Unsaturated vs Saturated vs Trans Fats, Animation

Contrary to popular belief, not all fats  cause heart diseases and are bad. In fact,   most fats, in adequate amounts, are required  for normal bodily functions, especially brain   functions. There are also GOOD fats that actually  DECREASE the risks for cardiovascular diseases.  A fat molecule is composed of a glycerol head and  three fatty acid tails, each of which is a long   hydrocarbon chain - a carbon skeleton bound to  hydrogen atoms. When ALL the carbons are FULLY   bound to hydrogens, the fatty acid is said to  be SATURATED - ALL the bonds between carbon   atoms are SINGLE, and the hydrocarbon chain has  a STRAIGHT shape. A fat molecule made ENTIRELY   of saturated fatty acids is a saturated fat.  Due to their STRAIGHT tails, saturated fats   are COMPACT and solid at room temperature. On the other hand, when the hydrocarbon   chain has FEWER hydrogens, it is said to be  UNsaturated. Instead of binding to a maximum   number of hydrogens, some carbon atoms bind  to each other via a DOUBLE bond. The presence   of double bonds may BEND the hydrocarbon  chain, creating GAPS between molecules,   making them LESS compact. As a result, unsaturated  fats are usually liquid at room temperature. A   fat molecule that contains ONLY ONE double  bond is a monounsaturated fat, while one   that has MULTIPLE double bonds is POLYunsaturated. Dietary fats provide fatty acids for the synthesis   of the cell membrane - a vital component of all  animal cells. The gaps in UNsaturated fatty acids   provide membrane FLUIDITY, facilitating membrane  transport and cellular signaling. While both types   of fats are needed for an optimal composition  of the cell membrane, too much saturated fat,   which is commonly the case in a typical American  diet, would make the membrane RIGID and HINDER   cellular responsiveness. Membrane fluidity is  most important in the nervous system, where   neuronal response requires extremely fast cellular  communication. A certain ratio of UNsaturated to   saturated fatty acids is also required for  the formation of myelin – the insulating   material that wraps around axons of neurons and  speeds up the conduction of electrical signals.  The body is capable of synthesizing all the  fatty acids it needs, with the exception of   polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-3 and  omega-6, which must be obtained from the   diet. These are known as essential fatty acids. In general, UNsaturated fats are HEALTHIER than   saturated fats. UNsaturated fats DECREASE the  risks for heart disease by REDUCING the amount   of BAD cholesterol, LDL, and INCREASING the  GOOD cholesterol, HDL; while saturated fats   increase BOTH good and bad cholesterol. But  not all unsaturated fats are equal. In fact,   a type of unsaturated fat, known as  TRANS-fat, is the UNhealthiest of all!  A double bond can give rise to 2 possible  configurations: cis and trans. CIS is when   the 2 hydrogen atoms are on the SAME side  of the bond, while TRANS is when they are on   the OPPOSITE sides. A CIS double bond BENDS  the fatty acid molecule, while the somewhat   more SYMMETRIC trans configuration does NOT.  A trans-fat is therefore similar in structure   to a SATURATED fat. More importantly, trans-fats  RARELY occur in nature so the body does NOT have   the necessary enzymes to break them down. Diets  rich in trans-fats INCREASE the BAD cholesterol   LDL and REDUCE the GOOD cholesterol HDL, having  the most DETRIMENTAL effect on blood vessels.  Trans-fats are found mainly in partially  hydrogenated oil products, such as margarine.   Because unsaturated fats are less stable and spoil  faster, food manufacturers add hydrogens to make   them MORE saturated through a process known as  partial hydrogenation. This process not only   prolongs shelf-life of vegetable oils, but also  turns them into solid, or semi-solid products,   which are preferred by commercial bakers for  their low cost and wide range of different   textures. Unfortunately, partial hydrogenation  also CONVERTS some of the CIS double bonds into   TRANS configuration, producing trans-fats. The  FDA has officially banned production of partially   hydrogenated oils in June 2018, but products made  earlier may still be in use until January 2020.

Channel: Alila Medical Media

Views: 286,888

Rating: 4.8432384 out of 5

Keywords: yt:quality=high, fats, fat molecule, fatty acids, chemistry, biology, fat metabolism, shape, double bond, kink, bend, conformation, oil, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fats, lipids, brain, ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids, healthier, bad cholesterol, trans-fat, configurations, cis and trans, why trans fats are bad, partially hydrogenated oil products, margarine vs butter, PHOs, partial hydrogenation, animated, cardiology, lipid profile, medical, triglycerides, tutorial

Id: brs2nMubr84

Length: 5min 27sec (327 seconds)

Published: Mon Oct 01 2018