Fatty Acids: How To Use Them For Your Benefit

Fatty acids are widespread in nature and throughout the whole human organism. A fatty acid is a subunit of fats, oils, and waxes.

Fatty acids are macronutrients. They classify into two major groups; saturated and unsaturated.

Importance Of Fatty Acids

Fatty acids are vital components of the human body, having biological, structural, and functional roles.

Fatty acids are both important dietary sources of fuel and important structural components for cells.

They are also precursors of essential substances in our body. It helps you absorb some vitamins and minerals.

Fatty acids are also essential for blood clotting, muscle movement, and inflammation.

For long-term health, some fats are better than others. Good fats include polyunsaturated fats. Bad ones include industrial-made trans fats. Saturated and monounsaturated fats comes somewhere in the middle.

Classification Of Fatty Acids

Fatty acids are classified in many ways: by length, by saturation vs. unsaturation, by even vs. odd carbon content, and by linear vs. branching.

The human body can synthesize many of these fatty acids.

But some fatty acids are classified as essential to us. Essential fatty acids ◳ are called as such because we must get them from the diet as we cannot produce them on our own.

Fatty Acids Are Not Only Found In Foods

Fatty acids have a wide range of commercial uses, for example, in products like soaps, detergents, and cosmetics.

Some skin-care products contain fatty acids, which can help maintain healthy skin appearance and function.

Our Fatty Acid Categories

Saturated Fatty Acids

Saturated fatty acids contain no double bond.

The largest dietary source is food from animal sources, such as full-fat dairy products, red meat, and poultry.

You can find more information about saturated fatty acid, its benefits and side-effects, and the research behind them, in Saturated Fatty Acids: How To Use Them For Your Benefit.

Unsaturated Fatty Acids

Unsaturated fatty acids are more abundant in nature than saturated fatty acids.

Unsaturated fatty acids are divided into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

You can find more information about unsaturated fatty acid, its benefits and side-effects, and the research behind them, in Unsaturated Fatty Acids: How To Use Them For Your Benefit.

More Information About Fat

Fats are also known as lipids. They are organic compounds that are insoluble in water. You can read more about it in What Are Lipids? What Foods Can i Find It In?

Fats are listed on the food nutrition label for your benefit. It makes it easier to choose what food products you want to buy. Find out more about this in What Are Total Fats According To NLEA?

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