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Polyunsaturated fats remain liquid at room temperature and also when chilled. They help to lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase your HDL (good) cholesterol. Both the omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats. The omega 6 fat is found mainly in vegetable oils such as sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, corn and soybean oils. Omega 3 is mainly found in cold water fish, such as herring, mackerel, tuna and sardines. But you can also find omega 3 oils in linseed (flaxseed), rapeseed (canola), hemp, pumpkin seed and walnut oils. At this time there is no recommended daily allowance set for omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. It is believed you need 5 times more omega 6 than you do omega 3 fatty acids.

Monounsaturated fat is a fat that is liquid at room temperature but can solidify to varying degrees when chilled. These fats help to lower your over all cholesterol. They can be found in olive, canola, peanut and other nut oils.

Saturated fats such as trans fats and hydrogenated fats are to be avoided. Trans fats and hydrogenated fats have been converted from a liquid state to a solid state and will remain solid at room temperature thus making them a saturated fat. Solid fats increase the build up of fatty deposits in your blood vessels, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke. Saturated fats are found in animal products such as meat and milk products. Saturated fats are also in tropical plant oils such as palm and coconut.

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