Why Does It Important To Be Saturated Fats?

Saturated fats are fatty acids with a single bond. They are called saturated because the second bond is broken up and each half of the bond is attached to a hydrogen atom. When the spaces surrounding each carbon atom is occupied with hydrogen atoms, this means the fatty acid is saturated. Because the tight chemical bonding of the atom, saturated fatty acids are solid and very stable. They also have a very high melting point. The body converts carbohydrates into some of its saturated fatty acids. Although there is no scientific evidence, saturated fats increase blood cholesterol, risk of cardiovascular disease, and type two diabetes. Saturated fats should not be more than 10% of a person's total calorie intake for a healthy diet. Saturated

The differences of the bonds can be seen in the picture to the right. If an unsaturated fat has just one double bond, then it is monounsaturated, but if it has more than one double bond, it is polyunsaturated. When double bonds are formed, the hydrogen atoms are eliminated. If fatty acid is unsaturated, it becomes more vulnerable to lipid peroxidation or rancidity. Lipid peroxidation is when free radicals "steal" electrons from the lipids in cell membranes, which damages the cell. Antioxidants however, help protect unsaturated fats from the damage of lipid peroxidation. Because the fatty acids don’t want to be damaged by lipid peroxidation, unsaturated fats are high in antioxidants. Unsaturated fats help increase good cholesterol. Unsaturated fats are found in many oils such as, soybean oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, and fish oils. They are also found in avocados, walnuts, and flax seeds, all of which spoil quickly unlike saturated

These fats can reduce bad cholesterol levels which lowers chances of heart disease and stroke. These fatty acids also provide nutrients that develop and maintain cells in the body. Oils that have lots of polyunsaturated fats contribute to diets Vitamin E. These fats also provide important fats that the body needs, but can’t produce itself. The American Heart Association recommends eating tofu and other forms of soybeans, canola, walnut and flaxseed because they contain alpha-linolenic acid. Alpha-linolenic acid is an omega-3 fatty acid. The body needs omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, and it gets them from polyunsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats are also loosely packed, so at room temperature most of them are in liquid form. Unlike monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats are highly unstable when exposed to heat and light. Because of this the oils should be packaged in dark glass and stored where they are not exposed to heat. Also because they are unstable, they are more susceptible to the formation of free radicals that are highly reactive molecules. These molecules can cause inflammation and tissue damage. Polyunsaturated fats can be found in soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, fatty fish, nuts,and