POLYUNSATURATED FAT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does polyunsaturated fat mean? 

• POLYUNSATURATED FAT (noun)
  The noun POLYUNSATURATED FAT has 1 sense:

1. a class of fats having long carbon chains with many double bonds unsaturated with hydrogen atoms; used in some margarines; supposedly associated with low blood cholesterol

  Familiarity information: POLYUNSATURATED FAT used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• POLYUNSATURATED FAT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A class of fats having long carbon chains with many double bonds unsaturated with hydrogen atoms; used in some margarines; supposedly associated with low blood cholesterol

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("polyunsaturated fat" is a kind of...):

fat (a soft greasy substance occurring in organic tissue and consisting of a mixture of lipids (mostly triglycerides))

 Context examples 

The double bonds in polyunsaturated fats cannot proceed directly through beta-oxidation to generate energy.

(Oxidation of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

Study of polyunsaturated fats in relation to cancer.

(Nutrition, Fats, Polyunsaturated, NCI Thesaurus)

Not eating enough nuts and seeds (8.5%), seafood omega-3 fats (7.8%), vegetables (7.6%), fruits (7.5%), whole grains (5.9%), or polyunsaturated fats (2.3%) also increased risk of death compared with people who had an optimal intake of these foods/nutrients.

(How dietary factors influence disease risk, NIH)

"Nuts and peanuts are high in fiber, magnesium, and polyunsaturated fats - nutrients that are beneficial for cutting cardiovascular disease risk and which can reduce cholesterol levels,” said Aune. "Some nuts, particularly walnuts and pecan nuts, are also high in antioxidants, which can fight oxidative stress and possibly reduce cancer risk.

(Daily Handful of Nuts Reduces Disease Risk, VOA)

Beta-oxidation will proceed normally through the first few rounds with a polyunsaturated fat, up until the point where the beta-oxidation enzymes encounter the first double bond.

(Oxidation of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

Polyunsaturated fats with two double bonds usually have one between carbons 9 and 10 in the alkyl chain and another three carbons away (carbons 12-13).

(Oxidation of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)