Guide to Fats  —by Eleanor Mayfield Source: The U.S. Food and
Drug Administration    Fats and Fatty Acids   There are three
main types of fatty acids: saturated, monounsaturated and
polyunsaturated. All fatty acids are molecules composed mostly
of carbon and hydrogen atoms. A saturated fatty acid has the
maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms attached to every
carbon atom. It is therefore said to be “saturated” with
hydrogen atoms.  Some fatty acids are missing one pair of
hydrogen atoms in the middle of the molecule. This gap is called
an “unsaturation” and the fatty acid is said to be
“monounsaturated” because it has one gap. Fatty acids that are
missing more than one pair of hydrogen atoms are called
“polyunsaturated.”  Saturated fatty acids are mostly found in
foods of animal origin. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated
fatty acids are mostly found in foods of plant origin and some
seafoods. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are of two kinds, omega-3
or omega-6. Scientists tell them apart by where in the mole