In this blog post, we will look at the structural differences between saturated and unsaturated fats and how they affect our bodies, as well as the precautions to take when consuming them.
Triglycerides, the most representative form of lipids, are composed of glycerol and fatty acids. Fatty acids have a molecular structure with hydrogen bound to a carbon chain, and within this carbon chain, fatty acids can be divided into two broad categories depending on the way carbon bonds to carbon. These are saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, and their characteristics play an important role in health and nutrition.
Saturated fatty acids have all carbon atoms connected by single bonds, and each carbon atom is bonded to two hydrogen atoms. This bonding structure makes fatty acid molecules linear, allowing neighboring fatty acid molecules to adhere closely to each other. This increases the attraction between molecules, resulting in the fatty acid molecules tightly clumping together. It takes a lot of heat energy to loosen these aggregated structures, so fats, including saturated fatty acids, have a high melting point and exist in solid form at room temperature. These fatty acid molecules are saturated because hydrogen is fully bonded to the carbon chain, and these fatty acids are called saturated fatty acids, and the fats containing these fatty acids are called saturated fats.
On the other hand, unsaturated fatty acids have some carbon pairs in their carbon chains that form double bonds. Each carbon pair with a double bond is bonded to only one hydrogen atom, and this structure gives fatty acid molecules a curved shape. When multiple bending occurs, the attraction between neighboring fatty acid molecules weakens, and as a result, fats containing unsaturated fatty acids have a low melting point and exist in a liquid state at room temperature. The more double bonds there are, the lower the melting point, and the state in which the hydrogen in the carbon chain is incompletely bonded due to the double bond is called “unsaturation.” Therefore, these fatty acids are called unsaturated fatty acids, and the fats containing them are called unsaturated fats.
Saturated fats play an important role in our bodies. It is deposited around the organs in the body to protect them, and when energy is needed, the stored saturated fat is used as an energy source to supply the body with calories. However, excessive consumption of saturated fat can combine with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to build up cholesterol on the inner walls of blood vessels, which can narrow the blood vessels, raise blood pressure, and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Animal fats, especially pork fat, palm oil, coconut oil, and butter, are typical examples of saturated fats. Excessive consumption of these fats can lead to obesity due to the accumulation of fat in the body’s subcutaneous fat and inside organs.
On the other hand, unsaturated fats perform a number of important functions in our bodies. As a component of cell membranes, unsaturated fatty acids help maintain the flexibility and permeability of cell membranes, which helps the discharge of waste products and the absorption of nutrients. Unsaturated fats also contribute to the removal of cholesterol from the walls of blood vessels, which promotes healthy circulation and cardiovascular health. Unsaturated fatty acids, which are essential components of the brain and nerve tissue, play an important role in maintaining cognitive function, learning ability, and visual function. For this reason, unsaturated fats, which are found in abundance in fish oil, olive oil, perilla oil, and peanuts, are known to be very beneficial for health.
As such, saturated and unsaturated fats each play an essential role in our bodies and are important nutrients for maintaining health. However, it is important to consume these fats in a balanced manner, and excessive or unbalanced fat intake can be harmful to health.
