Confused about fats and oils? Here’s a handy guide.

All fats are a mix of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (though people usually categorize each by the fatty acid that predominates). Odds are, you get mostly soybean oil in prepared foods (like salad dressings, mayonnaise, and margarine) and restaurant foods. So you’ll probably end up with a good mix of unsaturated fats if you use canola oil and olive oil (when you want its flavor) for cooking.

Concerned about canola oil? Check out our post that deals with many common canola complaints.

Unsure about unsaturated and saturated fats? Read our interview with world-renowned expert on diet and cardiovascular disease Martijn Katan.

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