Energy Value of Milk Fat

The energy value of a fatty acid is dependent on the ratio of its carbon atom content to its oxygen atom content. Stearic acid (Ci8 o) has a high 

Up to one-third of the fatty acids in milk fat have a chain-length of 14 carbons or less. Because these acids are oxidized rapidly in the liver, have a lower energy value and are oxidized more readily than long-chain fatty acids, it follows that milk fat should contribute less to overweight than an equivalent amount of other dietary fats (Parodi, 2004). A study by Schnee-man et al, (2003) showed that milk fat is a more potent stimulator of cholecystokinin than a blend of non-milk fat with a similar ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids. Cholecystokinin is a satiety hormone released into the blood stream by the intestine during feeding and acts to suppress further eating. 

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