•Fat tissue is a storage depot of long-term calories, so when needed, our bodies can access this “caloric bank” thus preserving lean body mass and preventing starvation.

•Two essential fatty acids (alpha-linolenic and alpha-linoleic) must be consumed in the diet, so a completely fat-free diet is (eventually) deadly.

•Fats are made of chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms.  “Saturation” refers to the chemical structure of a fat.  The more saturated it is, the more hydrogen it contains in the carbon chain.  If there is more hydrogen in the chain, there are fewer double bonds required by the carbon atoms. 

•Saturated fats are more solid at room temperature.  For example, butter can sit out at room temperature and still remain relatively solid.  Where as canola oil is completely liquid at room temperature.  When a home-made soup, such as beef or chicken soup, sits at room temperature or is refrigerated, the fat will rise to the top and form a firm layer.  This behavior of fat makes it fairly easy to recognize saturated fats in the diet.

•Saturated fats are more closely linked with increased cardiovascular disease risk when consumed in excess, compared to unsaturated fats (see next slide).