Which of the following best describes saturated fats?

Saturated fats are characterized by their chemical structure, which lacks double bonds between carbon atoms; instead, all carbon atoms in the fatty acid chains are fully saturated with hydrogen atoms. This saturation leads to a straight-chain structure, allowing the fat molecules to pack tightly together, which is why saturated fats tend to be solid at room temperature. Foods rich in saturated fats include animal products like butter and fatty cuts of meat, as well as certain plant oils like palm and coconut oil.

The definition of saturated fats focuses not only on their physical state at room temperature but also on their molecular characteristics. Understanding that these fats are typically solid helps distinguish them from unsaturated fats, which have double bonds and exist in liquid form at room temperature.