Dietary fat is mostly composed of glycerol and three fatty acids.
Fatty acids are divided based on their length (number of carbon atoms), number of double bonds, and the position of double bonds in the chain:
• saturated fatty acids have no double bonds,
• monounsaturated fatty acids contain a single double bond,
• polyunsaturated fatty acids contain two or more double bonds.
The type of fatty acids determines the property of fat and how this fat influences your health.
The least beneficial for your body is saturated fat, found primarily in foods of animal origin, such as fatty meat, milk and dairy products, beef tallow, and lard. Saturated fat is also present in many foods of plant origin, such as coconut, palm, and cocoa butter. One thing all these sources of fat have in common is that at room temperature they are solids (e.g., a block of butter).
A high intake of these fats is related to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, which is why it is recommended to limit the intake to maximum 10% of your daily energy intake or one third of all consumed fats.
Contrary to saturated fat, unsaturated fat has a positive influence on blood sugar levels (it reduces LDL cholesterol) and cardiovascular health. At room temperature, unsaturated fats are usually liquid (oil). It is recommended that they represent 20% of your daily energy intake or two thirds of all consumed fats.