Editing Fat (section)

==Nutritional and health aspects==
The most common type of fat, in human diet and most living beings, is a [[triglyceride]], an ester of the triple [[alcohol (chemistry)|alcohol]] [[glycerol]] {{chem|H(–CHOH–)|3|H}} and three fatty acids. The molecule of a triglyceride can be described as resulting from a [[condensation reaction]] (specifically, [[esterification]]) between each of glycerol's –OH groups and the HO– part of the carboxyl group {{chem2|HO(O\d)C\s}} of each fatty acid, forming an [[ester group|ester bridge]] {{chem2|\sO\s(O\d)C\s}} with elimination of a water molecule {{chem|H|2|O}}.

Other less common types of fats include [[diglyceride]]s and [[monoglyceride]]s, where the esterification is limited to two or just one of glycerol's –OH groups. Other alcohols, such as [[cetyl alcohol]] (predominant in [[spermaceti]]), may replace glycerol. In the [[phospholipid]]s, one of the fatty acids is replaced by [[phosphoric acid]] or a monoester thereof.
The benefits and risks of various amounts and types of dietary fats have been the object of much study, and are still highly controversial topics.<ref name="dona2005" /><ref name="fbhu2001" /><ref name="hoop2001" /><ref name="bray2004" />

===Essential fatty acids===
There are two [[essential fatty acid]]s (EFAs) in human nutrition: [[alpha-Linolenic acid]] (an [[omega-3 fatty acid]]) and [[linoleic acid]] (an [[omega-6 fatty acid]]).<ref name="moza2006" /><ref name="uksi1996" /> The adult body can synthesize other lipids that it needs from these two.