Unsaturated Fats:
characteristics include:
-
at least one carbon-carbon double bond
-
liquid at room temperature
-
kinks created which prevents packing
-
contain cis double bonds
-
monounsturated chain contains only one double bond eg. oleic acid
-
polyunsaturated fats contain more than one double bond eg. linoleic acid
-
sources are plants and fish fats
Saturated Fats:
characteristics include:
-
no carbon-carbon double bond
-
solid at room temperature
-
no kinks created so there is tightly packing
-
long, straight chains
-
eg. stearic acid and palmitic acid
-
sources are from animal fats
Trans Fats:
It seemed like such a good thing once since it enhances the flavor, texture and shelf life of many processed foods. However, it comes with a health risk. Trans fatty foods tantalize a persons taste buds then travel through your digestive system to your arteries where they turn to sludge.
Small amounts of trans fats occur naturally in beef, lamb and full-fat dairy products. Most come from processing liquid vegetable oil to become a solid fat through a process called hydrogenation.
References:
http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/1902-the-truth-about-trans-fats.html
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/f-w98/primer.html
http://telstar.ote.cmu.edu/biology/MembranePage/index2.html
http://www.raw-milk-facts.com/fatty_acids_T3.html
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=866412&show=html
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