EXPLORE A NUTRIENT
SFA 12:0
Discover how amounts vary across foods, on a shared basis for comparison.
Understand this nutrient ↓What is it?
Fatty-acid notation 12:0 specifies 12 carbons and 0 double bonds. Listed forms remain separate. [1] [2]
This reference form does not represent every form included in the USDA quantity.
Description, source and attribution
Reference depiction: lauric acid. Formula C12H24O2; PubChem CID 3893; charge 0. This specified form does not represent every form or molecule included in the USDA quantity. The free-acid reference does not imply that food fatty acids are unesterified.
PubChem Compound 3893, 2D Structure. NCBI / National Library of Medicine. Source · Reuse terms
Source check:
A COMMON BASIS
Foods, per 100 g
156 foods with data 50 not reported, excluded from ranking
- Nutmeg
Spices, nutmeg, ground, exactly as identified by USDA.
0.37 g - Ricotta cheese
Whole-milk ricotta cheese.
0.36 g - Dried oregano
Dried oregano.
0.246 g - Dried thyme
Spices, thyme, dried, exactly as identified by USDA.
0.23 g - Plain yogurt
Plain whole-milk yogurt.
0.1149 g - Whole milk
Whole cow's milk, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D.
0.097 g - Black pepper
Black pepper spice.
0.093 g - Cottage cheese
Creamed cottage cheese, large or small curd.
0.07 g - Paprika
Spices, paprika, exactly as identified by USDA.
0.068 g - Duck meat
Domesticated duck, roasted, meat only, without skin.
0.042 g - Goose
Goose, domesticated, meat only, cooked, roasted, exactly as identified by USDA.
0.04 g - Ginger
Raw ginger root.
0.039 g
All results are sorted before pagination. Bars compare amounts within this search; they do not indicate health benefits. Not reported does not mean zero.
UNDERSTAND THE DATA
What it means for your diet
This source explains dietary fats and the distinction between saturated, unsaturated and trans fats. A family-level explanation does not establish the effects, an intake target or a supplement dose for every individual fatty-acid isomer. The original source contains a historical reference to the 2018 US partially hydrogenated oil rules; this is not a current regulatory update.
Ranking amounts describe foods, not supplement doses. A high rank does not mean you should consume more. Source recommendations and cautions retain their original population and scope.
Dietary Fats [1]
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Original health-topic summary, reproduced with attribution.
Fat is a type of nutrient. You need some fat in your diet but not too much. Fats give you energy and help your body absorb vitamins. Dietary fat also plays a major role in your cholesterol levels.
But not all fats are the same. You should try to avoid:
- Saturated fats such as butter, solid shortening, and lard
- Trans fats. These are found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs). By 2018, most U.S. companies will not be allowed to add PHOs to food.
Try to replace them with oils such as canola, olive, safflower, sesame, or sunflower. Of course, eating too much fat will put on the pounds. Fat has twice as many calories as proteins or carbohydrates.
NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Identity and structure sources
- PubChem Compound 3893: Lauric Acid · Accessed 2026-09-13
- USDA FoodData Central: Foundation Foods Documentation · Accessed 2026-09-13