What is the Difference Between Saturated & Unsaturated Fat?
What’s the Difference Between Saturated & Unsaturated Fat?
Unsaturated fats differ from saturated fats in that the saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature, where as, unsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature. We usually call these substances oils. It is the nature of the constituent fatty acids from which the fatty acid is composed that gives the oil its liquid property.
So What’s so Bad About Unsaturated Fats?
The unsaturated fatty acids in oils are simply not as orderly or as docile as their saturated counter parts. They are referred to as unsaturated fatty acids because their long carbon chains have not taken up all the hydrogen atoms that they have room to incorporate. Along the carbon chain of an unsaturated fatty acid is at least one spot where there are a couple of potential hydrogen atoms missing. The carbon chain is therefore considered to be ‘not saturated’ (with hydrogen atoms). Where the two missing hydrogen atoms might have been, a carbon double bond exists instead.
In effect, the two neighboring carbon atoms, who are sharing the ‘double bond’, are in a relatively nervous state, compared to their hydrogen saturated (and therefore satisfied) neighbors. The carbon atoms that share this double bond are more excitable. They cause the carbon chain to curl up somewhat at their position. A double bond in a carbon chain, actually puts a crimp the chain and it does this so much so that the carbon chain doubles that back upon itself in a horseshoe shape.( Murray et al, 1996).
For this reason unsaturated fats do not pack together as easily as their saturated counter parts are able to do. This disorderliness in the arrangement of the neighboring molecules of oil causes the substance to remain liquid lower temperatures than fats composed of straighter carbon chains would tend to do.
What’s an Essential Fatty Acid?
Essential fatty acids carry the double bonded carbons very close to end of the fatty acid carbon chain. These double bonded carbons are located on the opposite end of the molecule from the eclectically charged, water loving acidic head of the fatty acid. For instance, omega 3 fatty acids carry their double bonded carbon atoms at the third position from the very end of the carbon chain. Omega 6 fatty acids carry the double bond carbon atoms six positions from the end of the carbon chain.
Flax seed oil, and fish oils are very rich in omega 3 fatty acids. Both the omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids remain liquid at very low temperatures. It is therefor predictable that the fish which live in cold northern waters have flesh which is very high in the omega 3 fatty acids. This oil keeps the fish lively, fluid and flexible at near freezing temperatures. It is because of the very high omega 3 content in these fish oils that they have received such interest of late. Both flax seed oil and fish oil is used as nutritive healing agent for a large variety of ailments.
References
Murray, T. N.D. and Jade Beutler, R.R.T., R.C.P., …(1996). “Understanding the Terminology”, Understanding Fats & Oils, Page 13. 1996, Progressive Health Publishing, Encinitas, CA.
This post is part of the series: Good Fats and Bad Fats
Fats are among the least understood of the nutritive elements. Certain fats contain essential fatty acids but the Western diet fails to provided adequate and balanced amounts of these. Bad fats are all too prevalent in the Western diet and these fats yield damaging effects upon health.
