What are unsaturated fatty acids?

Everything that is commonly referred to as “fats” are in fact fatty acids, or are ultimately absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract as fatty acids. Fatty acids can then be transported much better for the body in the blood. An exact chemical background illumination of this fact would probably lead too far at this point.

One can imagine fatty acids as long chains of carbon atoms, which are surrounded by hydrogen atoms on the outside, which in turn are connected to the long carbon chain. While saturated fatty acids are characterized by the fact that each carbon atom forms a bond with exactly two hydrogens, unsaturated fatty acids are characterized by the fact that carbon atoms are connected with only one hydrogen. In other words, one can also say that unsaturated fatty acids carry a double bond in their chain. Further unsaturated fatty acids can be divided still into simply or several times insatiated fatty acids.In the case of a monounsaturated fatty acid, exactly two carbon atoms are affected by this phenomenon; in the case of a triple-unsaturated fatty acid, on the other hand, there are a total of six carbons connected to only one hydrogen atom. Depending on how many double bonds occur, one speaks of mono- or polyunsaturated fatty acids.

What effect does olive oil have?

Olive oil is the main source of fat in the Mediterranean cuisine. Studies showed that people from Mediterranean countries suffer significantly less frequently or strongly from arteriosclerosis. Olive oil contains simply insatiated fatty acids, which the body uses, in order to lower the “harmful” LDL Cholesterol. How large the difference between cold and warm pressed olive oil is actually, is so far not yet sufficiently clarified. One assumes however that the untreated process of cold pressing receives more unsaturated fatty acids.

Which vitamins have a positive effect?

A positive effect regarding the Arteriosklerose is attributed to the Vitaminen B12, B6, B1, the Vitamin E, but particularly the Vitamin C. Numerous studies could prove in the past that Vitamin C was able to lower the LDL Cholesterol and also the blood Triglyceridgehalt. Common to the vitamins is however their protective effect. They serve the body as so-called oxidation protection.

Oxidized fats tend to accumulate on the walls of the blood vessels. In addition, oxidized fatty acids can damage other cells. The state of research into which vitamins have a protective effect and by what means has been relatively poor so far, so that it is very difficult to make concrete statements on this topic.