What Are Lipids?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
2. Oils
All lipids share certain characteristics, such as not being soluble in water. They are soluble in non-polar solvents, however, one example of which is chloroform. Despite this, lipids can still be broken down into 3 main categories: Oils, fats, and waxes.
Oils are lipids that are liquid at room temperature. This includes some cooking oils like sunflower oil or vegetable oil, and olive oil, as well as fish oil, and oils extracted from some nuts. These are often found in the kitchen for use in frying and even as a dressing in salads. Some other types of oils are found in industry as they make excellent lubricators.
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