Molecules containing chains of carbon atoms with variable numbers of hydrogen atoms linked to each carbon atom Each fatty acid has an acid structure (termed a carboxyl) at one end of the carbon chain comprising one carbon, two oxygen and one hydrogen atom
Most common form of lipids found in all cells Come in saturated (reduced) and unsaturated (oxidized) form and are a component of phospholipids and fats
the body's desired source of energy during steady state aerobic activity, and low level activity; used for ATP production in muscle tissue during recovery glycogen replenishment
are required by the body for proper nutrition Fatty acids are transformed by the intestines into useful nutrients
The principal part of many vegetable and animal oils and greases, also known as carboxylic acids which embrace a wider definition These are common contaminants that solvents are used to remove They are also used to activate fluxes
long straight chains of carbon and hydrogen ending with an acid group at one end Saturated fatty acids have no capacity to absorb more hydrogen atoms Animal fats are mostly of this type and are considered less healthy as they end to accumulate in the linings of arteries
organic carbon compound occurring naturally in animal and vegetable fats and oils
A basic unit of fats When insulin levels are too low or there is not enough glucose (sugar) to use for energy, the body burns fatty acids for energy The body then makes ketone bodies, waste products that cause the acid level in the blood to become too high This in turn may lead to ketoacidosis, a serious problem See also: Diabetic ketoacidosis
nutritional substances found in nature, which include cholesterol, triglycerides, prostaglandins, and other fatty based acids
A chemical unit occurring naturally, either singly or combined, and consisting of strongly linked carbon and hydrogen atoms in a chain like structure At the end of the chain is a reactive acid group composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
A natural organic compound found in animal and vegetable fats, which are made up of various combinations of fatty acids (in sets of three) connected to a glycerol molecule, making them triglycerides Each molecule a fatty acid consists of a carboxyl group (oxygen, carbon and hydrogen) attached to a chain of carbon atoms with their associated hydrogen atoms The chain of carbon atoms may be connected with single bonds of hydrogen between them, making a 'saturated' fat; or it may be connected with double bonds, making an 'unsaturated' fat The number of carbon and hydrogen atoms in the chain is what determines the qualities of that particular fatty acid For more information on how this pertains to soap-making, see The Chemistry of Soap
Substances that occur in several forms in foods; different fatty acids have different effects on lipid profiles
Any of a class of aliphatic carboxylic acids, of general formula CnH2n+1COOH, that occur combined with glycerol as animal or vegetable oils and fats. Only those with an even number of carbon atoms are normally found in natural fats
Note: The above general formula applies to the saturated fatty acids. Remove 2 hydrogen atoms for an unsaturated fatty acid, and 2 hydrogen atoms for every double bond in a polyunsaturated fatty acid.
In chemistry, especially biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid often with a long unbranched aliphatic tail (chain), which is either saturated or unsaturated. Carboxylic acids as short as butyric acid (4 carbon atoms) are considered to be fatty acids, whereas fatty acids derived from natural fats and oils may be assumed to have at least 8 carbon atoms, e.g., caprylic acid (octanoic acid)
A class of compounds that contain a long chain composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms In general, fatty acids refer to any compound derived from the breakdown of fats
Any of a large group of monobasic acids, especially those found in animal and vegetable fats and oils, having the general formula CCOOH. Characteristically made up of saturated or unsaturated aliphatic compounds with an even number of carbon atoms, this group of acids includes palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids. an acid that the cells in your body need to use food effectively. Organic compound that is an important component of lipids in plants, animals, and microorganisms. Fatty acids are carboxylic acids with a long hydrocarbon chain, usually straight, as the fourth substituent group on the carboxyl (COOH) group (see functional group) that makes the molecule an acid. If the carbon-to-carbon bonds (see bonding) in that chain are all single, the fatty acid is saturated; artificial saturation is called hydrogenation. A fatty acid with one double bond is monounsaturated; one with more is polyunsaturated. These are more reactive chemically. Most unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, so food manufacturers hydrogenate them to make them solid (see margarine). A high level of saturated fatty acids in the diet raises blood cholesterol levels. A few fatty acids have branched chains. Others (e.g., prostaglandins) contain ring structures. Fatty acids in nature are always combined, usually with glycerol as triglycerides in fats. Oleic acid (unsaturated, with 18 carbon atoms) is almost half of human fat and is abundant in such oils as olive, palm, and peanut. Most animals, including mammals, cannot synthesize some unsaturated "essential" fatty acids; humans need linoleic, linolenic, and arachidonic acids in their diet
any monobasic (one displaceable hydrogen atom per molecule) organic acid having the general formula CnH2n+1 COOH Fatty acids derived from natural fats and oils are used to make soaps used in the manufacture of greases and other lubricants See grease
An organic acid that is either manufactured by the body or must be supplied by the diet Examples of fatty acids include linoleic, linolenic, and arachidonic acid
A long, unbranched-chain carboxylic acid, most commonly of 12 to 20 carbons, derived from the hydrolysis of animal fats, vegetable oils, or the phospholipids of biological membranes
Any of the series of saturated or unsaturated acids (C n H 2n O 2 ) such as stearic, oleic, and palmitic acids which occur in natural fats and natural oils
any of a class of aliphatic monocarboxylic acids that form part of a lipid molecule and can be derived from fat by hydrolysis; fatty acids are simple molecules built around a series of carbon atoms linked together in a chain of 12 to 22 carbon atoms
A chemical unit that occurs naturally, either singly or combined, and consists of strongly linked carbon and hydrogen atoms in a chain-like structure The end of the chain contains a reactive acid group made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen This acid group permits reaction with glycerol to make the fatty acid a fundamental unit of the triglyceride fat molecule A natural fat is a mixture of triglyceride fat molecules Fatty acids found in soybeans include palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic