Any time you consume dietary fatty acids you will be consuming important components that make up the body's phospholipids and glycolipids.

These two molecules are responsible for composing such things as the cell membranes in the body, lung surfactant and well as making up the nervous system. Fatty acids are made up of long chains of carbon atoms with a carboxyl group at the end. How this chain is designed will determine which type of fat it is.

Fatty acids that contain double bonds will be termed polyunsaturated whereas those with no double bonds will be called saturated.

When these are taken in through the diet they are absorbed in the gut and will be either be used for energy or else packaged into storage for later use (in the form of triglycerides). They will be used second for energy by the body however, as carbohydrates are the preferred form. This is the reasoning behind low-carb diets - by reducing your carb intake you make fat the number one source of fuel.

Additionally, during long duration, moderate paced physical activity, once any carbohydrates you have just taken in are used up, the body will turn and start burning these as well.

Consuming more of the unsaturated variety will help to lower the levels of cholesterol in the blood and therefore reduce your heart disease risk so this is a factor to keep in mind when you are choosing your dietary sources.