25 Examples of Fatty Acids - encyclopedia

Video: Fatty Acids - What Are Fatty Acids - Structure Of Fatty Acids - Types Of Fatty Acids

Content

Classification
Importance in diet
Risks in excess
Types of fatty acids

The fatty acids are biomolecules lipid constitution constituting the elemental component of the grease. They are made up of carbon chains that have a carboxyl group, with a usually even carbon number: generally from 16 to 22 atoms carbon.

This number of atoms contributes to the metabolism of eukaryotes, well fatty acid chains are synthesized and degraded by the addition or removal of acetate units.

Fatty acids are present in food, in general combined with another class of substances: free are rare, and are usually the product of lipolytic alteration. However, they are fundamental constituents of the vast majority of lipids.

Classification

When the bonds between the carbons are simple, always having the same distance between them, it is said that they are saturated fatty acids. The longer the chain, the greater the possibility of formation of these weak interactions, which at room temperature are usually in a solid state.

When the bonds, on the other hand, are double or triple in character and the distance between the carbons is not constant nor are the bond angles, the fatty acids are usually in a liquid state and it is said that it is in the presence of unsaturated fatty acids. A healthy diet must contain fatty acids of the saturated type as well as the unsaturated type.

Importance in diet

Fatty acids are of vital importance in human nutrition as they contain a series of basic elements for the proper functioning of the body, such as various vitamins.

The creation of enzymes and cell membranes, Even brain activity and cardiovascular health are highly favored when there is a regular consumption of this kind of food, which is further deepened in the case of children as fatty acids ensure proper growth and development.

Risks in excess

But nevertheless, fat consumption must be properly ordered With respect to the aforementioned classification, because when it is done in excess it has some intrinsic risks: lipid metabolism disorders, such as cholesterol, may occur; it can contribute to overweight and obesity, or it can promote the production of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and thrombosis.

Some Metabolic diseases how diabetes occurs from excess fat intake, which on many occasions appear in foods with a very rich taste and very attractive to consumers.

Usually the recommendation of medical associations is that the daily intake of energy from fat does not exceed 30% of the daily diet, and that these fat contain no more than 25% of saturated fatty acids.