Fat includes what we commonly call "fats" and "oils". "Fats" in the everyday sense are solid at room temperature while oils are liquid. Fats are made up of fatty acids that give fats their different flavors, textures, and melting points. There are two types, saturated and unsaturated. Nutritionists call both saturated and unsaturated fats "triglycerides". A triglyceride has three fatty acids attached to a substance called glycerol.

Fat's basic component is therefore the triglyceride, which consists of a glycerol base with three fatty acid chains attached. The difference between the various types of fats depends upon which fatty acids are in the triglyceride.

Unsaturated fatty acids (linoleic and linolenic acid) must be taken in the diet and are thus called essential fatty acids. Cholesterol is not an acid, but a type of fat found mainly in animal products such as egg yolk.

When digested, triglycerides are broken down into fatty acids and glycerol, which can then be absorbed.

There are four main types of fat, each with different chemistry:

1. Saturated
2. Monounsaturated
3. Polyunsaturated
4. Trans Fat

Fats are made up of fatty acids. The main difference among fats is the extent of saturation of the chemical bonds in the fatty acids. Saturation is measured by the amount of hydrogen atoms that are connected to the carbon chain.

Saturated Fat (SFA)

Saturated fat has a fat molecular structure condensed with hydrogen, where all the existing space in the fat molecular structure is occupied. SFA contains fatty acids like stearic acid, palmitic acid, and butyric acid. Having high melting points, saturated fats are usually in solid forms at room temperature. SFA is found most in animal foods like meat, poultry, butter (which contain 66% SFA), and whole milk. Other sources of SFA include coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils. This type of fat is very visible in beef, while less visible in others such as palm oil.

In the modern day diet, most of the SFA in our body is derived from consumption of animals reared in commercial animal farms. Not only are these animals fed hormones to speed their growth and antibiotics to prevent diseases, they are also grain fed to enhance their productivity and taste. Upon maturity, they are sent to the slaughtering house. Researches have shown that the amount of saturated fat found in such animals to be higher than those animals that are allowed to run free and fed organic food. This higher level of SFA is transferred to us upon consumption of their meat.

According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), the American diet contains between 14 to 18 percent saturated fat. Specific foods which contain a significant amount of saturated fat include chicken fat (30 percent), vegetable shortening (31 percent), lard (40 percent), beef fat (50 percent), butter (62 percent), palm kernel oil (81 percent), and coconut oil (86 percent).

SF also comes from hardened or hydrogenated vegetable oils (e.g. vegetable fat and hardened or hydrogenated marine/fish oils), biscuits, cakes, tarts, pie crust, pastries, chocolate, coffee creamers, milk or dairy solids, ice cream, non-dairy cream substitutes, and shortening.

While many studies linked a high intake of SFA to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, the exact mechanism is not fully understood. It appears that the effect of SFA intake on cardiovascular disease incidence is only mediated through its effect on raising LDL cholesterol levels. If LDL cholesterol level is under control, then SFA has no independent effect. In other words, if the LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels are within normal limits, then adjustment of saturated fat intake in the diet will have little benefit.

SFA can be obtained from animal and plant sources, although animal sources are most common. The best animal source of SFA comes from cattle, poultry, and fish. Meat from free roaming grass fed cattle, poultry fed organic food instead of grain fed, or fish have the least SFA, while commercially raised grain fed cattle or chicken raised in a chicken farm have the most SFA. It’s best to obtain your SFA from consuming meat from free range animal or from vegetarian sources such as seeds and nuts. If this is not possible, consider reducing the amount of SFA by eliminating all noticeable solid fat and draining off all fat from cooked meats before consumption. A simple way is to remove the solidified fat found on top of stews a day in advance before reheating or making chili, stew, or soups. Broiling is more favorable than pan-fry meats, like hamburgers, chops, and steaks. Lean meats or extra lean meats are also recommended.

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