Saturated fatty acid

Saturated fatty acids are a type of fat that have no double bonds between the individual carbon atoms of the fatty acid chain. That is, the chain of carbon atoms is fully "saturated" with hydrogen atoms. There are many kinds of naturally occurring saturated fatty acids, which differ mainly in number of carbon atoms, from 3 carbons (propionic acid) to 36 (hexatriacontanoic acid).

Chemical structure

Saturated fatty acids have a chemical structure in which the carboxyl group (-COOH) is attached to a long hydrocarbon chain. The hydrocarbon chain consists of carbon (C) atoms bonded to each other and to hydrogen (H) atoms. Because there are no double bonds, saturated fatty acids are fully saturated with hydrogen atoms.

Dietary sources

Saturated fats are found in many foods, both sweet and savoury. Most come from animal sources, including meat and dairy products, as well as some plant foods, such as coconut oil and palm oil.

Health effects

The consumption of saturated fats is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, the link between saturated fats and cardiovascular disease has been disputed in recent years.

See also

• Unsaturated fat
• Trans fat
• Essential fatty acid

References

Saturated fatty acid Resources
Latest articles Most recent articles Ongoing trials	Wikipedia