Oleic acid

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Oleic Acid

Oleic acid (pronunciation: o-lee-ik as-id) is a monounsaturated fatty acid that occurs naturally in various animal and vegetable fats and oils. It is an odorless, colorless oil, although commercial samples may be yellowish.

Etymology

The term "oleic" means related to, or derived from, oil or olive, the oil that is predominantly composed of oleic acid. The word is derived from the Latin word "oleum" for oil, and the chemical suffix "-ic", meaning "pertaining to".

Chemical Structure

Oleic acid has the chemical formula C18H34O2. It is an omega-9 fatty acid and is considered one of the healthier sources of fat in the diet. Its structure is a carboxylic acid with a 18-carbon chain and a double bond at the omega−9 position; this means the double bond is nine carbons away from the methyl end of the fatty acid chain.

Health Effects

Oleic acid is a common monounsaturated fat in human diet. Monounsaturated fats are healthier than saturated fats. Oleic acid has been associated with various health benefits, including decreased inflammation and reduced risk of heart disease. However, results from research studies are mixed.

Sources

Oleic acid is abundant in olive oil, which is the basis for the Mediterranean diet, a diet that has been associated with heart health and longevity. Other sources include avocados, peanuts, and sunflower seeds.

See Also

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski