Is vegetable shortening saturated or unsaturated?

December 21, 2025 •

4 min read

Did you know that Crisco, a leading brand of vegetable shortening, was introduced over a century ago as an alternative to animal fats? While it originates from liquid, unsaturated vegetable oils, a manufacturing process called hydrogenation makes vegetable shortening a primarily saturated fat.

Quick Summary

Vegetable shortening is a solid fat made from liquid vegetable oils through hydrogenation, a process that converts unsaturated fats into saturated fats. The resulting fat profile includes a blend of both, but it is considered a saturated fat due to its molecular structure and properties.

Key Points

Saturated by Processing: Vegetable shortening starts as unsaturated vegetable oil but is converted into a saturated fat through hydrogenation.
Hydrogenation Explained: This chemical process adds hydrogen atoms to the oil, solidifying it and increasing its saturated fat content.
Trans Fat-Free: Modern shortening formulations are trans fat-free, using full hydrogenation or interesterification to replace older, unhealthy methods.
High Saturated Fat: Although the saturated fat content can be lower than butter per serving, shortening is still primarily a saturated fat.
Baking Performance: The solid, 100% fat nature of shortening is prized for creating flaky crusts and tender baked goods by inhibiting gluten development.
Nutritionally Dense: As a pure fat, vegetable shortening is high in calories and should be consumed in moderation.

Understanding the Fat Profile of Vegetable Shortening

At first glance, the concept of vegetable shortening, which is plant-derived, being a saturated fat can seem confusing. After all, most liquid vegetable oils like olive or canola oil are known for being unsaturated. The key lies in the industrial processing that transforms the liquid oil into a semi-solid, shelf-stable product. This modification fundamentally alters the fat's molecular structure and its dietary classification. The process of hydrogenation, while modified over the years, is central to this transformation and explains why vegetable shortening is classified as a saturated fat.

How Hydrogenation Transforms Fat

Originally, the liquid fats from plant sources like soybean, cottonseed, or palm oil are primarily unsaturated. To create a solid, shelf-stable fat suitable for baking and frying, manufacturers put these oils through a process called hydrogenation. This involves pumping hydrogen atoms into the oil molecules.

Unsaturated vs. Saturated: On a molecular level, unsaturated fatty acids have double bonds in their carbon chains, which create 'kinks' and keep them liquid at room temperature. Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds, making their chains straight and solidifying the fat.
The Conversion: Hydrogenation breaks some of the double bonds in the unsaturated fatty acids and replaces them with hydrogen atoms. This straightens the carbon chains, increasing the saturated fat content and changing the oil from a liquid to a solid.

The Evolution of Shortening: From Trans Fats to Interesterification

Early production methods used partial hydrogenation, which had the negative side effect of creating artificial trans fats, known to be detrimental to cardiovascular health. In response to health concerns, modern shortening production has evolved significantly:

Trans Fat Ban: In 2018, the FDA in the U.S. banned artificial trans fats, prompting companies to reformulate their products.
Full Hydrogenation: Some manufacturers switched to full hydrogenation, which avoids creating trans fats, but results in a very hard fat. This is then blended with liquid oils.
Interesterification: A more modern approach rearranges the fatty acids within the oil without adding hydrogen, also avoiding the creation of trans fats. The long-term health effects of interesterified fats are still being studied.

Comparing Fat Profiles: Shortening vs. Butter

To understand vegetable shortening's composition, it's helpful to compare it to other common fats. While both butter and shortening are solid at room temperature and have a high saturated fat content, they differ in their origin and specific fat breakdown. Modern shortening formulas can contain less saturated fat than butter, though nutritional values vary by brand.


Feature	Vegetable Shortening	Butter	Canola Oil (Unsaturated Example)
Source	Plant-based oils (soybean, palm, cottonseed)	Dairy (churned milk or cream)	Plant seeds (rapeseed)
Fat Composition	Blend of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats	High in saturated fat, also contains monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats	High in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats
Saturated Fat	Highly saturated due to processing. Example: Crisco has 3.5g per Tbsp	High in saturated fat. Example: 7g per Tbsp	Low in saturated fat
Water Content	100% fat	Approx. 80% fat, 18% water	100% fat
Flavor	Neutral, odorless	Rich, buttery flavor	Neutral

The Role of Shortening in Baking

Shortening is valued in baking for its unique textural contributions. The name "shortening" comes from its ability to "shorten" gluten strands, which prevents them from stretching and developing a chewy texture. Its 100% fat content is key to achieving flaky, tender, and moist results.

Here are some of its primary uses in baking:

Flaky Pastries: The solid fat is cut into flour, creating pockets that steam during baking and result in flaky layers in pie crusts and biscuits.
Tender Cakes and Cookies: It coats gluten strands to prevent them from forming long, tough networks, leading to a softer, more delicate crumb.
Stable Icings: Its high melting point helps frostings and buttercreams hold their shape better, especially in warmer conditions.
Frying Medium: With a high smoke point and no water content, it's suitable for frying, producing crispy, golden results.

Is vegetable shortening saturated or unsaturated? The verdict

Ultimately, the answer is nuanced, but vegetable shortening is predominantly a saturated fat due to its manufacturing process. It begins as unsaturated liquid oils but undergoes hydrogenation or interesterification to achieve its solid state and functional properties. While modern formulations have eliminated harmful trans fats, they remain high in saturated fat and should be used in moderation as part of a balanced diet. For consumers, checking product labels for specific fat content is the best practice to understand the nutritional profile of any shortening product. For a deeper dive into the science of fats, refer to resources like this guide on Serious Eats.

Conclusion

Despite its plant-based origins, vegetable shortening is a solid fat high in saturated fatty acids, created by chemically altering liquid vegetable oils. This process, traditionally known as hydrogenation, gives it unique properties that make it invaluable for creating flaky and tender textures in baked goods. While modern versions are trans-fat-free, they are still a highly processed and calorie-dense fat best used in moderation. The specific ratio of saturated to unsaturated fat depends on the manufacturing method, making it a blended, but primarily saturated, ingredient in the culinary world.

Frequently Asked Questions

Modern vegetable shortening often has less saturated fat per tablespoon than butter, and it contains no cholesterol since it's plant-based. However, butter contains some natural vitamins, while shortening is a more highly processed fat with little nutritional value.

Vegetable shortening is solid at room temperature because it undergoes a process called hydrogenation. This process adds hydrogen atoms to the liquid vegetable oil, converting its unsaturated fatty acids into saturated fatty acids and giving it a solid form.

No, thanks to government regulations and improved manufacturing processes, most modern vegetable shortenings are free of artificial trans fats. The older methods of partial hydrogenation that created trans fats have been largely replaced by full hydrogenation or interesterification.

The primary difference is their fat profile and physical state. Vegetable oil is in its natural liquid, unsaturated state. Shortening is processed from vegetable oil to be solid and has a higher saturated fat content as a result of hydrogenation.

Yes, shortening can be substituted for butter in most baking recipes in a one-to-one ratio, but it will affect the outcome. Shortening creates a flakier, more tender, and higher-rising baked good, while butter provides a richer flavor and can make baked goods denser and crisper.

The saturated fat in vegetable shortening comes from the hydrogenation of its base vegetable oils, such as soybean, cottonseed, or palm oil. This manufacturing process chemically changes the oil's molecular structure to make it solid.

Palm oil is naturally high in saturated fat and solid at room temperature, so when used as a base for shortening, it doesn't require hydrogenation to become solid. The resulting palm oil-based shortening is a saturated fat, just like other vegetable shortenings.