Weak Links Produce Weak Fats
An absent pair of hydrogen atoms produces a "weak link" in the carbon chain and can have a profound effect on your health. The more hydrogen atoms missing, the more weak links in the chain.
Because they don't have any lacking hydrogen atoms or double-bonded carbons, saturated fats are not vulnerable to oxidation and free-radical formation as unsaturated fats are. The food industry have known this unsaturated fat health problem for many decades. Why do you think they have been hydrogenating unsaturated oils such as corn and soybean oils like crazy?
When oils oxidize, they turn rancid and bring about dangerous free radicals. Saturated fats are very stable making them very good at helping preventing spoilage. Other types of fats, particularly polyunsaturated fats, are not as stable - not even close.
Many studies have shown that polyunsaturated oils encourage cancer because they produce huge amounts of free radicals that assault the DNA of your cells.
The Ideal Cooking Oil
Coconut oil is 92 percent saturated, making it the safest oil for food preparation. Its chemical structure is so durable that it functions as an antioxidant. When heated, coconut oil is 16 times more resistant to oxidation than soybean oil, and 300 times tougher than flaxseed oil.
If processed correctly, organic virgin coconut oil can be stored for at least three years without going rancid. Absolutely no refrigeration needed. When used in frying, it can be heated and reheated without creating harmful free radicals. Truly, "The Mightiest Oil on Earth."
For the other method of classifying fats, please visit kinds of fats based on the length of the carbon chain.