How do the lipid bonds in hydrogenated fats differ from those in natural fats?

Hydrogenated fats undergo a chemical process where hydrogen is added to liquid vegetable oils, resulting in the conversion of unsaturated fats—typically found in natural fats—into saturated fats. This process increases the density of hydrogen atoms in the fat molecules, leading to a higher level of saturation. Saturated fats have no double bonds between the carbon atoms in their fatty acid chains, making them solid at room temperature.

In contrast, natural fats contain a mixture of both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Unsaturated fats, primarily derived from plants, have one or more double bonds that create kinks in their structure, preventing the molecules from packing closely together—thus existing as liquids at room temperature. By hydrogenating these fats, the resulting hydrogenated fat has fewer double bonds and more single bonds, which characterizes it as more saturated than natural fats. This saturation level contributes to the longer shelf life and stability of hydrogenated fats in food products.