Member Recipe Search

Time:
Meal:
Class:
Benefit:

Order By:

Solid Fats

Butter is a common solid fat Solid fats are fats that are solid at room temperature, like butter and shortening. Solid fats come from many animal foods and can be made from vegetable oils through a process called hydrogenation. Some common solid fats are:

butter
beef fat (tallow, suet)
chicken fat
pork fat (lard)
stick margarine
shortening

Foods high in solid fats include:

many cheeses
creams
ice creams
well-marbled cuts of meats
regular ground beef
bacon
sausages
poultry skin
many baked goods (such as cookies, crackers, donuts, pastries, and croissants)

In some cases, the fat in these foods is invisible. Regular cheese and whole milk are high in solid fat, even though it is not visible.

Most solid fats are high in saturated fats and/or trans fats and have less monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. Animal products containing solid fats also contain cholesterol.

In contrast to solid fats, oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature, like the vegetable oils used in cooking. Oils come from many different plants and from fish. Some common oils:

canola oil
corn oil
olive oil
peanut oil
safflower oil
soybean oil
sunflower oil

Some oils are used mainly as flavorings, such as walnut oil and sesame oil. A number of foods are naturally high in oils, such as:

nuts
olives
some fish
avocados

A few plant oils, including coconut oil and palm kernel oil, are high in saturated fats and for nutritional purposes should be considered solid fats.

* information supplied by U. S. Department of Agriculture

Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. Consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.

Solid Fats

What are Solid Fats?