Saturated-Unsaturated Fatty Acids And Cancer

Fatty Acids And Ldl Cholesterol Levels

The problem exists when LDL cholesterol levels are too high ,because within reasonable limits its presence is positive. In addition, high fat content (any type ) increases blood coagulability, thus increasing thrombosis risk.

For to atherogenesis occur LDL needs to be excessive. But free radicals are responsible for oxidizing this LDL ( peroxidation), which will be trapped in the artery wall.


The presence of antioxidants, thus reduce the arteriosclerosis risk.


It appears that the grapes ingestion( Vitis vinifera) prevents cholesterol from sticking to arteries due to a component present in the skin and seeds. Anyway, it seems to be a close relationship between high LDL and cancer.


Simple fats are composed of one glycerol  molecule ( glycerine alcohol analogue ), which are attached to one, two or three fatty acids, depending on whether is a monoglyceride, a diglyceride or a triglyceride. In nature state, fats are composed by triglycerides.


By the industrial process called hydrogenation, monoglycerides and diglycerides are produced, which are less healthy. Regarding fatty acids are compounds which define the fat quality: density, digestibility, etc.


Fatty acids are divided into saturated and unsaturated according contain or not unsaturations ( unpaired carbon or with double bond ) in the molecule. Within the unsaturated, we can distinguish between monounsaturated, with an unsaturation, and polyunsaturated, with more than one unsaturation.


Thus, fats consist mainly of saturated fatty acids are called saturated fat,while those that are formed predominantly by unsaturated fatty acids are known asunsaturated fats ( monounsaturated or polyunsaturated ).

Saturated fats are generally solid and from animal origin ( lards ), while unsaturated are generally from plant origin and liquid (oils ). In the said hydrogenation process, fat unsaturations are removed from vegetable fats on the basis of hydrogen atoms, thus obtaining the unhealthy solid hydrogenated vegetable fat,such as margarines and other compounds.


Examples of saturated fatty acids palmitic acid, stearic acid, lauric acid and myristic acid. The main monounsaturated fatty acid is the oleic acid . Examples of polyunsaturated fatty acids can mention linoleic acid, gamma linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, eicosapentoico or docosahexaenoic acid.

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