Palmitic acid facts for kids

Palmitic acid, also known as hexadecanoic acid, is a very common type of fatty acid. Think of fatty acids as building blocks for fats and oils. This particular one has a chain of 16 carbon atoms. It's the most common saturated fatty acid found in animals, plants, and tiny living things called microorganisms.

Its chemical formula is CH₃(CH₂)₁₄COOH. Palmitic acid is a big part of the oil that comes from oil palm fruits, making up to 44% of their total fats. You can also find a lot of it in foods like meats, cheeses, butter, and other dairy products, where it can be 50–60% of the total fats.

When palmitic acid forms salts or esters, they are called palmitates. At the normal pH level inside your body, palmitic acid is usually found as the palmitate anion.

Where Palmitic Acid Comes From

Palmitic acid was first discovered in 1840 by a scientist named Edmond Frémy. He found it in palm oil after it had been treated in a process called saponification. This is still the main way we get palmitic acid today. In this process, the fats (called triglycerides) in palm oil are broken down using hot water. The different parts are then separated.

Many other plants and organisms also produce palmitic acid, usually in smaller amounts. It's found in everyday foods like butter, cheese, milk, and meat. You can also find it in cocoa butter, olive oil, soybean oil, and sunflower oil. Some plants, like Karukas, have a lot of it – about 44.90% palmitic acid. A related substance, cetyl palmitate, is found in spermaceti, which comes from sperm whales.

How Palmitic Acid Works in Your Body

When your body has too many carbohydrates, it can turn them into palmitic acid. Palmitic acid is actually the very first fatty acid your body makes when it's building new fats. Because of this, it's a really important part of animals' bodies, including humans. For example, in humans, it makes up about 21–30% of the fat stored in our bodies. It's also a major part of human breast milk, though the amount can change.

Palmitic acid also plays a role in controlling how much fat your body makes. It can signal to a certain enzyme (a type of protein that speeds up chemical reactions) to slow down the production of more palmitic acid.

Some proteins in your body get a special tag called a palmitoyl group. This process is called palmitoylation. This tag is important because it helps many proteins find their correct place, especially on the outer parts of cells.

Uses of Palmitic Acid

Making Soaps and Cosmetics

Palmitic acid is used to make things like soaps, cosmetics, and special substances that help things slide out of molds easily. For these uses, a substance called sodium palmitate is often used. This is usually made by treating palm oil with sodium hydroxide, which is also known as caustic soda or lye. This process breaks down the oil and creates glycerol and sodium palmitate.

If you add hydrogen to palmitic acid, it turns into cetyl alcohol. Cetyl alcohol is then used to make detergents and more cosmetics.

In Foods

Palmitic acid and its sodium salt are widely used in processed foods. They are not very expensive and help give foods a nice texture and a good "mouthfeel" – that's the way food feels in your mouth. Sodium palmitate is even allowed as a natural additive in foods that are certified as organic.

Military Use in History

During World War II, special salts made from palmitic acid and another acid called naphthenic acid were used. These salts were mixed with gasoline to create a gelling agent for a substance known as napalm. The name "napalm" actually comes from combining parts of the words naphthenic acid and palmitic acid.

Recent Research on Palmitic Acid

Recent studies have looked at how palmitic acid in our diet affects our health. A large review of many studies in 2021 suggested that if people replace the palmitic acid in their diet with unsaturated fatty acids or oleic acid, it can help reduce certain markers related to heart and metabolic health. These markers include LDL-cholesterol (often called "bad" cholesterol), total cholesterol, and apoB levels.

Images for kids

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  The chemical structure of palmitic acid.

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  A 3D model of palmitic acid, showing its atoms.

See also

In Spanish: Ácido palmítico para niños