What Do We Mean by Saturated and Unsaturated Fats?

Regardless of the origin of a triglyceride source (plant or animal), the triglycerides will contain a mixture of fatty acids. When we say that a fat source is saturated, we are indicating that the majority of the fatty acids within the source are saturated. For instance, we often refer to butter and beef fat as saturated fats. This is because the majority of their fatty acids are saturated. Table 5.2 lists the approximate percentages of fatty acids for each food source.