Tag: Cis vs trans fats

Fatty acids are fundamental building blocks of lipids, and nearly all naturally occurring ones have an even number of carbon atoms. There are several key methods of classifying fatty acids based on their structural characteristics, which in turn dictate their physical properties and biological functions.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, all fatty acids are chain-like chemical molecules made up of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen atoms. What makes one fatty acid different from another, however, are key variations in their molecular structure, which dramatically influences their physical properties, processing by the body, and overall health effects.

Despite a common misconception, unsaturated fats do not have higher melting points than their saturated counterparts; in fact, the opposite is true, which is why vegetable oils are typically liquid at room temperature. The fundamental reason lies in the unique, bent molecular shape of unsaturated fats compared to the straight chains of saturated fats, which directly impacts how they interact with one another.

Over half of the fatty acid residues in plant and animal lipids are unsaturated. Knowing how saturated and unsaturated fatty acids compare in terms of their structures is key to understanding why they have different physical properties and health effects. The fundamental difference lies in the presence or absence of double bonds within their hydrocarbon chains.