Omega 3 Fatty Acids Structure

Omega 3 has the first double bond at carbon number 3 counting from the methyl end and omega 6 has the first double bond at carbon number 6 counting from the methyl end.

Omega 3 fatty acids structure. Omega 3 fatty acids c60h92o6 cid 56842239 structure chemical names physical and chemical properties classification patents literature biological. Omega 3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats a type of fat your body can t make. The fish fish oil based omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids also referred to as n 3 fatty acids. The molecular formula of omega 3 fatty acid is c 6 0h 92 o 6 with molecular weight 909 39 g mol.

Figure 21 6 shows the structure of n 3 pufas mozaffarian and wu 2011 the most important pufas are omega 3 and omega 6. Pufas are fatty acids that contain more than one double bond in their backbone. Omega 3 fatty acids are one of the essential fats that our body needs for various processes but cannot make from scratch. The omega 3 fatty acids are long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids ranging from 18 to 22 carbon atoms in chain length with the first of many double bonds beginning at the third carbon upon counting from the methyl end of the fatty acid structure.

There are three main types of omega 3 fatty acids ala dha and epa. Omega 3 fatty acids also called omega 3 oils ω 3 fatty acids or n 3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids pufas characterized by the presence of a double bond three atoms away from the terminal methyl group in their chemical structure. The term polyunsaturated refers to their chemical structure as poly means many and unsaturated. They are widely distributed in nature being important constituents of animal lipid metabolism and they play an important role in the human.

Alpha linolenic acid ala is the most common omega 3 fatty acid in your diet. Types of omega 3 fatty acid. Foods which contain omega 3 fatty acids are cod liver oil fish vegetable oils walnuts flax seed oil and leafy vegetables. Your body mainly uses it for energy.