Fats are one of the three main classes of food and, and the most concentrated form of metabolic energy available to humans.

Fat can be found in plant seeds (e.g. rapeseed, sunflower, maize), fruits (e.g. olive, avocado) and nuts (e.g. peanuts, almonds). Fats may be naturally present in foods like fatty meat, oily fish, egg yolk, cheese, whole and semi-skimmed milk, or added during food preparation. This may be at home or by the food manufacturer for example when making cakes, biscuits, pastries, savoury snack foods, meat products or mayonnaise.

Oils and fats may be clearly visible in foods (e.g. cooking and salad oils, butter, other fat spreads, cream and the visible fat on meat) or mixed in with other food components and therefore being less obvious to the consumer. Around 70% of average fat intake comes from these so-called "hidden" fats. Knowing your fats and reading food labels can make an important contribution to your ability to eat a healthy balanced diet.

Oils are liquid fats and are obtained by washing and crushing the seeds, fruits or nuts, heating them and removing the oil using an extraction process. The oil is then refined to remove any unwanted taste, smell, colour or impurities. Some oils such as virgin olive oil, walnut oil and grapeseed oil are pressed straight from the seed or fruit without further refining, this is called cold pressing. However, when you see the term "cold-pressed" on a label, don't assume that the oil in the bottle was not heated during manufacturing. "Cold-pressed" is a little fib that appeals to consumers who are savvy enough to equate heating with damage to oils. If the label does not boast that the oil is "unrefined," you can assume that it has been through some kind of chemical process that makes it worse for your health.

Fats & oils are an important part of a balanced diet because, besides being a rich source of energy, they provide essential fatty acids which are the building blocks for cell membranes, especially cells in growing brains. Oils help the body absorb certain vitamins, such as A, D, E, and K, and contribute to healthier skin. And oils carry and intensify flavours in food and give it a pleasurable feel in the mouth.