FOOD FATS: The breakdown!

FAT. Fat is a nutrient and is needed for the body to properly function and live. In baking and cooking, we use many fats for different reason. Read more to find out popular food fat facts and when to use what fat when.....

TYPES OF FAT:
Butter: An all-dairy, natural, delicious fat. Made by churning fresh cream or milk. It is primary from a cow, but there are also sheep, goat, and buffalo butter. Butter is THE prime choice for baking because of its flavor and melt in your mouth feel.
Margarine: A butter substitute, aka "fake fat." Sometimes called "oleo." It is mainly composed of different oils. It is naturally black (yes, black!) then dyed yellow to "look" like butter. Magarine is good when baking/cooking vegan items...only. I like butter always.
Lard: is pig fat. Used like butter, it is very high in saturated (bad) fat. Many bakers trust lard when making pie crust. I like an all butter crust.

FACT: Fat that is liquid at room temp (like many oils) are mono- or poly-unsaturated fats. (The good kind!)

Canola oil: From the rapeseed, it is a nice, light-tasting oil used in cooking and baking. A very all-purpose cooking oil that should be in your pantry! Canola oil is also used to cosmetic items, candles, and bio fuel. Veg oil has a similar taste to canola oil.
Olive Oil: From the olive, olive oil is used throughout the world in cooking. "Virgin" oil means it was not treated with chemicals and produced by physical means. "Extra virgin" comes from virgin oil, has a distinct taste, and has less than .8% acidity. "Cold press" means the oil was not heated, usually over 80 degrees F, when producing the oil. "First cold press" means the olive was crushed exactly one time and at the same temperature. Olive oil is prized for its taste and health benefits. I use it constantly.

There are many types of fat in the culinary world, and used for different reason. Fat brings flavor to the food and makes it taste delicious! Good fats are needed for your body to function properly. Consume good fats in a limited matter.