Diet and Healthy Nutrition - About Dietary Fat - Diet and Nutrition Guides

Reducing dietary fat has become a major,
if not the primary, dietary goal for many
consumers. With encouragement from health
groups and government agencies, the public
is choosing foods and beverages naturally
low in fat, as well as the fast-growing array
of prepared reduced-fat and non-fat foods
and beverages. The development of a wide
variety of ingredients known as fat replacers
are making these light products possible.

Fatty acids are either saturated or
monounsaturated or polyunsaturated.

Saturated fats are mainly found in foods of
animal origin. These include the fats in whole
milk, cream, cheese, butter, meat and poultry.
Saturated fats also can be found in large amounts
in some vegetable products, such as cocoa butter,
coconut oil and palm oil. Saturated fats are
usually solid at room temperature.

Monounsaturated fats are found primarily in
plants, but also are found in animals. Olive,
peanut and canola oil are common examples of
fats high in monounsaturated fatty acids.
Also, most margarines and hydrogenated
vegetable shortenings tend to be high in
monounsaturated fatty acids. Monounsaturated
fats are liquid at room temperature.

Polyunsaturated fats are found mostly in plants.
Sunflower, corn, soybean, cotton seed and
safflower oils are vegetable fats that contain a
relatively high proportion of polyunsaturated fats.
Margarines with vegetable oil as the primary
ingredient, and some fish, also are sources of
polyunsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats
usually are liquid at room temperature.

Source: Calorie Control Council