Meaning & use
unsaturated fats
Last updated
Meanings
nounpluraltechnical
A group of fats whose chemical structure has at least one double bond, found in foods like olive oil, nuts, and fish.
Grammar: Always plural in this form; use a singular phrase like 'an unsaturated fat' only when talking about one type.
Patterns
- unsaturated fats in something
- a source of unsaturated fats
- replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats
Nutritionists recommend replacing butter with oils that are high in unsaturated fats.
Nuts and avocados are good sources of unsaturated fats.
The label shows that most of the fat in the product comes from unsaturated fats.
nouncountabletechnical
A type of fat, either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, that is usually liquid at room temperature.
Grammar: Used as a countable noun when referring to specific kinds: 'an unsaturated fat such as olive oil'.
Patterns
- an unsaturated fat
- monounsaturated fats
- polyunsaturated fats
Olive oil is an unsaturated fat that stays liquid in the cupboard.
There are two main kinds of unsaturated fats: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
Doctors often suggest cooking with unsaturated fats instead of solid ones.
Common combinations
- high in unsaturated fats
- Oily fish is high in unsaturated fats.
- source of unsaturated fats
- Seeds are a useful source of unsaturated fats.
- replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats
- Try to replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats in your daily cooking.
- unsaturated fats in the diet
- A moderate amount of unsaturated fats in the diet is considered healthy.
Synonyms and how they differ
- healthy fats
- An informal term for fats that are generally good for you, including unsaturated fats; it is less precise and can also include some other fats.
- good fats
- Everyday phrase often used in advertising; it usually means unsaturated fats but is not a scientific term.
Opposites
Word family
- unsaturated adjective
- Describing a fat or oil that has double bonds in its chemical structure.
- monounsaturated adjective
- Having one double bond; a type of unsaturated fat.
- polyunsaturated adjective
- Having more than one double bond; another type of unsaturated fat.
Commonly confused: unsaturated fats or saturated fats?
unsaturated fats vs saturated fats
These are fats with no double bonds, usually solid at room temperature and linked to higher cholesterol; unsaturated fats have double bonds and are usually liquid.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'unsaturated fats' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option 2 is correct because 'unsaturated fats' is a plural noun and takes a plural verb or appears after a phrase like 'rich in'. Option 1 uses a singular verb 'is' with a plural noun; option 3 uses the singular article 'an' with a plural noun; option 4 is factually wrong because unsaturated fats are usually liquid.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “unsaturated fats”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.