Unsaturated fatty acids: Arachidonic acid

Arachidonic acid, which is polyunsaturated fatty acid, is used in the animal body for a number of biological functions. Arachidonic acid (AA), all-cis-5, 8, 11, 14-eicosatetraenoic acid (where eicos or eikosi in Greek refers to the number 20), is an omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA).

Its chemical formula is C20H32O2, 20:4(ω -6), where 20:4 refers to its 20 carbon atom chain with four double bonds, and (ω -6) refers to the position of the first double bond from the last, omega carbon atom. Arachidonic acid has an average mass of 304.467 g/mol and usually assumes a hairpin structure.

It is a component of phospholipid membranes and is a precursor to an extensive group of compounds called eicosanoids. Three of them: prostaglandins, leukotrienes and thromboxanes are largely responsible for the regulation of inflammatory processes.

Arachidonic acid can be stored in membrane phospholipids and released from nuclear envelop or plasma membrane by cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2), either constitutively or in respond to a variety of cell specific stimuli, including growth factors, hormones, cytokines, signaling molecules, or cell trauma.

Arachidonic acid can be provided to humans and mammals by an exogenous source supplied either by the direct consumption of dietary food that contains high level of arachidonic acid, whole eggs, salmon, tuna, a wide range of lean meat and its visible meat fats, or through the parent molecule, linoleic acid (LA; 18:2n-6).

Unsaturated fatty acids: Arachidonic acid

Monoenoic fatty acid: palmitoleic acid

The two most common omega-7 fatty acids in nature are palmitoleic acid and vaccenic acid. Palmitoleic acid is a monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA).

 Palmitoleic acid (16:1ω -7) occurs widely in animals, plants and microorganisms, and is a major component in some seed oils. Macadamia oil (Macadamia integrifolia) and sea buckthorn oil (Hippophaë rhamnoides) are botanical sources with high concentrations, containing 17% and 19% (minimum) to 29% (maximum) of palmitoleic acid, respectively. Palmitoleic acid has the formula CH3(CH2)5CH=CH(CH2)7COOH.

The MUFA palmitoleic acid or palmitoleate (16:1n–7 or 16:1D9) has received a lot of attention in recent years, even though its metabolism was described in the 1960s.

Palmitoleate can be found as a cis (16:1 c9) or a trans (16:1 t9) isomer. The cis isoform (cis-palmitoleate) has been associated with increased insulin sensitivity and decreased lipid accumulation in the liver.
Monoenoic fatty acid: palmitoleic acid

Myristic acid

Fatty acids, both free and as part of complex lipids, play a number of key roles in metabolism – major metabolic fuel (storage and transport of energy), as essential components of all membranes, and as gene regulators.

As part of complex lipids, fatty acids are also important for thermal and electrical insulation, and for mechanical protection.

Myristic acid is a saturated 14-carbon fatty acid occurring in most animal and vegetable fats, particularly butterfat and coconut, palm, and nutmeg oils. It is used to synthesize flavor and as an ingredient in soaps and cosmetics. Myristic Acid is a saturated long-chain fatty acid with a 14-carbon backbone.

Myristic acid is found naturally in palm oil, coconut oil and butter fat. Myristic acid usually accounts for small amounts (less than 1 wt%) of total fatty acids in animal tissues but is abundant in milk fat (7–12 wt% of total fatty acid) or in copra and palmist oils (15–23 wt% and 15–17 wt%, respectively).

Compared with other saturated fatty acids, lauric and myristic acids have the strongest potency to increase serum total and LDL cholesterol concentration and also HDL cholesterol concentrations.
Myristic acid

Fatty acid: Capric acid

Capric acid is also known as decanoic acid. The word capric comes from the Latin word for goat, as capric acid is found in goat’s milk. It is also found in cow’s milk.

Physical and chemical characteristics of capric acid including: appearance: white crystals with rancid odor, assay: 98.5%, molecular weight: 172.27, melting point: 31° C, boiling point: 268° C, specific gravity: 0.893.

Capric acid

About 6 to 7% of the fat in coconut is in the form of capric acid. Capric acid is converted in the body to a highly beneficial substance call monocaprin in human or animal body. Monocaprin has been shown to have antiviral effects against sexually transmitted diseases.

Capric acid is used primarily in the food industry. Capric acid is also used in feed stocks and for perfumes, lubricants, and cosmetics. This solid crystalline mass with rancid odor used in the manufacture of artificial fruit flavors.
Fatty acid: Capric acid

Saturated fatty acid: Caproic acid

Caproic Acid is a saturated medium-chain fatty acid with a 6-carbon backbone. It is considered to be a short-chain fatty acid. Caproic acid is found naturally in various plant and animal fats and oils.

It is a colorless oily liquid, with an odor at once suggestive of vinegar and of sweat; its taste is acid and sharp, with a sweetish aftertaste.

Caproic acid or hexanoic acid is widely used in the synthesis of spices, as a medicine, flotation agent, and as an agent for thickening lubricating oil.

It has a high boiling point. So its separation from dilute solution by distillation is extremely energy-intensive. Saturated fatty acid:
Caproic acid

Butyric acid: saturated fatty acid

It is an acid produced by the bacterial degradation of fiber in the colon. It is carboxylic acid, which forms an oily colorless liquid that solidifies at 8 °C and boils at 164 °C. It is soluble in water, ethanol and ether.

There are several bacterial strains producing butyric acid, which belong to the genera Clostridium, Butyribacterium, Butyrivibrio, Sarcina, Eubacterium, Fusobacterium and Megasphera.

Most butyric acid–producing bacteria ferment glucose, hexose, pentose, and oligo- and polysaccharides and form acetic acid in addition to butyric acid as their major fermentation products.

Butyric acid occurs in milk, and butter contains 3.3 percent butyric acid. Butyric acid and other shot-chain fatty acids are taken up by the intestine to be use for energy. Butyric acid is an important energy source of the cells lining the colon, where it seems to assist their normal development and maintainance.
Butyric acid: saturated fatty acid

Fatty acid in general

Compounds of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen with a functional group, a carbonyl carbon, CH3.(CH2)n.COOH. The fatty acids, the simplest of the lipids, are defined as monocarboxylic acids that tend to be more soluble in organic solvents than in water.

Most fatty acids in food consist of a straight of carbon atoms ending with a carboxyl group, that is soluble in water and non polar hydrocarbon chain that is insoluble in water but soluble in the common organic solvents. They may be double bond between some of these carbon atoms.

The melting point of a fatty acid is affected by its chain length, its degree of unsaturation and whether the double bonds are cis or trans.

Fatty acid serves at least three vital functions: such as linolenic acid, are essential nutrients; other, particularly the short chain fatty acids, provides energy; long chain fatty acids are structural components of cell membranes.

The number of known natural fatty acids exceeds 1000 although only a relatively small number – perhaps 2o—50 are of common concern. A large number of fatty acids exist in nature because the hydrocarbon chain may be of varying lengths (i.e. containing a varying number of carbon atoms linked together) an may have different degrees of unsaturation (unsaturation refers to the presence of double bonds between carbon atoms within the hydrocarbon chain).
Fatty acid in general

Brief view of edible fats

Edible fats are complex mixture of triglycerides and small amounts of other substances. Triglycerides are esters of glycerol and three fatty acid molecules. Fatty acids may contain different numbers of carbon atoms and may have different degrees and unsaturation and branching. Triglycerides are also called triacylglycerols.

Edible fats occur naturally or are derived through processing and storage of fats.

The natural fats are naturally made up mostly of mixed triglycerides with only trace amounts of mono- and diglycerides and little or no free fatty acids.  The exact composition of natural fats can’t be pinpointed, because they are dependent on factors such as growing conditions, plant/animal breeding, and processing.

Butter

In contrast, processed fats may contain up to 20% of mono- and diglycerides.  Successful production of processed fats products relies on the manipulation of the fat blend to produce suitable physical properties and prevent undesirable changes during and after processing.

The other substances associated with natural fats include the flowing:
*Phospholipids
*Sterols
*Fat-soluble vitamins
*Pigments
*Hydrocarbon
*Oxidation products
*Trace Minerals
*Water
Brief view of edible fats

Health benefits of coconut oil

Coconut oil has a long and highly respected reputation in many cultures throughout the world, not only as a valuable food but also as an effective medicine. It is used throughout the tropics in many of the traditional systems.

The numerous health benefits of coconut oil are finally again reaching the mainstream.
Among others are:
*Promoting heart health

*Strengthen the human immune system

*Promoting weight loss

*Lauric acid in coconut oil acts as anti-microbial oil that prevents the build-up of damaging microbes thus prevention hair loss and stimulating fresh strong growth.

*Supporting a healthy metabolism

*Providing an immediate energy source

*Helping to keep skin healthy and youthful. The moisture of coconut oil makes it great of the skin and helps repair skin tissue.

*Prevention of skin cancer

*Supporting the proper functioning of thyroid gland

Coconut oil contains predominantly medium-chain fatty acids also known as medium chain triglycerides, which makes it much healthier oil than fats containing mostly long-chain fatty acids such as animal fat.

Medium-chain fatty acids are a burning, not a storing, fat which means they actually help increase metabolism, aiding in weight loss and promoting health in a host of other ways.

From being a natural cooking oil that is delicious and having a high smoke point, to a healer of several serious diseases and preventer of a similar number, coconut oil is indeed a blessing of nature that has been misrepresented for a long time.
Health benefits of coconut oil

What is Linoleic Acid?

Linoleic Acid (also called cis,cis,-9,12-octadecadienoic acid) is an example of a poly-unsaturated fatty acid, due to the presence of two C=C double bonds.

Linoleic acid has 18 carbons, two cis double bonds and is an ω-6 fatty acid.  It is the main fatty acid found in vegetable oils such as soybean oil, corn oil and rapeseed oil.

Linoleic acid generally comprises 10-15 wt% of the fatty acid profile. It is used for manufacturing margarine, shortening, and salad and cooking oils, as well as soaps, emulsifiers, and quick-drying oils. The word linoleic comes from the Greek word linon (flax), and oleic meaning relating to or derived from oil.

Essential Fatty Acids
Linoleic acid belongs to polyunsaturated acids considered as essential fatty acids because human body lacks the enzymes needed to synthesize them.  If a person does not eat sufficient amounts of these essential fatty acid (i.e. at least a tablespoon day), they may start to suffer symptoms including dry hair, hair loss, and poor wound healing.

Essential fatty acid has a distinct role in cell structure and function and is important in normal development.

The two families of EFAs are ω-3 (or omega-3 or n-3) which comes from fish oils, and ω-6 (omega 6, n-6) which come from vegetable oils (linoleic acid is one of these).

The essential fatty acid linoleic acids is used is make arachidonic acid (a 2o-carbon, ω-6 fatty acid). This is accomplished by adding two carbon atoms via elongation and two double bonds via desaturation.

When they were discovered to be essential nutrients in 1923, the 2 families of essential fatty acids were designated as 'Vitamin F'. But around 1930, it was realized that they are better classified with the fats than with the vitamins, and so the name Vitamin F was dropped.
What is Linoleic Acid?

What is omega 6 fatty acid?

Omega 6 fatty acids are a member of the polyunsaturated fat family. They can be found in avocados, whole grains, and nearly all nuts and seeds.

Omega 6 fatty acids unsaturated and considered essential in small quantities, however excessive intake of omega-6 fatty acid promotes inflammation, encourages blood clotting, and can cause cells in the body to proliferate uncontrollably.

Omega 6 fatty acids such as the 18-carbon linoleic acid and the 20 carbon arachidonic acid are derived primarily from vegetable seed oils and are ubiquitous in the food supply of Western countries. Linoleic acid is converted to arachidonic acid in the liver.

A high ration of omega 6 to omega 3 fat is implicated in many chronic diseases, including atherosclerosis, arthritis and cancer. 

Omega 6 and omega 3 essential fatty acids are best consumed in a ration of about 3:1. The modern diet is weighed down by omega-6 fatty cods because of overconsumption of meats and vegetable oils, such as corn safflower, soybean and cotton seed commonly found in processed foods and fast foods.

Experts and scientists are divided as two whether or not omega6 fatty acids are actually bad for human health. Bu they do agree in one point: People should consume more omega-3 fatty acids, especially from sources recommended by the eating clean diet plan.
What is omega 6 fatty acid?

Saturated fatty acid

Saturated fatty acid are the simplest fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids do not contain any double bonds or other functional groups along the chain.

The term ‘saturated’ refers to hydrogen, in that all carbons contain as many hydrogens as possible.

They carry the maximum complement of hydrogen atoms the structure will allow.

Saturated fatty acids are usually oxidize or ‘burned’ to provide energy for physical activity and cellular processes.

Saturated fatty acids have been positively correlated with the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in many epidemiological studies. Saturated fatty acids occur in both animal and plant fats. Fats high in saturated fatty acids, such as animal fat and solid vegetable shortening, tend to be solid at room temperature.

The most common saturated acids in foods are lauric, mytristic, palmitic, and stearic acids worth 12, 14, 16 and 18 carbons, respectively. They are straight, have no kinks, contain no double bond, are slow to react with other chemicals, and carry no electric charges.

Palmitic aid is the most abundant in butter, beef fat and poultry fat.

Saturated fatty acid