An unsaturated fat is a fat or fatty acid in which there is at least one double bond within the fatty acid chain. A fatty acid chain is monounsaturated if it contains one double bond, and polyunsaturated if it contains more than one double bond. Where double bonds are formed, hydrogen atoms are eliminated.
Thus, a saturated fat has no double bonds, has the maximum number of hydrogens bonded to the carbons, and therefore is "saturated" with hydrogen atoms. In cellular metabolism, unsaturated fat molecules contain somewhat less energy (i.e., fewer calories) than an equivalent amount of saturated fat. The greater the degree of unsaturation in a fatty acid (i.e., the more double bonds in the fatty acid) the more vulnerable it is to lipid peroxidation (rancidity). Antioxidants can protect unsaturated fat from lipid peroxidation.
Incidence of Insulin resistance is lowered with diets higher in monounsaturated fats (especially oleic acid), while the opposite is true for diets high in polyunsaturated fats (especially large amounts of arachidonic acid) as well as saturated fats (such as arachidic acid), these ratios can be indexed in the phospholipids of human skeletal muscle and in other issues as well.
This relationship between dietary fats and insulin resistance is presumed secondary to the relationship between insulin resistance and inflammation, which is partially modulated by dietary fat ratios (Omega-3/6/9) with both omega 3 and 9 thought to be anti-inflammatory, and omega 6 pro-inflammatory (as well as by numerous other dietary components, particularly polyphenols, and by exercise as well, with both of these anti-inflammatory).
Although both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory types of fat are biologically necessary, fat dietary ratios in most US diets are skewed towards Omega 6, with subsequent disinhibition of inflammation and potentiation of insulin resistance. But this is contrary to the suggestion of more recent studies, in which polyunsaturated fats are shown as protective against insuline resistance.
Unsaturated Fatty Acid is considered healthier than saturated fatty acid. It can found in liquid or solid form, and it provides many health benefits to our body. Saturated fat, on the other hand, mostly comes from animal products and is not considered very healthy.
The foods that contain unsaturated fatty acids are considered some of the healthiest food choices we can pick. In fact, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends that each of us eats a daily diet that contains a total calorie intake of 25 to 30 percent fat, and of this fat, 93 percent of it should be unsaturated.
The Benefits of Unsaturated Fatty Acid
The main health benefit of unsaturated fatty acid is its ability to help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels (triglycerides are the most common type of fat in our body and high levels of it can be found in many people with high cholesterol levels and heart problems). As we all know, a high cholesterol level means a high risk of heart disease, as well as stroke. Yet, this is only one benefit that our body can enjoy from eating foods enriched in unsaturated fatty acids.
Other benefits can include:
Giving the body energy. Fat can be broken down by the body and turned into energy.Helping to reduce inflammation, especially in such conditions as arthritis.Helping to reduce asthma type symptoms.Helping to ensure proper development of the baby during one’s pregnancy.Incorporating Unsaturated Fat Into Your DietMany people will choose to use popular oils, such as fish oil and emu oil, that are high in unsaturated fatty acid in their cooking or in supplement form to reap the health benefits that these oils provide.Fish oil has the power to:Lessen pain and inflammationLower cholesterolLower blood pressureImprove brain functionAlleviate depression and bipolar symptomsReduce odds of developing breast, colon and prostate cancer.
Eating foods that contain good unsaturated fatty acid is a great way to keep your body healthy. Many foods contain unsaturated fatty acids such as:
fish, salmon, corn, walnuts, sunflowers , flaxseed.
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