Fatty acids
The
correlation between fat consumption and the risk of cancer seems to depend on
the specific types of fat and their constituent fatty acids. Fatty acids can be
separated into 3 classes on the basis of their carbon-carbon bonds, as follows:
·
Saturated fatty acids, such as stearic acid, contain no
carbon-carbon double bonds.
·
Monounsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic acid, have a single
carbon-carbon bond.
·
Polyunsaturated fatty acids, including linoleic acid and
eicosapentaenoic acid, have 2 or more carbon- carbon bonds.
Trans
fat is an industrially created unsaturated fat that is neither necessary nor
beneficial. Trans fat may be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Trans fats are bad fats.
Fatty
acids are generally found in foods and in fat deposits as triglycerides or
neutral fat, in which 3 fatty acids are esterified to a single molecule of
glycerol. In cell membranes, fatty acids exist as phospholipids, in which one
of the fatty esters is replaced by a head group such as choline, serine, or
inositol. Phospholipids are integral components of cellular membranes; they are
responsible for maintaining cellular integrity and for regulating membrane
enzymes, cell-signaling processes, and the construction of cellular receptors.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids (O-3 FA) are found in:
nuts,
avocado
berries
fish
Incorporate one of these food sources in your daily food intake to get your O-3 FAs.