Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFAs)

(The body can make MUFAs from SFAs)

The most common MUFA is OLEIC ACID, predominately found in oils of:

Another common MUFA is PALMITOLEIC ACID (16:1w7), found in:

•  Milk and tropical oils

There is ONE unsaturated “kink” (double carbon bond) in the carbon chain in MUFAs, making them relatively stable.     Each Double Carbon Bond provides a site, which can chemically react with oxygen producing damaging free radicals. Oils containing fatty acids with these reactive double carbon bonds have a tendency to go rancid in the presence of air (oxygen), a process speeded up by light, heat and heavy metal presence.

Monounsaturated OLEIC ACID (18:1 w9) (explanation of fatty acid notation below)

HeadTail End

ONE unsaturated “kink” (Double Carbon Bond) provides ONE site for Oxidation reactions to take place

(It kinks because the hydrogen atoms each carry a negative charge and repel each other).

Fatty acid Notation:

E.g.(18:1 w9)- denotes a fatty acid with a 18Carbon chain and 1 unsaturatedDouble Carbon bonds (found only in unsaturated fats). The w9 (Omega-9) refers to the position of the first double carbon bond. In this example, it is 9carbons away from the head.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is 75% OLEIC ACID

From a temperate climate, does not go rancid easily and can be used in regular cooking.   HOwever, it is  NOT a good choice for using at frying temperatures.  Instead, use an oil with a high SFA content, such as coconut oil or butter.

Oils containing mainly MUFAs are liquid at room temperature, and solid when refrigerated.   The unsaturated “kink” in the carbon chain, MUFAs can not pack together quite as closely as SFAs, and therefore

Health Benefits of Monounsaturated Fat

Olive oil (contains 75% monounsaturated fat) touts the following benefits:

-   Cardiovascular protective

•  Decreases free radical damage of LDL cholesterol.

•  Increases apolipoprotein A.    A major constituent of HDL believed to be cardiovascular protective.

-   Lowers the incidence of gallstones.   Activates the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones.