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Saturated fatty acids have perfectly straight chain structure. Unsaturated ones are typically bent, unless they have a trans configuration. In chemistry , particularly in biochemistry , a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with an aliphatic chain, which is either saturated or unsaturated .
Trans fat, also called trans-unsaturated fatty acids, or trans fatty acids, is a type of unsaturated fat that occurs in foods. Small amounts of trans fats occur naturally, but large amounts are found in some processed foods.
The level of trans fat may also be altered by modification of the temperature and the length of time during hydrogenation. One can mix oils (such as olive, soybean, and canola), water, monoglycerides, and fatty acids to form a "cooking fat" that acts the same way as trans and saturated fats. [214] [215]
A saturated fat is a type of fat in which the fatty acid chains have all single bonds between the carbon atoms. A fat known as a glyceride is made of two kinds of smaller molecules: a short glycerol backbone and fatty acids that each contain a long linear or branched chain of carbon (C) atoms.
A young adult human's fat stores average between about 15–20 kg (33–44 lb), but varies greatly depending on age, sex, and individual disposition. [10] In contrast, the human body stores only about 400 g (0.9 lb) of glycogen , of which 300 g (0.7 lb) is locked inside the skeletal muscles and is unavailable to the body as a whole.
Common Name Systematic Name Structural Formula Lipid Numbers Propionic acid: Propanoic acid CH 3 CH 2 COOH : C3:0 Butyric acid: Butanoic acid CH 3 (CH 2) 2 COOH : C4:0 Valeric acid
Saturated and some trans fats are typically solid at room temperature (such as butter or lard), while unsaturated fats are typically liquids (such as olive oil or flaxseed oil). Trans fats are very rare in nature, and have been shown to be highly detrimental to human health, but have properties useful in the food processing industry, such as ...
The consumption of trans fatty acids such as trans elaidic acid has been linked to cardiovascular disease. [19] By 2005, margarine consumption had fallen below butter consumption due to the risks associated with trans fat intake. [17] Vegetable consumption is low among Americans, with only 13% of the population consuming the recommended amounts.