Oleic acid

Oleic acid is an 18-carbon monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid with one cis double bond. It occurs in many animal fats and vegetable oils, especially olive oil.

Fatty acid: A carboxylic acid with a hydrocarbon chain, commonly found in fats and oils. Oleic acid is one member of this broad chemical family.
Melting point: The temperature at which a substance changes from solid to liquid at a specified pressure. Oleic acid’s kinked cis chain lowers its melting point relative to stearic acid.
Olive oil: An edible oil extracted from the fruit of the olive tree, rich in oleic acid. Oleic acid is typically the predominant fatty acid in olive oil.
Mediterranean diet: A dietary pattern emphasizing vegetables, legumes, fruits, grains, and olive oil. Olive oil supplies much of the oleic acid associated with this dietary pattern.
Monounsaturated fat: A fat whose fatty-acid chains each contain one carbon–carbon double bond. Oleic acid has exactly one double bond in its hydrocarbon chain.
Lipid bilayer: A double layer of lipid molecules that forms the basic structure of cell membranes. Oleoyl chains can influence membrane packing and fluidity.
High-oleic sunflower oil: Sunflower oil from cultivars bred to contain unusually high proportions of oleic acid. It uses oleic acid’s relative oxidative stability in a cooking oil.
Low-density lipoprotein: A blood lipoprotein that transports cholesterol from the liver to peripheral tissues. Replacing saturated fats with monounsaturated fats can affect LDL cholesterol levels.
Cis–trans isomerism: A form of geometric isomerism caused by restricted rotation around a double bond. Oleic acid’s cis geometry bends its chain and distinguishes it from elaidic acid.
Lipid peroxidation: Oxidative degradation of lipids, especially unsaturated fatty acids, by reactive species. Oleic acid can oxidize at its double bond, though it is less susceptible than polyunsaturated fats.

Linked from 22 pages