Fats are called saturated fats, if the number of
saturated fatty acids, which make up the fat is bigger than the number
of unsaturated fatty acids, and vice versa, fats are called unsaturated fats, when they contain more unsaturated fatty acids than saturated ones.
Saturated fats are usually soild at room temperature, like e.g.
butter, lard, or coconut oil. Saturated fats are associated with high
cholesterol levels, which can contribute to heart disease.
Unsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature, like vegetable oils.
Sources of monounsaturated fats are olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados, and most nuts, as well as high-oleic safflower and sunflower oils.
Polyunsaturated fats are essentialfats,
which means they are needed for body functions, but cannot be made by
the body itself. They have to be taken in with food. The two main types
of polyunsaturated fats are omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. The numbers refer to the number of the carbon atom of the first double bound, counted from the methyl end.
Sources of omega-3 fatty acids include fatty fish such as salmon,
mackerel, and sardines, flaxseeds, walnuts, canola oil, and
un-hydrogenated soybean oil.
Sources of omega-6 fatty acids include vegetable oils such as safflower, soybean, sunflower, walnut, and corn oils.
Most diets are low in omega-3 fatty acids and high in either
saturated, hydrogenated or omega-6 fatty acids. These imbalances can
have negative health impacts. Replacing saturated fats in the diet with
polyunsaturated fats, and especially omega-3 fatty acids, is
recommended.
