Download Fats Webquest - Hoblitzell`s Science Spot

Fats Webquest
Science of Nutrition II
We need fats in our diet. They help to build our cell membranes. However, excess fats can be bad for our health. They cause
adipose fat tissue to form, they are converted by our liver into glucose and can cause elevated blood sugar, also they have
affects on cholesterol. In this Webquest you will learn about the connection between different types of fats in our diet and the
role of cholesterol in our body.
Website: google or go to Harvard School of Public Health’s Fats website:
www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats.html
Read “Fats and Cholesterol: Out with the bad in with the Good” and answer the following questions.
1.
Give three things (from the intro) that fats are necessary for?
2.
What do HDL and LDL stand for?
3.
What does HDL do to cholesterol in the blood? Is HDL “good” or “bad”? why?
4.
What does LDL do to cholesterol? Is LDL “good” or “bad”? Why?
4. Types of Fats in our diet and their effects on cholesterol—fill in the table below!
Type of Fat
Structure (single or State at Room
Effect on HDL
double bonds>)
Temperature
(Good
Cholesterol)
Unsaturated
Effect LDL
(Bad Cholesterol
Examples of
Common
Foods
Saturated
Trans
(You may need to google a picture to look at the structure of each type of fat!)
5.
Based on their structure, why are unsaturated fats liquid and saturated fats solid?
6.
From your reading and the table you filled out, why are unsaturated fats better than saturated fats?
7.
Margarine was made in the 1980’s to be a “solid, unsaturated fat AKA trans fat.”
a. What process did they use to make it solid?
b.
Cis means “same” and trans means “across”. Looking at an unsaturated fat and a trans fat, explain what cis
and trans are referring to.
c.
8.
What other sources of trans fats are there?
Youtube: Vytorin commericial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBfWybm0218
Cholesterol—Cholesterol is another type of fat. High cholesterol is associated with heart disease and stroke. What
are two things that affect the amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream? (from the commercial and your reading)
What is “Vytorin” designed to do?
What are some of the side effects of Vytorin?
Crestor & Lipitor are other types of cholesterol lowering medications or “statins.” Do you know anyone taking
these? How else could you lower your cholesterol?
9.
What are three diseases other than heart disease that a high fat diet plays a role in?
10. In 2010, Needham effectively banned trans fats in its restaurants. They have already been banned in the Town of
Brookline, the City of New York, and the State of California.
a. From the fats website, name three diseases that may be affected by fats.
b.
Why do you think cities and states are banning trans fats?
c. Imagine you were a voting member of Town Meeting. How would you have voted on the banning of trans
fats? Explain your reasoning.
11. Some diets suggest removing all fats from your diet. This is contrary to current thinking. If you were a dietician,
what recommendation would you give your patient regarding fats?