Fat is a type of nutrient. You need some fat in your diet but not too much. Fats give you energy and help your body absorb vitamins. Dietary fat also plays a major role in your cholesterol levels. But not all fats are the same. You should try to avoid: Saturated fats such as butter, solid shortening, and lard; Trans fats. These are found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs). By 2018, most U.S. companies will not be allowed to add PHOs to food. Try to replace them with oils such as canola, olive, safflower, sesame, or sunflower. Of course, eating too much fat will put on the pounds. Fat has twice as many calories as proteins or carbohydrates. NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Fats present in food, especially in animal products such as meat, meat products, butter, ghee. They are present in lower amounts in nuts, seeds, and avocados.

(dietary lipid) A chemically heterogeneous group of organic compounds found in food that are insoluble in water but soluble in nonpolar solvents.

(dietary lipid) A class of food constituents, also known as fats and oils, that serve as a source of energy and essential fatty acids in animals. The major components of lipids are fatty acids, triglycerides, phospholipids, glycolipids, sphingolipids, steroids (cholesterol), and lipoproteins.