Lexicon
Saturated & unsaturated fats
The building blocks of fats , their structure sets properties and heat behaviour.
Definition
The difference in structure
Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds, are usually solid and very heat-stable (e.g. in coconut oil, butter). Unsaturated ones have one (mono) or several (poly) double bonds and are usually liquid.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6 are especially valuable but heat-sensitive.
In brief
- Saturated: heat-stable, solid, plentiful in coconut oil and animal fats.
- Monounsaturated: e.g. oleic acid in olive oil, fairly stable.
- Polyunsaturated: omega-3 and omega-6, valuable but sensitive , use cold.
Related terms: Omega fatty acids, Trans fatty acids.
Source
- Fatty acid , Wikipedia