What is the chemical difference between saturated and unsaturated fats?
Saturated and unsaturated fats are different because of the nature in which the carbon atoms bind to each other. Monounsaturated fats contain at least one C=C double bond, and polyunsaturated contain 2 or more C=C double bonds. When carbon shares 2 electrons it has no free valence electrons to form additional bonds – this means that unsaturated fats contain less hydrogen due to the presence of the double bonds. Saturated fats on the other hand contain no double bonds, and this leaves each carbon atom with 1 extra valence electron in which it will bind with hydrogen.