unsaturated fats

Cultural  

1. A kind of fat in which one or more pairs of electrons in the atoms making up the fat molecule form a bond with a pair of electrons from another atom (a double bond). There are two kinds of unsaturated fats: monounsaturated, which contain one double bond; and polyunsaturated, which contain two or more double bonds. Monounsaturated fats are found in peanuts, peanut butter, olives, and avocados. Polyunsaturated fats, which are usually liquid at room temperature, are found in oils such as corn, sunflower, and soybean.

---

Discover More

Unsaturated fats are generally regarded to be healthier in the diet than saturated fats because they may help lower the level of cholesterol in the blood.

Example Sentences

It also assessed the nutrient and bioactive profile of pecans, including unsaturated fats, fiber and polyphenols, and identified gaps that should be addressed in future research.

From Science Daily • Feb. 22, 2026

Since then, nutrition scientists have recognized that not all fats should be treated the same, and that unsaturated fats found in nuts, seeds, fish and certain vegetable oils can lower disease risk.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 19, 2024

This means grass-fed meat tends to have higher levels of unsaturated fats than conventional meat and is why some research suggests it's healthier.

From Salon • Aug. 10, 2023

Among the foods that received high scores were fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, whole grains and foods rich in unsaturated fats and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, like fish, avocados and olive oil.

From Washington Post • Oct. 18, 2022

Vegetable oils with high proportions of unsaturated fats, the kind that all the authorities push because they contain no cholesterol, go rancid rapidly upon very brief exposure to air.

From How and When to Be Your Own Doctor by Solomon, Steve