Role of lipid structure and physical properties in digestive processes impacting nutrition

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Dietary lipids play important roles in health and disease. However, we are unable to adequately define the underlying relationships. Also, although lipids must be solubilized in the gastrointestinal tract before they can be absorbed, not enough is known about the biochemical and biophysical processes of lipid digestion. In particular, the role of lipid structure and physical properties in determining the metabolic effect of foods is rarely considered. This lack of understanding hampers our ability to design foods and natural health products that optimize lipid absorption. For example, it would be desirable to increase the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and nutraceuticals or to minimize the absorption of fatty acids that promote cardiovascular disease risk and obesity. The potential to tailor lipid digestion to trigger satiety mechanisms, i.e. a strategy to minimize food intake to help combat the burgeoning incidences of overweight and obesity, is also exciting.