unsaturated fatty acid
- noun
- /ˌʌnˈsætʃəˌreɪtɪd ˈfæti ˈæsɪd/
- Specialized
:
ácido graso insaturado
- For example, both within and among species of Helianthus, variation in the relative proportions of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in seed oils parallels climatic differences in the species' ranges.
Examples
-
Vitamin E present in pumpkin prevents oxidative damage to cells by preventing the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids in the cell membrane (Kim et al., 2012).
Academic text (2015) -
Menhaden contain large amounts of highly unsaturated fatty acids that are prone to rapid oxidation.
Academic text (1991) -
It turns out that how much trans fatty acids you eat or saturated to unsaturated fatty acid effects.
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Although the total percentage of n-6 unsaturated fatty acids was lower in the fish diet than in the vegetarian group, the percentage of arachidonic acid was higher.
Academic text (2000) -
The oil from some algae has high levels of unsaturated fatty acids that are beneficial for heart health.
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Pistachios contain fiber, antioxidants, and unsaturated fatty acids, which are essential for a balanced diet.
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Fat intake should come primarily from unsaturated fatty acids like those found in olive oil and avocados.
Antonyms
- Informal
A type of fat found mainly in animal foods that has no double bonds in its chain
How Unsaturated
- Specialized
1
4.4
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Informal
Surface Forms
Morphology
unsaturated + fatty + acid
The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'unsaturated' modifies 'fatty acid' to indicate a fatty acid that is not saturated, so a learner who knows 'unsaturated', 'fatty', and 'acid' can infer it refers to a fat-related acid lacking saturation. Although the precise chemical detail about double bonds is technical, the general meaning (a fatty acid that is not fully hydrogenated) follows directly from the constituents and is commonly encountered in diet/health contexts.
Etymology
The term unsaturated fatty acid comes from a simple image: chemists thought of the fat as a chain of links and called it unsaturated when the chain still had empty spots that could hold more hydrogen, so it was 'not full' of hydrogen, and fatty acid names the fat molecule. So, a unsaturated fatty acid means a fat that can take more hydrogen, which is why these fats behave differently in food and are often seen as healthier.