Monounsaturated fats

Fat is a major source of energy and helps human body absorb vitamins. It is also important for proper growth, and for keeping body healthy.

Monounsaturated fats – found mainly in certain vegetable and nut oil, including olive, peanut, and canola- have been shown to reduce total blood cholesterol without lowering levels of the good cholesterol, HDL. Indeed , some monounsaturated fats have been shown to raise HDL levels.

Most experts agree that it is best to limit fat consumption and to choose mostly monounsaturated fats, which increase need for saturated fat.

Like all dietary fats, monounsaturated fats provide calories and help the body absorb certain vitamins, cushion and insulate the body, and support many body processes. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) are chemically classified as fatty acids containing a single double bond (in contrast to polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) containing two or more double bonds and saturated fatty acids (SFA) without double bonds).
Monounsaturated fats

Polyunsaturated fats

Fat is a major source of energy and helps your body absorb vitamins. It is also important for proper growth, and for keeping you healthy. The main types of “healthy” fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

Chemically, polyunsaturated fats belong to the class of simple lipids, as they are fatty acids with two or more double bonds in cis configuration.

Linoleic acid (n-6) (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (n-3) (LNA) are two of the main representative compounds, known as dietary essential fatty acids (EFA) because they prevent deficiency symptoms and cannot be synthesized by humans.

Essential fats play a role in many body processes, including immune and nervous system function, blood clotting, and blood pressure regulation.

Polyunsaturated fats – found mainly in vegetable oils like corn, sunflower, safflower and soybean. They also can be found in fish (such as herring, mackerel, salmon, trout, and tuna), mayonnaise and oil-based salad dressings
Polyunsaturated fats

The importance of essential fatty acids in food

Much attention has been focused on the need to limit dietary intake. Nevertheless, the body does need fats – but the right fats and in appropriate quantities. Specifically, it needs essential fatty acids, which perform a variety of vital bodily functions.

Fatty acids in foods occur mainly in the form of esters with the alcohol glycerol. The predominant esters are tricayglycerols accompanied by minor amounts of mono- and diacylglycerols and free fatty acids.

Essential fatty acids profoundly influence the health of the human body, including brain and immune system function. Essential fatty acids carry the fat soluble vitamins. They are essential for growth and development, and for the maintenance of healthy skin, hair and nails. And they provide the body with energy. A variety of problems can occur if the body fails to receive adequate amounts of essential fatty acids.

Signs of deficiency may include retarded growth; skin hair and nail disorders; and an impaired metabolism of fats and fat soluble vitamins.

Two fatty acids that cannot be synthesized by the body and must be provided by the diet: the essential fatty acids Linoleic acid and alpha linolenic acid are polyunsaturated fatty acids. If the diet lacks adequate amounts of either linoleic or alpha linolenic acid, deficiency symptoms will develop that include scaly skin, hair loss, and slow wound healing.
The importance of essential fatty acids in food