Saturated Fat and Health

The quantity of saturated fats present in a food is not the only health aspect to consider; the quality of the same is very important. For example, stearic acid (C18: 0, which is desaturated in oleic acid in the body) and short and medium chain fatty acids, have a little effect on cholesterolemia. This parameter, which represents the concentration of cholesterol in the blood, is instead increased by excesses of palmitic (C16: 0), myrysitic (C14: 0) and probably from those of lauric acid (C12: 0).

Furthermore, the dietary abundance of saturated fats has been linked to a higher incidence of some cancers, in particular breast and prostate cancer.

Lauric acid (coconut oil, palm oil, breast milk)
Myristic acid (cow's milk and derivatives)
Palmitic acid (palm oil and meat)
Stearic acid (meat, cocoa butter, chocolate)

For further information: main saturated fatty acids and their distribution in nature

Coconut oil, while being particularly rich in saturated fats, is mainly composed of medium-chain ones, such as caprinic, caprylic, capric and lauric; these nutrients represent a highly available source of energy, since they are easily absorbed and oxidation compared to its long-chain cousins. On the other hand, coconut oil is poor in palmitic and myristic acid, the deficiencies of which are compensated for by a similar amount of oleic acid and a small percentage of linoleic acid. saturated fatty acids, therefore, coconut oil consumed in moderation does not negatively affect cholesterol levels.

Palmitic acid is typical of palm oil, from which it takes its name.

In general, condiments rich in short and medium-chain saturated fats have on the one hand a greater fluidity than those rich in long-chain saturated fats (C: 16-C: 18) and on the other hand a greater concreteness than those rich in unsaturated fats. The linear form of the carbon chain, in fact, allows saturated fats to solidify easily at room temperature, which does not happen for unsaturated ones. In fact, in correspondence with the double bonds, there is a molecular "folding", such as As a result, unsaturated lipid molecules cannot "pack" so tightly as to form a solid structure, so the food that contains them in large quantities is liquid at room temperature.

Hydrogenated fats

In the food industry it often happens that - for production and organoleptic needs - there is the need to obtain a semi-solid product while using liquid vegetable oils (because they are rich in unsaturated fatty acids). The problem is solved through a process - so-called hydrogenation - during which the hydrogen atoms missing under pressure are added to the double bonds C = C. This process, unfortunately, also leads to the formation of so-called "trans" or "hydrogenated" fatty acids, a type of unsaturated fat with the chemical characteristics shown in the figure (in nature most unsaturated fatty acids are found in the cis form). Well, trans fatty acids are even more dangerous to health than saturated ones and it is therefore important to avoid foods that are rich in them, such as margarine and peanut butter.