The term saturation refers to the amount of hydrogen in a particular fat. Saturated fat means the fat contains the maximum amount of hydrogen. Unsaturated means there is one point in the chain where hydrogen is missing and polyunsaturated means there are two or more points where hydrogen is missing. Hydrogen is added to fats to keep them from going rancid at room temperature. An easy way to identify the different fats is to remember that the more saturated a fat, the harder it is at room temperature.
Lets look at lard, chicken fat and safflower oil as examples.
Most experts recommend that we try and cut back on saturated fat levels because the body converts saturated fat into cholesterol in the blood. Saturated fat also reduces the body's ability to transport cholesterol in the blood to the liver where it is broken down and eliminated. Polyunsaturated fats, on the other hand, may help lower the level of certain types of cholesterol in the blood. Try using oils such as canola, olive, safflower, and sunflower - all are low in saturated fat and high in polyunsaturated fat. The shakes were designed to be used with water, however, if dairy is a desirable part of your diet there is no problem mixing the shakes with milk.