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Healthy fats and exclusion-zone size
Abha Sharma1, Gerald H Pollack1
1Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, WA, United States.
Food Chemistry
|February 18, 2020
Summary
Fats like ghee and coconut oil can create exclusion-zone (EZ) water, a fourth phase of water vital for cellular function. This discovery may explain the health benefits of dietary fats.
Area of Science:
- Physical Chemistry
- Cell Biology
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- Exclusion-zone (EZ) water, a distinct phase of water, forms near hydrophilic surfaces and is crucial for cellular processes.
- Dietary fats, once lauded for health, have faced scrutiny, yet their precise role in cellular hydration and function remains under investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the capacity of various dietary fats to generate exclusion-zone (EZ) water.
- To explore the potential link between EZ water formation by fats and their health-promoting properties.
Main Methods:
- Utilized microsphere exclusion and UV-VIS absorbance spectroscopy to quantify EZ water formation.
- Tested ghee, coconut oil, lard, organic clarified butter, and Brain Octane® oil for EZ water generation.
Main Results:
- Significant EZ water formation was observed adjacent to ghee, coconut oil, lard, organic clarified butter, and Brain Octane® oil.
- Cold ghee surfaces demonstrated particularly extensive EZ water formation.
- EZ growth was confirmed through microsphere exclusion and spectroscopic analysis.
Conclusions:
- Dietary fats possess the ability to generate exclusion-zone water.
- EZ water formation by fats may play a critical role in cellular hydration.
- This finding offers a potential mechanistic explanation for the health benefits associated with consuming certain fats.
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