to carbohydrates as carbohydrates provide energy instantly.
-Lipids get stored in our body membranes and are not used until not enough carbohydrate is available for the body to extract energy.
-But if enough carbohydrate is available to the body, then the lipids or fats taken in our diet are stored inside our body membranes and they contribute to the fat layer that deposits on our body.
-This fat deposition is the main reason leading to “Obesity”. Obesity further makes a person prone to many other diseases like heart stroke, high cholesterol, blood clotting, etc.
-Hence, the presence of fat is at the topmost part and is the smallest part on the food pyramid, indicating the smallest intake of fats and lipids in our daily diet so as to prevent obesity.

Note: The food pyramid consists of five different levels. The base consists of fruits and vegetables which we should take three to five times a day.
-The second level consists of Starchy food like bread, potato, pasta, rice, etc with two to four servings each day.
-Third level consists of dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt with two to three servings each day.
-Fourth level consists of a protein rich diet like fish, egg, poultry, etc with two servings each per day and at topmost comes fats and lipids like oil, butter, vanaspati ghee, etc. with the least amount of intake.