Which type of fats are known to be liquid at room temperature?

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are known to be liquid at room temperature due to their chemical structure. These types of fats contain one or more double bonds in their fatty acid chains, which creates kinks that prevent the molecules from packing closely together. As a result, they remain in liquid form. Common sources of monounsaturated fats include olive oil and avocados, while polyunsaturated fats are found in fatty fish, walnuts, and sunflower oil.

In contrast, saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature because their fatty acid chains are straight and can tightly pack together. Trans fats, which can be artificially created by hydrogenating liquid unsaturated fats, may also be solid at room temperature, depending on the degree of hydrogenation. Hydrogenated fats are typically found in processed foods and can also appear solid at room temperature, as the hydrogenation process often transforms liquid oils into solids or semi-solids.