A Comprehensive Look at Omega Fatty Acids

An in-depth review of omega fatty acids, exploring what fatty acids such as omega-3s are, what they do, which you (or your dog) may need, and sourcing from foods, oils and oil capsule supplements.

Short on time? Skim the bold text - section headings and summaries - for relevant and important facts. There is a glossary at the end.

What are Fats and “Fatty Acids”?

Fats, a part of our diet, are made of fatty acids plus glycerol. A fat’s fatty acids, carbon bonds and molecular structure determine its healthfulness and use.

It helps to understand this first. Some lipids are considered dietary fats. Dietary fats are one of three macronutrients in the human diet. Like the other macronutrients (proteins and carbohydrates), fats are made of smaller building blocks linked together. In fats, the components are called fatty acids (the equivalent in proteins are amino acids, and in carbohydrates, monosaccharides).

The types of fatty acids in the chains of a fat molecule impact the effect of that fat on the body, because just as different amino acids have diverse effects in the body, each fatty acid works in a unique way.

However, fats are not simply as good as their building blocks, because, unlike other macronutrients, fats are not just chains of repeated components. Instead, fat is made by attaching three fatty acid chains to one glycerol molecule. The types of bonds that connect the parts and the various structures that result directly impact how that fat will be burned, stored or used.

What are Omega Fatty Acids?

Omegas are unsaturated fatty acids that, if fresh and intact, provide health benefits.

Omega fatty acids, omegas for short, are a class of healthy fats that play an important role in human health. Some are essential nutrients in mammals; all have similarities in structure and function. 

The omega classification describes the fat’s chemical structure; omegas contain carbon molecules linked with at least one double bond. Since saturated fats do not have double bonds, there are no saturated omega fatty acids.

If most of fatty acids in an oil are omega types, that oil has the potential to be very healthy for humans and other mammals. We need omega fatty acids to build cell membranes, manage inflammation, and support brain and heart function.

What types of Omega Fatty Acids are there?

There are omega-3s, omega-6s, and omega-9s. The primary omegas include:

Omega 3s: ALA, EPA, DHA, DPA

Omega 6s: LA, ARA, GLA, DGLA

Omega 9s: OA

Parents: Two omegas are considered essential or ‘parent’ fatty acids; alpha linoleic acid (ALA), an omega-3, and linolenic acid (LA), an omega-6. There is no essential omega-9.

LA (Linoleic Acid): Identified as the essential “parent” omega-6, this plant-sourced fatty acid supports cellular metabolism and in a healthy human body is the most abundant fatty acid. To avoid imbalance it should be ingested alongside ALA, ideally in a 2-to-1 ratio.

ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid): Identified as the essential “parent” omega-3, this plant-sourced fatty acid is most abundant in flaxseed oil. It serves as a foundational substrate that the body can convert into downstream derivatives.

Long-Chain Derivatives: EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) & DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid): These marine-associated omega-3s support cardiovascular function, healthy triglyceride levels, and neurological/visual development.

Specialized Derivatives: GLA (Gamma-Linolenic Acid): An omega-6 derivative best sourced from evening primrose oil but which can be made in the body from the parent omega-6 LA.

The derivative fatty acids docoeicosapentanoic acid (DHA) and gemma-linoleic acid (GLA), are the most well researched omegas, for brain and skin health, respectively. DHA is especially important, but as a derivative omega-3, we may be able to make it in our body and may not always have to consume it. However, the only way to make it is to have enough parent omega-3 as starting material to convert to DHA.

What are Omega-3 Fatty Acids? What are Omega-6 Fatty Acids?

Omega 3-s and -6s are important, healthy PUFA fats with double bonds starting at the 3rd and 6th position, respectively.

The classification ‘omega’ tells us a fatty acid molecule contains at least one double bond. Double bonds give the fat structure flexibility and fluidity, while simultaneously making it more prone to damage compared to stiffer fats.

Omega 3s and 6s are polyunsaturated fats, or PUFAs, meaning they have many (poly) double bonds. Since fats with naturally occurring double bonds tend to have health benefits, omega-3s and omega-6s include the healthiest fats we can consume.

The number following the word ‘omega’ tells us the position of the first double bond in that fat. Different types of omega-3s or 6s may have different numbers of double bonds from other 3s or 6s, but all omega-3s have their first double bond in the 3rd carbon position, while omega-6s have theirs in the 6th carbon position.

The major omega 3s are ALA, EPA, and DHA. We tend to be deficient in omega-3s and need to get enough. The major omega-6s are LA, which is required in our diet, and AA (also known as ARA), and GLA.

What Do Omega-3 Fatty Acids Do?

Omega-3s are must-haves; we cannot thrive without them, yet most of us fall short.

Omega-3s drastically lower triglycerides and help protect our arteries. It is impossible not to consume omega-3s yet continue to have great physical vitality. Still most people fall short of omega 3s and thereby cut their own potential vitality and cardiovascular health.

The most common dietary fat deficiency is caused by not eating enough omega 3. North Americans underconsume omega-3s which contributes to worse health over time. An Omega-3 Index above 8% is the gold standard for heart and brain health, but we tend to come in at 6%.

If we are chronically low in omega-3, eventually, the body will break down at the cellular, and then at the organ level. Deficiencies increase chronic systemic inflammation, raising the long-term risk profile for cardiovascular events and other age-related chronic illnesses. Eventually, death will occur from a variety of indirect issues.

Large, pooled cohort studies (such as analyses involving the Framingham Heart Study) indicate that individuals with a low Omega-3 index face a relative risk of all-cause mortality comparable to the risk associated with cigarette smoking.

What are Omega-9s?

Omega-9s are healthy monounsaturated fats with a double bond at position 9.

Monounsaturated fats have a single (mono) double bond. For omega-9s, the only bond is at the 9th carbon position. Oleic Acid is the most common monounsaturated omega-9 fat. Eating food rich in omega 9s, like avocado and olive oil, is heart-healthy, but these fats and oils are not required for life.

Monounsaturated fats, including the omega-9s, are often a large part of a healthy diet, but while omega-9s are good, they are optional. A person or a dog could live and thrive without any omega 9s, they are not physiologically necessary. And even if they were, your body can make omega-9. It is possible to never consume them and live a long life with great physical vitality.

Conversely, omega-3s and 6s are essential for health, and studies with olive oil have shown that including monounsaturated fatty acids in moderate amounts may improve the body’s efficiency with these polyunsaturated fats.

Healthy Versus Essential

Omega fatty acids are not equal in importance or benefit.

The importance and usefulness to our body of different dietary fats varies greatly. Yet, all fats provide dense calories. So unless you're in a calorie deficit, it is best to prioritize the most important ones.

Top priority: Seek out properly made, undamaged, unrefined and non-transformed essential fatty acids (alpha linoleic acid and linolenic acid). Make sure you, and your dogs, cats, rabbits and horses get enough ALA and LA to avoid major malfunction and higher risk of death. It is critically important to get enough to support many body functions.

Priority: Other omega 3 and -6 fatty acids. People who consume the most tend to have better heart health, nice skin, and see protective effects for their eyes, brains and overall health. Some like DHA are also critically important.

These are all your diet needs, other fats could be cut out without concern.

Optional:

Good quality uncontaminated omega-9s can be part of a healthy lifestyle. These fats add flavour and diversity to our diets and menus, help with cooking, provide antioxidants, fuel us, and make it easier to absorb fat-soluble vitamins.

Saturated fat has a stability that can be convenient, and many people love their taste or texture. Some can be used to cook with heat, something polyunsaturated oils find damaging. Meat eaters automatically consume saturated fat, which marbles even the leanest meat, wild game and skinless poultry.

What are Essential Fatty Acids?

EFAs are polyunsaturated fats that we all must eat consistently and in quantity.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are vital nutrients that we cannot survive without, but which the human body cannot manufacture. There are two EFAs, which are formally known as alpha linoleic acid and linolenic acid, or ALA and LA, for short. Both are also omegas; ALA is an Omega-3 and LA is an Omega-6.

Getting enough LA and ALA is necessary for health. Nutrition science defines “essential” nutrients as those your body absolutely needs but cannot produce on its own. In human nutrition there are several essential vitamins and minerals, and two essential fatty acids, or EFAs. EFAs are key structural components for cell communication, brain and skin integrity, and nervous system health.

All mammals need both EFAs to live, must get them through food. The link between EFA intake and cardiovascular health is incredibly strong as these two EFAs act as structural components of your cells and signaling molecules that directly dictate how your heart and blood vessels function.

What are Bonds and Why do Double Bonds Matter?

The bonding of atoms in a fat molecule affect its shape and health effect.

We’ve mentioned that omega fatty acids have at least one double bond. But what does that really mean and why does it matter?

The way the hydrogen and carbon atoms in dietary fats align and link together via chemical bonds affects how the molecule behaves and impacts your health. Joining via single or double bonds determines the shape of the molecules, whether they form solid fat or liquid oil, and their effect on the body.

Single bonds result in stiff, straight, uniformly stackable fat molecules that easily become densely packed. Natural double bonds create helpful kinks and bends in the shape of fat molecules, which end up preventing molecules from fitting together too tightly. The looser structure also makes these fats more easily damaged.

What do Saturated, Monounsaturated or Polyunsaturated Mean?

The “saturation” of a fat molecule refers to its bonds, and affects everything.

Saturated fats have no double bonds. Because they are densely packed with hydrogen and have only single bonds, they typically remain solid on the counter and are less affected by high heat than liquid fats would be. However, these less flexible, denser fats also potentially build up in our arteries, and do raise ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol.

Monounsaturated fats have only one double bond. That is enough to allow them to keep flowing at warm room temperatures, but in the refrigerator, they congeal.

Polyunsaturated fats at room temperature are liquid oils, because their many double bonds prevent solidification. Omega-3s and -6s are polyunsaturated oils that stay flowing even when chilled, because of their loose molecular structure. A high intake of these oils is linked to less LDL cholesterol and inflammation.

What are Trans Fats?

Trans fats are transformed to have unnatural double bonds that are straight like single bonded fats. Because your body doesn't handle this artificial shape well, they simultaneously raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol, drastically increasing heart disease risk.

What are Long-Chain or Derivative Omegas?

Our body can use enzymes to change or convert the form of some fat molecules. When a parent fatty acid gets converted, we can derive a new, longer-chain fatty acid from that process. GLA is a long-chain omega-6 that can be derived from Omega-6 LA. It plays a helpful role in managing inflammation response especially in the skin.

The long-chain omega-3s like DHA and EPA are the ones that we can get from algae, seaweeds, krill and ocean fish, and they are used structurally in nerves, eyes, and brain tissue. But we can call them derivatives because they can also be made or derived in our body from the foundational short-chain omega 3s. DHA can be made from EPA, and DHA and EPA can be made from ALA, if you have enough material.

The Importance of DHA

Higher intake of DHA is strongly linked to healthier brains and better aging.

DHA is the primary building block of the brain and directly supports learning, faster processing speeds, and memory retention at all ages.

DHA is critical at many times in life. Too little DHA during gestation can delay brain and neural development in infancy. Too little during childhood development, particularly puberty, can impact one’s overall health, fertility, or ability to conceive a healthy child later.

Adolescence is the second-fastest period of brain growth and restructuring. Teens with higher blood levels of DHA demonstrate significantly better sustained attention, faster reaction times, and less impulsivity, while low DHA levels in teens is strongly linked to a higher risk of depression, anxiety, and mood disorders.

A landmark analysis published in PLoS Medicine estimated that inadequate consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids contributed to roughly 72,000 to 96,000 preventable deaths per year in the United States, ranking it as a leading dietary risk factor.

Moderate-to-high regular intake of omega-3s reduces overall risk of death and lowers dementia risk by roughly 20%. Large observational and prospective cohort studies consistently show that older adults with the lowest dietary intake or lowest blood levels of DHA are up to 50% more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and all-cause dementia.

Omega Ratios and Recommendations

Focus on getting more ALA & DHA, and better-quality LA, polyunsaturated fatty acids.

We need more omega-6 than omega-3; the ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is believed to be 2:1 or greater, depending on climate and ancestry. Why then do recommendations almost always focus on getting more omega-3s (notably DHA)?

Well, it is very easy to get omega-6s and 9s in our diet. Omega-9s are not required for life anyway, and typically, people get into the range for omega-6 LA without really trying (more on that later). And, it makes sense to focus less on EPA omega-3 and GLA omega-6, since many people make enough, and not everyone requires supplements. Additionally, recent global research tells us to aim for an Omega-3 index of at least 8%, yet North Americans hover dangerously below 6%. So, the omega-3 deficit is real.

The reason DHA omega-3 is promoted more than ALA omega-3 is a little more complicated. After all, DHA, like EPA, can be made in the body if we have enough ALA, right? That is true, but poor diets or metabolic health reduce conversion, and different populations have different tendencies, needs and deficiencies.

That matters because nearly all science funding has researched groups (like men, meat eaters, and people with metabolic disease) that benefit from more DHA. And an entire industry was built to promote fish oil as a DHA source, in part founded on that science. And there is a reason we shouldn’t conclude that we are getting the omega-6 we need, as well.

Overall, our diet must include omega-rich foods and oils with LA and ALA daily, and DHA and EPA often, with omega-9 oils or DHA, EPA or GLA supplements as needed. We need to make sure we are consuming all these omega-6s and 3s, but adequate or ideal amounts of each depend on our life stage and biological sex.

Omega Requirements

We need to consume more Omega-3s, namely ALA, EPA and DHA fatty acids, since the biggest influence on our Omega-3 Index is our intake. We need at minimum a gram and a half of ALA daily, or 1500 mg. Typically, recommendation guidelines combine EPA and DHA, saying the minimum we need is between 250 - 1000 mg.

So far, so good.

But, our need to get more LA omega-6 is a surprise. Average daily recommendations are:

1 tablespoon of oil or 3 tablespoons of seeds has about 14 g / 1400 mg of oil.

Most people get about 15 g or 1500 mg of omega-6 daily, which falls into the 1200 mg – 1700 mg recommended range. But 80% of that intake, unfortunately, comes from sources that may not work as intended in the body; refined oils used in commercially prepared foods and deep fryers.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids need to be stored cold, not heated or used to fry. Everyone knows this about omega-3 and forgets this about omega-6. This is the reason for upgrading the quality of our dietary LA omega-6.

High heat is used on seeds to get more oil from them. Chemical processes make them shelf-stable. This changes the way they function in our bodies. Colourless and odourless oils are damaged and changed at a molecular level.

We need to swap damaged sources like refined soy oil, commonly used for frying at high heat, for intact ones made with health in mind. Using fresh/cold expeller pressed unrefined omega-6 oil makes a big difference.

Better Oils for Better Metabolism

To increase good polyunsaturated fats without consuming way more calories, we must trade off by reducing other, less healthy fats, like refined seed oils, fried foods, saturated fats and fatty meats, and things like candy, pastry, and sugary or alcoholic drinks. While trade-offs are unpopular, this is more helpful and important than may be clear at first.

It pays off because people who do this have better overall metabolic health, and fatty acid conversion. The body is designed to convert ALA (our parent Omega-3) into the EPA and DHA it needs. But the more refined, shelf-stable oils and saturated fats we eat, the worse our metabolic health becomes, and the worse the conversion rate becomes. We end up storing more of what we eat as triglycerides, and need more omega-3s to get results.

Our modern diet, and the typical diet of a cat or dog, is flooded with fats that we cannot use properly, and which only contribute to being overweight. Even when we read labels, it is so easy to be misled. Commercial food and pet food labels may list healthy polyunsaturated fats, but do not be fooled. Any polyunsaturated fat used in a shelf-stable prepared food is a processed, refined, oil that will slowly chip away at your cardio-metabolic health.

Omega Fatty Acids for pets (dogs and cats)

Dogs and cats of any age benefit from having the right omegas in the right amounts. Essential fatty acids are vital to everyday health, normal development and healthy aging. When pets get adequate fatty acids, you can expect them to have strong muscles and healthy joints, and soft, silky, shiny coats that resist shedding.

Like humans, cats and dogs convert ALA to longer chain omega-3. But, also like humans, poor metabolic health, or a less than ideal diet can get in the way. Since most pets eat more starches than nature intended, they often have metabolic issues. The best thing for your pets is to give them a combination of foundational fats and longer-chain derivative types, in the precise ratio of omega 3-6-9 fatty acids that supports healthy metabolic and hormonal activity as well as normal inflammatory and histamine response.

Omega Fatty Acid Foods

Omega oils made with care and with health in mind are the easiest way to get enough EFAs. Sunflower, pumpkin and sesame oils are rich sources of omega-6 LA. Flax Seed Oil is the best concentrated source of ALA omega-3.

In nature, omega fats often come together. Many foods that were important food sources for early humans are sources of multiple types of omega fatty acids. Oilier foods, such as seeds, nuts and cold-water fish, have greater amounts, while low-fat foods have traces.

• Leafy greens & other Veggies – Gailan, purslane, perilla, winter squash
• Sea veggies – nori, kelp, kombu, wakame
• Mollusks & algae – oysters, mussels, snails, spirulina, schizochytrium
• Seeds – flax, chia, hemp, sunflower, camelina, sprouted radish seeds
• Nuts – walnut, almond, pine, hazelnut, macadamia, sacha inchi
• Oily cold-water Fish - herring, salmon, mackerel, sardines
• Legumes – peanuts, soybeans, mungo beans, kidney beans

Rich in polyunsaturated omega 6 and monounsaturated omega 9:

• Almonds: Rich in oleic acid (omega-9), with omega-6 and vitamin E
• Hazelnuts: Good amounts of omega 6 and omega-9 fats
• Pine Nuts: High in omega-6 with some omega-9
• Peanuts (Legumes): Omega-6 and omega-9s
• Sunflower Seeds: Omega-6 and omega-9s

Concentrated sources of omegas including omega-3 ALA:

• Chia Seeds: Omega-3, Omega-6, trace Omega-9
• Flax Seeds: Omega-3, Omega-6, trace Omega-9
• Hemp Hearts (inner seed kernel): Omega-6, some omega-3s, trace omega-9s
• Walnuts: Exceptionally high omega-6, plus some omega-3

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Foods

All natural oil sources contain a mix of fatty acids. What foods have the most omega 3s?

Omega Oils

Flax oil provides more ALA than other sources, plus some omega-6 and traces of omega-9. Pouring over or mixing into prepared food is the easiest way to get all the irreplaceable ALA your body needs. Other EFA-rich oils include camelina, sacha inchi, and hemp. Omega-3s are fragile – ensure oils are always carefully sourced, prepared and handled.

Flax and Chia Seeds have a ton of ALA

You need about 3 x times more seeds by volume compared to oil to get the same amount of omega-3s. Seeds are still a good source - most of the oil in Flax seeds and Chia seeds are ALA omega 3; they have a ratio of ALA omega-3 to LA omega-6 of about 4:1 and 3:1 respectively. Hemp seeds and Walnuts are richest in omega-6, but also include some omega 3, in about a 4:1 or 5:1 ratio.

Land and Sea Greens have tiny amount of ALA and sometimes, EPA

The fat content of leafy greens and seaweeds often has a great ratio of essential Omega 3 and Omega 6. Some contain not only ALA omega-3 but EPA omega-3 as well. But since they have extremely low overall fat content, they provide very low total omegas.

• Purslane: Omega-3 mostly as ALA/trace EPA, Omega-6, trace Omega-9
• GaiLan/Chinese Broccoli: Omega-3, Omega-6, trace Omega-9
• Seaweed: dulse contains EPA and ALA, nori & wakame contain omega-3 as EPA.

Fish and Algae

Algae such as schizochytrium contain omega 3s as EPA and DHA, and fish that consume them then become good sources as well. Oily fish from cold ocean waters, such as herring, salmon, mackerel and sardines have the most; about 15-28% of the total fat in these fish are omega-3s, with slightly more DHA than EPA.

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplements

Taking Oil Capsules is a Useful Strategy sometimes, mostly for derivative Omegas.

Capsules are stored at room temperature, have a long shelf life, and are already portioned, making them convenient. Capsules deliver small to moderate doses and make the most sense if we are seeking one of the derivative omega fatty acids that we need in smaller amounts, such as DHA or GLA.

Otherwise, oil capsules are not an efficient way to consume fatty acids. Capsules, almost universally, can only contain up to 1 gram of oil, and some only deliver half that, 500 mg. Since there are 14 g in a tablespoon of oil, it takes 14 to 28 capsules to equal a tablespoon of oil.

Since the amount of DHA needed is small, it is easy “brain insurance” to take it in capsules. Likewise for GLA, for folks with dry, aging or inflamed skin or eczema. While we can get enough EPA in capsules it is almost impossible to get enough ALA that way. We should get foundational fats like ALA and LA from foods and specially-made oils. Our requirement for LA is quite large, compared to EPA & DHA or even ALA.

The Flora Solution

Flora makes the best quality oils to restore the fatty acid foundation.

Foundational polyunsaturated oils can be made carefully enough to preserve their vital health benefits. At Flora, they carefully source uncontaminated seeds, treat them gently, never heat them, press them in small batches on a custom mechanical expeller press while protecting them from light, heat, plastic and oxygen, then bottle them in dark glass to prevent EFA damage.

Signature Oils and Blends

Certified Organic, non-GMO seed oils: Pure, single cold-pressed flax, pumpkin and sunflower oils help you provide your body with quality unrefined oils to balance your ratio of ALA to LA. In doing so, you clear the metabolic pathway, allowing your body to naturally produce and incorporate the vital fatty acids required to reach that elusive 8% index.

Udo's Oil® Omega 3•6•9 Blend: This unrefined organic seed oil blend was designed to provide all the foundational fatty acids you need, combining flax, sesame, sunflower, evening primrose, coconut, rice bran, and oat oils. Created by nutrition expert Udo Erasmus, it supports the 2:1 ratio of EFAs for long-term health.

Udo's Oil + DHA: The original balanced 3•6•9 blend, plus vegan DHA, incorporates sustainably harvested marine algae oil directly into the classic 3-6-9 seed matrix to provide direct DHA alongside plant-based parent ALA and LA. Udo's DHA formulation also incorporates more GLA, which works in tandem with omega-3 pathways to support a healthy response to inflammation.

DHA Vegan Algae Greencaps: Algal Oil can be sourced from algae grown in tanks on land, to bypass environmental contaminants and reliance on fish. Flora utilizes sustainable hexane-free microalgae to make bioavailable vegan DHA without the risk of harming the ocean or being exposed to its contaminants (such as PCBs, microplastics, and mercury).

Omega Vegan EPA& DHA Greencaps: Flora vegan EPA and DHA is sourced from hexane-free land-grown algae, to offer a product that is at once environmentally responsible, and totally free from environmental contaminants. Omega-3 Vegan Algae EPA & DHA delivers direct long-chain omegas without fish oil aftertaste.

BioFATS (by BiologicVET): A specialized formulation extending Flora's EFA philosophy to companion animals. It supplies parent ALA (omega-3) and LA (omega-6) alongside derivatives like EPA, DHA, and GLA in precise ratios to manage animal skin, coat, and joint health. And, it incorporates olive oil, a monounsaturated fatty acid/omega-9 proven to maximize the efficiency of and potentiate the other fatty acids.

Omega Fatty Acid Glossary: Acronyms and Terminology

• ALA = Alpha-linoleic acid, a “parent” omega-3 EFA essential for all cells
• ARA = Arachadonic Acid (also known as AA), a structural omega-6 derivative
• Convert = Parent omega fats are converted by enzymes to make derivative fats
• Derivative/s = Fatty acid “children” (EPA, DHA, GLA) made in the body from EFAs
• DHA = Docosahexaenoic Acid, an omega-3 derivative for eye/brain structure
• DGLA = Dihomo-γ-linolenic acid, a less-known omega-6 derivative
• DPA = Docosapentaenoic Acid, a less-known omega-3 derivative
• EFA = Essential Fatty Acids, foundational “parent” fats, ALA and LA
• EPA = Eicosa-pentaenoic Acid, a key omega-3 derivative
• Essential = Required dietary nutrient for mammals that cannot be made
• GLA = Gamma-Linolenic Acid, a key omega-6 derivative
• LA = Linolenic acid, a parent omega-6 EFA essential for all cells
• Lipid = Includes fats, waxy substances, and fatty hormones like cholesterol
• Mono = Monounsaturated = structured with a single (mono) double bond
• OA = Oleic Acid, an omega-9, is monounsaturated, not a PUFA, not an EFA
• Parent = EFAs, the main starting fats your body needs to convert into other fats
• PUFA = Polyunsaturated fatty acids (o-3s/o-6s) have many double bonds
• Saturated = Stiff and solid at room temperature, these fats have no double bonds
• Structural = Fatty acids that are building blocks for tissues like our eyes or brain
• Triglyceride = Fat. On a blood test, often represents unused calories converted to fat