Fatty acids are organic substances found at room temperature in the solid and liquid and semi-solid phases. They belong to the group of carboxylic acids, compounds that have carboxyl, carbon attached to an oxygen and a hydroxyl. The term "fat" is often used to denote fatty acids. However, fats are formed not only by these molecules, but by the union of these fatty acids to a glycerol molecule. Fats can be solid or liquid at room temperature, depending on the structure of the fatty acid that makes it up, and can be basically in two forms: saturated or unsaturated.
The main types of fatty acids are saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Omega fatty acid is a fat and cannot be classified as a fatty acid.
containing several double or triple bonds between carbon atoms. Polyunsaturated fats, which are usually of plant origin, are regarded as healthier in the diet than saturated fats.
