There are different kinds of fat in foods, and some types are worse than others. Saturated fats are found in dairy products made with whole milk and in meat. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature. The liver uses certain nutrients, and especially saturated fats, as the building blocks of cholesterol. Therefore, eating too much saturated fat raises blood cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease.
Hydrogenated oils is a term often found in food labels.
Through a manufacturing process, liquid vegetable oils can be made to stay solid at room temperature. Therefore, they act as saturated fats and should be avoided in the diet. Unsaturated fats, found mostly in plants, are liquid at room temperature. They are less likely to cause heart disease. Polyunsaturated fats are found in safflower, sunflower, corn, soybean, and cottonseed oils and in some fish.