Saturated Fat
A fat whose fatty acid chains contain only single carbon–carbon bonds.
Unit
Dimensionless
In depth
Straight saturated chains pack closely together, maximising dispersion forces, so saturated fats are solid at room temperature and have higher melting points. Dietary excess is associated with raised low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and cardiovascular risk.
Examples in the real world
Butter, lard, coconut oil and the fat marbling red meat.