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Fats are organic compounds that are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. They are a source of energy in foods. Fats belong to a group of substances called lipids, and come in liquid or solid form. All fats are combinations of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.Fat is one of the three nutrients (along with protein and carbohydrates) that supply calories to the body. Fat provides 9 calories per gram, more than twice the number provided by carbohydrates or protein.

Fat is essential for the proper functioning of the body. Fats provide essential fatty acids, which are not made by the body and must be obtained from food. The essential fatty acids are linoleic and linolenic acid. They are important for controlling inflammation, blood clotting, and brain development. Fat serves as the storage substance for the body's extra calories. It fills the fat cells (adipose tissue) that help insulate the body. Fats are also an important energy source. When the body has used up the calories from carbohydrate, which occurs after the first 20 minutes of exercise, it begins to depend on the calories from fat.

Healthy skin and hair are maintained by fat. Fat helps the body absorb and move the vitamins A, D, E, and K through the bloodstream.Fats are structural components of some of the most important substances in the body, including prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that regulate many of the body's functions.

 Fats regulate the production of sex hormones, which explains why some teenage girls who are too lean experience delayed pubertal development and amenorrhea.One of the more obvious signs of fatty acid deficiency is dry, flaky skin. In addition to giving skin its rounded appeal, the layer of fat just beneath the skin (called subcutaneous fat) acts as the body's own insulation to help regulate body temperature. Lean people tend to be more sensitive to cold; obese people tend to be more sensitive to warm weather.The major kinds of fats in the foods we eat are saturated, unsaturated and trans fatty acids,  hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats..

Saturated fats
Having too much saturated fat can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases the chance of developing heart disease.

These are all high in saturated fat:

• meat products, meat pies, sausages
• hard cheese
• butter and lard
• pastry
• cakes and biscuits
• cream, soured cream and crème fraîche
• coconut oil, coconut cream or palm oil

 Unsaturated fats:
These fats  help to lower blood cholesterol if used in place of saturated fats. However, unsaturated fats have a lot of calories, so you still need to limit them. Most (but not all) liquid vegetable oils are unsaturated. (The exceptions include coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils.) There are two types of unsaturated fats:

Monounsaturated fats: Examples include olive and canola oils.
Polyunsaturated fats: Examples include fish, safflower, sunflower, corn, and soybean oils. 

Trans-fatty acids:
Trans-fatty acids are manufactured fats created during a process called hydrogenation, which is aimed at stabilizing polyunsaturated oils to prevent them from becoming rancid and to keep them solid at room temperature. They may be particularly dangerous for the heart and may pose a risk for certain cancers. Trans fats are often found in these types of foods: biscuits and cakes, fast food, pastry, some margarines.
These sorts of food are usually high in saturated fat, sugar and salt so if you are trying to eat a healthy diet, you should try to keep these to a minimum.

Trans fats are also found naturally at very low levels in foods such as dairy products, beef and lamb.  

Hydrogenated and Partially Hydrogenated fats:
This refers to oils that have become hardened (such as hard butter and margarine). Partially hydrogenated means the oils are only partly hardened. Foods made with hydrogenated oils should be avoided because they contain high levels of trans fatty acids, which are linked to heart disease.

During food processing, fats may undergo a chemical process called hydrogenation. "Hydrogenate" means to add hydrogen or, in the case of fatty acids, to saturate. The process changes a liquid oil, naturally high in unsaturated fatty acids, to a more solid and more saturated form. The greater the degree of hydrogenation, the more saturated the fat becomes. Many commercial products contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Recent studies suggest that these fats may raise blood cholesterol. The fatty acid content of most margarines and spreads is printed on the package or label. Liquid and soft tub margarines contain little saturated fat or trans fat.

Here are some commercial foods that are notoriously high in hydrogenated fats:

• cookies
• airline snack foods
• some crackers
• french fries
• pies
• shortening
• pot pies
• deep-fried burgers
• pretzels
• fried chicken
• doughnuts
• fried potatoes
• muffins
• corn chips
• stuffing’s
• spoonable dressing
• potato chips
• some peanut butters
• candy bars
• fast-food shakes
• nondairy creamer
• some cereals
• cakes
• margarine
• biscuits

Eating too much saturated fat is one of the major risk factors for heart disease. A diet high in saturated fat causes a soft, waxy substance called cholesterol to build up in the arteries. Too much fat also increases the risk of heart disease because of its high calorie content, which increases the chance of becoming obese (another risk factor for heart disease and some types of cancer).

A large intake of polyunsaturated fat may increase the risk for some types of cancer. Reducing daily fat intake is not a guarantee against developing cancer or heart disease, but it does help reduce the risk factors.