Chapter 23.4, Problem 25R

To determine

To Explain: The reason for choosing 2 percent fat-milk over whole milk, containing about 4 percent butterfat.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction: Saturated fats is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.

Fats are esters of fatty acids with glycerol.

A fat molecule contains three molecules of fatty acids and one molecule of glycerol.

Saturated fats, a component of milk, contains fatty acid chains without any double bond.

Saturated fats poses as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, dyslipidemia, and various types of cancer. World Health Organization (WHO) recommends to reduce the intake of saturated fats.

Thus, milk containing two percent fat is better for health than four percent butterfat milk, as it contains lesser percent of saturated fat.

Conclusion: Milk containing two percent fat is preferred over four percent butterfat milk, as it contains lesser percent of saturated fat, thereby reducing the risk from cardiovascular diseases.