What is the difference between mono-unsaturated fats and poly-unsaturated fats?

Question

What is the difference between mono-unsaturated fats and poly-unsaturated fats?

Answer 1

Good Fats

Polyunsaturated Fat Foods - Margarine (first ingredient is polyunsaturated oil) . Mayonnaise (regular or reduced-fat)

Best Fats

Monounsaturated Fat Foods - Avocado Oil (canola, olive, peanut, sesame) Olives (all) , Nuts

Answer 2

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 eliminated. Thus, a saturated fat is "saturated" with hydrogen atoms. In cellular metabolism hydrogen-carbon bonds are broken down - or oxidized - to produce energy, thus an unsaturated fat molecule contains somewhat less energy (i.e fewer calories) than a comparable sized saturated fat. The greater the degree of unsaturation in a fatty acid (ie, the more double bonds in the fatty acid), the more vulnerable it is to lipid peroxidation (rancidity). Antioxidants can protect unsaturated fat from lipid peroxidation. Unsaturated fats also have a more enlarged shape than saturated fats.