unsaturated fat
noun
plural unsaturated fats
: a fat (see fat entry 3 sense 2b) that contains a fatty acid (see fatty acid sense 2) molecule which has one or more double bonds in its hydrocarbon chain, that is liquid at room temperature, and that is found in many plant sources (such as nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils) and some fish
Research connects consuming moderate amounts of unsaturated fats with a slew of health benefits, most notably, lower risk of premature death. Unsaturated fats can help boost good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol in your blood, which can lower your risk of heart disease or stroke …—
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland ClinicI found that brownies that contained mostly saturated fat (and thus lots of rigid carbon chains) baked up quite tender and not at all chewy, while brownies made with mostly unsaturated fat (and more flexible carbon chains) were the chewier ones.—Andrea Geary
see also monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat compare saturated fat, trans fat
Andrea GearyExamples of unsaturated fat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
It is advised to consume unsaturated fats (MUFA and PUFA) instead of saturated and trans fats.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 14 Oct. 2024
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Merve Ceylan, Health, 14 Oct. 2024
Dictionary Entries Near unsaturated fat
Cite this Entry
“Unsaturated fat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsaturated%20fat. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
unsaturated fat
noun
: a fat (see fat entry 2 sense 2b) that contains a fatty acid (see fatty acid sense 2) molecule which has one or more double bonds in its hydrocarbon chain, that is liquid at room temperature, and that is found in many plant sources (such as nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils) and some fish
Foods from animal sources such as meat, milk, and eggs contain more saturated than unsaturated fats. Conversely, foods from vegetable sources such as the oils contain more unsaturated fat.—Sue Rodwell Williams, Nutrition and Diet Therapy
Sue Rodwell Williams, Nutrition and Diet Therapy"The data suggest that any oil that's high in unsaturated fats—whether it's polyunsaturated or monounsaturated—is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease," says Alice Lichtenstein of the U.S. Department of Agriculture …—Bonnie Liebman, Nutrition Action Health Letter
see also monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat compare saturated fat, trans fat
Bonnie Liebman, Nutrition Action Health LetterLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share