We get many fats from the foods we eat. Our bodies also manufacture some fats. As with all nutrients, when we consume fat, our bodies break it down to individual components and then use those components to build something else. It's like having three kinds of beads strung together, pulling them apart, and then stringing them in a whole new pattern. We name fatty acids by their chemical structure and call them saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated.
Saturated fats are among the most common fats in our diet.
They are found in animal foods like meat, poultry, and full-fat dairy products, and in tropical oils like palm and coconut. Diets high in saturated fats are associated with higher risks of heart disease, certain cancers, and stroke. Unsaturated fats are found in foods from both plant and animal sources. MUFA are found mostly in vegetable oils such as olive, canola, and peanut. PUFA are found in nuts and vegetable oils such as safflower, sunflower, and soybean, and in fatty fish.