Omega-3 fatty acid
Overview
N−3 fatty acids are essential unsaturated
fatty acid
s with a double bond (C=C) starting after the third carbon atom from the end of the carbon chain.
Essential fatty acid
s are molecules that cannot be created by the human body but are vital for normal metabolism
. One of the two families of these essential fatty acids is the omega-3 fatty acids.
The carbon chain has two ends—the acid (COOH) end and the methyl (CH3) end.
Unsaturated fat
An unsaturated fat is a fat or fatty acid in which there is at least one double bond within the fatty acid chain. A fat molecule is monounsaturated if it contains one double bond, and polyunsaturated if it contains more than one double bond. Where double bonds are formed, hydrogen atoms are...
fatty acid
Fatty acid
In chemistry, especially biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with a long unbranched aliphatic tail , which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have a chain of an even number of carbon atoms, from 4 to 28. Fatty acids are usually derived from...
s with a double bond (C=C) starting after the third carbon atom from the end of the carbon chain.
Essential fatty acid
Essential fatty acid
Essential fatty acids, or EFAs, are fatty acids that humans and other animals must ingest because the body requires them for good health but cannot synthesize them...
s are molecules that cannot be created by the human body but are vital for normal metabolism
Metabolism
Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories...
. One of the two families of these essential fatty acids is the omega-3 fatty acids.
The carbon chain has two ends—the acid (COOH) end and the methyl (CH3) end.
Unanswered Questions
