Tag: Cis and trans fats

The common observation that many plant-based oils, rich in unsaturated fats, are liquid at room temperature while animal-based fats are solid is a direct consequence of their molecular structure. The answer to whether unsaturated fats have a kink in their structure is fundamentally linked to this physical property.

According to the American Heart Association, replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats can help lower blood cholesterol, a major cause of heart disease. This benefit stems directly from the distinct molecular geometry that defines what is the structure of an unsaturated fatty acid.