In biochemistry and nutrition, a polyunsaturated fat is a fat that contains a polyunsaturated fatty acid (abbreviated PUFA), which is a subclass of fatty acid characterized by a backbone with two or more carbon–carbon double bonds.[1][2]
Some polyunsaturated fatty acids are essentials. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are precursors to and are derived from polyunsaturated fats, which include drying oils.[3]
Chemical structure of the polyunsaturated fatty acid linoleic acid3D representation of linoleic acid in a bent conformationChemical structure of α-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential omega−3 fatty acid
^"Essential Fatty Acids". Micronutrient Information Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. May 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2017.