What is Fat?

Memory Hack💡

Saturated = satiated: the carbon chain is completely "full" of hydrogens.

Unsaturated = unsatiated: there is still room for more hydrogens because double bonds are present.

Cis = same side ("cis-ters stick together").

Trans = opposite sides (the hydrogens are across from each other).

Notes

Saturated Fats: Contain only single bonds and are fully saturated with hydrogens. 

• Due to the tight packing allowed by the nonkinked molecules, these fats are solid at room temperature. 

Unsaturated Fats: Contain double bonds that do not allow the molecule to be fully saturated. These kinks prevent tight packing. 

• Due to the kinks tight packing is difficult, which makes them liquid at room temperature.  

If you are struggling with telling the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats, here is how I think about it…

We can also use this to remember which would be SOLID at room temp, and which would be LIQUID at room temp. 

• In my mind, saturated fats are solid at room temperature because they are super full! 

• Conversely, unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature because they do not have anything “filling them up” and they are super hungry!