COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF FATTY ACID COMPOSITION IN WALNUT, TIGERNUT, AND CASHEW NUT: NUTRITIONAL AND BIOMEDICAL IMPLICATIONS

INTRODUCTION 1.1 LIPIDS Lipids are a diverse group of organic compounds including fats, oils, hormones, and certain components of membranes that are grouped together because they do not interact appreciably with water (Thomas, 2025). Lipids are a broad group of naturally occurring organic compounds that are insoluble in water but soluble in non polar organic solvents such as chloroform, ether, or benzene. This solubility property arises because lipids are largely non polar or amphipathic molecules (having both hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts). Lipids are chemical compounds (elements that make a chemical bond) in the body that help with some of its functions.Lipids play several vital biological and cellular roles. They serve as a dense source of energy, storing more than twice the energy per gram compared to carbohydrates and proteins. Structurally, lipids such as phospholipids and cholesterol form the fundamental components of cell membranes, helping to maintain their integrity, fluidity, and compartmentalization. They also act as signaling molecules, functioning as hormones, second messengers, and regulators of diverse physiological processes. In addition, lipids provide insulation against heat loss, cushioning and protection for organs, and they facilitate the absorption, transport, and storage of fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K. They are fatty, waxy, or oily compounds the body produces that don’t dissolve in water (Cleveland, 2022) but serves as the building blocks of all living cells (El-Naggar, 2016). Three main types of lipids, namely; phospholipids, triglycerides, and sterols like cholesterol, are essential to help regulate hormones, transmit nerve impulses, and store energy as fat. Yet excess amounts can lead to health risks like high blood pressure, heart attack, or stroke (Annevelink et al., 2023). These chemical features are present in a broad range of molecules such as fatty acids, phospholipids, sterols, sphingolipids, terpenes and others (Guo et al., 2021). In view of the fact that lipids comprise