MAIN FOOD SOURCES OF FAT: WHAT DO FATTY ACIDS LOOK LIKE?

Posted on Friday, May 8th, 2009 at 12:10 pm

A fatty acid molecule consists of a chain of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms attached. The end of the molecule with three hydrogens (H) attached to the carbon (C) atom is called the methyl end. The other end is known as the carboxyl end. The chain has an even number of carbon atoms which stretches from four to 24 carbon atoms. If there are less than 8 carbons in the chain, the fatty acid is called a short chain fatty acid. Medium chain fatty adds have 8-10 carbons. If there are 12, 14, 16 or 18 carbons, it is called a long chain fat and these encompass most of the fatty acids in the human diet These are commonly found in chocolate, meat and processed fats. Fatty acids with more than 20 carbons are very long chain fatty acids. They’re found in breast milk, seafoods and some seeds and vegetables. Some medium chain fatty acids can be changed within the body to longer chain fatty acids.

There are saturated and unsaturated fats, cis and trans fatty acids, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

*90\186\4*