fatty acid (redirected from Fatty acids)

fatty acid /fat·ty ac·id/ (fat´e) any straight chain monocarboxylic acid, especially those naturally occurring in fats.

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essential fatty acid  any fatty acid that cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained from dietary sources, e.g., linoleic acid and linolenic acid.

free fatty acids  (FFA) nonesterified f. a's.

monounsaturated fatty acids  unsaturated fatty acids containing a single double bond, occurring predominantly as oleic acid, in peanut, olive, and canola oils.

nonesterified fatty acids  (NEFA) the fraction of plasma fatty acids not in the form of glycerol esters.

ω-3 fatty acids , omega-3 fatty acids unsaturated fatty acids in which the double bond nearest the methyl terminus is at the third carbon from the end; present in marine animal fats and some vegetable oils and shown to affect leukotriene, prostaglandin, lipoprotein, and lipid levels and composition.

ω-6 fatty acids , omega-6 fatty acids unsaturated fatty acids in which the double bond nearest the methyl terminus is at the sixth carbon from the end, present predominantly in vegetable oils.

polyunsaturated fatty acids  (PUFA) unsaturated fatty acids containing two or more double bonds, occurring predominantly as linoleic, linolenic, and arachidonic acids, in vegetable and seed oils.

saturated fatty acids  those without double bonds, occurring predominantly in animal fats and tropical oils or produced by hydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids.

trans– fatty acids  stereoisomers of the naturally occurring cis– fatty acids, found in margarines and shortenings as artifacts after hydrogenation.

unsaturated fatty acids  those containing one or more double bonds, predominantly in most plant-derived fats.

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fatty acid

n.

Any of a large group of long-chain monobasic organic acids hydrolytically derived from fats.

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fatty acid

Etymology: AS, faett + L, acidus, sour

any of several organic acids produced by the hydrolysis of neutral fats and consisting of a long hydrocarbon chain ending in a carboxyl group. In cells, fatty acids usually occur in combination with another molecule rather than in a free state. Essential fatty acids, including linoleic acid and linolenic acid, are unsaturated molecules that cannot be produced by the body and must therefore be included in the diet. See also saturated fatty acid, unsaturated fatty acid.

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fatty acid,

n an organic acid produced by the hydrolysis of neutral fats.

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acid

1. sour.

2. a molecule or ion with a tendency to give up a proton to the solvent according to Bronsted and Lowry theory.

All acids react with bases to form salts and water (neutralization). Other properties of acids include a sour taste and the ability to cause certain dyes to undergo a color change. A common example of this is the ability of acids to change litmus paper from blue to red.

Acids play a vital role in the chemical processes that are a normal part of the functions of the cells and tissues of the body. A stable balance between acids and bases in the body is essential to life. See also acidic, acid-base balance, and individual acids.

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amino acid

any one of a class of organic compounds containing the amino and the carboxyl group, occurring naturally in plant and animal tissues and forming the chief constituents of protein. See also amino acid.

bile a's

steroid acids derived from cholesterol. See also bile acids.

acid excretion

blood buffers prevent a sudden change in pH of body fluids when they receive excess acid or alkali from absorption or metabolic processes. This temporary measure is supplemented by a mechanism for the excretion of hydrogen ions via the kidney in the form of dihydrogen phosphate and ammonium ions.

fatty acid

any monobasic aliphatic acid containing only carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. See also fatty acids.

acid hydrolases

major group of enzymes present in lysosomes.

inorganic acid

an acid containing no carbon atoms.

keto a's

compounds containing the groups CO (carbonyl) and COOH (carboxyl).

acid methyl green stain

stains protozoal nuclei a bright green and is recommended for the detection of Balantidium coli in fecal smears.

nucleic a's

substances that constitute the prosthetic groups of the nucleoproteins and contain phosphoric acid, sugars, and purine and pyrimidine bases. See also nucleic acids.

acid phosphatase

see acid phosphatase.

acid retention

retention of metabolic acids, including sulfates and phosphates, as a result of acute and chronic renal disease.

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fatty acid

Biochemistry A straight-chain monocarboxylic acid, which can be either saturated–ie, has no double bonds or unsaturated, which is, in turn, either monounsaturated–having a single double bond, or polyunsaturated–having more than one double bond. See Cholesterol-raising fatty acid, n-3 fatty acid, Polyunsaturated fatty acid, Unsaturated fatty acid.

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Patient discussion about Fatty acids.

Q. Any dietitians here? Please tell me what are the different types of fatty acids available?

A. i'm not a dietitian either but i love reading about nutrition. so i can tell you that here are 2 families of essential fatty acids (fatty acids that our body cannot create by it's on).
here is the wikipedia entry about them :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_fatty_acid

Q. Is Omega 3 fatty acids helps brain development of babies? There are all sorts of food supplements that add omega 3 to their baby formula. Is it helpful? Can it harm?

A.

I found a nice video with a pediatrician that explain that exactly!!

http://www.5min.com/Video/Omega-Oil-in-Formula---Good-or-Bad-6067