What Are Lipids?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
4. Waxes
Waxes are another type of lipid that are commonly found in the natural world. At room temperature they are almost in between fats and oils because they are solid yet still remain malleable. They also have a very low melting point. Waxes are often produced by animals because waxes can be effective in providing protection in a number of ways.
One example of this is earwax in humans, which helps to protect the ear against debris and particles from getting into the ear where they might do harm. Waxes are not usually consumed by people because we are unable to digest them, but they should do us no harm if consumed in small quantities.
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