Chemistry question

[billybob476]

Rico you can probably answer this for me.

I was trying to explain the structural difference between unsaturated fats and saturated fats to my wife and why unsaturated are better.

If I remember correctly, fats are long carbon chains. Saturated fats are 'straight line' carbon chains that are connected by single bonds and are fully 'saturated' with Hydrogen molecules.

Unsaturated fats have some double bonds which create a 'kink' in the carbon chain which causes the unsaturated to stack less densely then saturated fats.

Now I can't remember what causes the double bond (is it oxygen?)

Also am I completely off track here?

Organic Chemistry class was about 8 years ago so it's all a little fuzzy.

[Rico]

I think it basically has to do with the isomers involved.  There are both trans and cis-isomers.  The cis-isomer will cause a kink in the chain and makes the molecules harder to stack.  Actually my son could probably explain this even better since he is more on the biochemistry end of the chemistry curve than me.

[billybob476]

Right, cis and trans isomers. Hence trans fats. Damnit brain! Remember things you leaned in school!

[moyer777]

Didn't KFC start frying their chicken in different oil to try and make it healthier?  Wasn't it something to do with this?

[Rico]

Most fast food places have moved from using good old beef tallow (sp?) or in other words fat from beef to things like vegetable oil and those containing more unsaturated fats.  A somewhat more healthy way of preparing fries, etc.

P.S.  Where's our health guy Bryan when you need him?   ;)

[Bryancd]

You rang! I don't know how the chemistry works but I do know that their are very healthy fats like the  monounsaturated fat found in olive oil, nuts, and fish. In regards to fast food, there are NO healthy fast foods due to their high saturated fat content or high sodium content, sodium being the sneaky one they load up in their "healthy" options.