Fats and lipids are the third major food category of the macro nutrients needed in human nutrition. Lipids are organic compounds that are insoluble (don’t dissolve) in water. Fats are a specific sub-set of lipids, differentiated by their molecular structure and metabolic functions. Fats are solid at room temperature. We call fats that are liquid at room temperature, Oils. Lipids are generally found in meats and dairy foods, although many other sources exist including Nuts, Seeds, Soybeans, Avocados, Olives and Peanuts.

The energy value of fats is 9 kcal/gram.