| Term | Definition |
| adipose tissue | Tissue in which the body stores lipids |
| atherosclerosis | Hardened and narrowed arteries caused by plaque deposits |
| blood lipid profile | A medical test that measures the amounts of cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, and LDL in the blood |
| cancer | A disease in which abnormal cells grow out of control |
| cholesterol | A white, waxy lipid made by the body that is part of every cell. Cholesterol is also found in foods of animal origin |
| chylomicron | A ball of triglycerides thinly coated with cholesterol, phospholipids, and proteins formed to carry absorbed dietary fat to body cells |
| coronary heart disease (CHD) | Disease of the heart and blood vessels. Atherosclerosis and hypertension are the two most common forms of CHD |
| emulsifier | A substance, such as a phospholipid, that can mix with water and fat |
| essential fatty acid | A fatty acid needed by the body for normal growth and development that cannot be made by the body and, therefore, must be supplied by the diet |
| fat replacer | An ingredient used in food products to replace some or all of the fat typically found in those products. |
| fatty acid | An organic compound made up of a chain of carbon atoms to which hydrogen atoms are attached and having an acid group at one end. |
| heart attack | The death of heart tissue caused by blockage of an artery carrying nutrients and oxygen to that tissue |
| high-density lipoprotein (HDL) | A lipoprotein that picks up cholesterol from around the body and transfers it to other lipoproteins for transport back to the liver for removal from the body |
| hydrogenation | The process of breaking the double carbon bonds in unsaturated fatty acids and adding hydrogen to make the fatty acid more saturated. |
| hypertension | Abnormally high blood pressure; an excess force on the walls of the arteries as blood is pumped from the heart |
| lecithin | A phospholipid made by the liver and found in many foods |
| lipid | A group of compounds that includes triglycerides (fats and oils), phospholipids (lecithin), and sterols (cholesterol) |
| lipoprotein | Fat droplets coated by proteins so they can be transported in the bloodstream |
| low-density lipoprotein (LDL) | A lipoprotein that carries cholesterol made by the liver through the bloodstream to body cells |
| monounsaturated fatty acid | A fatty acid that has only one double bond between carbon atoms in a carbon atom chain |
| omega-3 fatty acids | A certain type of polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish oils and shown to have a positive effect on heart health |
| phospholipids | A class of lipids that have a phosphorus-containing compound in their chemical structures, which allows them to combine with both fat and water to form emulsions |
| plaque | A buildup of fatty compounds made up largely of cholesterol that form on the inside walls of arteries |
| polyunsaturated fatty acid | A fatty acid that has two or more double bonds between carbon atoms in a carbon atom chain |
| rancid | Describes a fat in which the fatty acid molecules have combined with oxygen, causing them to break down, which makes the fat spoil and gives it an unpleasant smell and taste |
| saturated fatty acid | A fatty acid that has no double bonds in its chemical structure and, therefore, carries a full load of hydrogen atoms. |
| sterols | A class of lipids that have a complex molecular structure, including some hormones, vitamin D, and cholesterol |
| stroke | The death of brain tissue caused by blockage of an artery carrying nutrients and oxygen to that tissue |
| trans fatty acid | An unsaturated fatty acid that has had hydrogen added to convert it to a solid fat |
| triglycerides | The major type of fat found in foods and in the body. Triglycerides consist of three fatty acids attached to glycerol |
| unsaturated fatty acid | A fatty acid that has at least one double bond between two carbon atoms in a carbon atom chain and, therefore, is missing at least two hydrogen atoms |
| very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) | A lipoprotein that carries triglycerides and cholesterol made by the liver through the bloodstream to body cells |
