Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are which of the following?

• A. Saturated fats are plant-based and liquid at room temperature.
• B. Monounsaturated fats are plant-based fats that are liquid at room temperature.
• C. Trans fats are plant-based and liquid at room temperature.
• D. Cholesterol is a plant-based fat that is liquid at room temperature.

Answer: (B)

Monounsaturated fats have one double bond in their fatty acid chains, which creates kinks that prevent tight packing of molecules. This lowers their melting point, so they are typically liquid at room temperature. They come largely from plant sources, like olive or canola oil, making them plant-based fats that stay liquid in typical conditions. That’s why this description fits best. In contrast, saturated fats lack double bonds and are usually solid at room temperature, often from animal sources; trans fats are unsaturated but hydrogenated and tend to be solid or semi-solid; cholesterol is not a fat at all but a sterol found in animal tissues.