Why are triglycerides soluble in non-polar substances?
Triglycerides are esters derived from glycerol and three fatty acids of varying chain lengths but containing around 16, 18 or 20 carbon atoms per fatty acid. The glycerol part of a triglyceride molecule is slightly polar, while the hydrocarbon tails contributed by the fatty acids are highly non-polar. As a result, all triglycerides are non-polar and because like dissolves like, triglycerides dissolve in fats, oils, lipids, and other non-polar solvents such as hexane or toluene.
