Fat vs. Grease: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
"Fat" refers to natural oily substances found in animals and plants, essential for energy and body functions. "Grease" is a thick, oily substance, often used for lubrication or derived from cooking.
Key Differences
Fat is a natural substance found in animal and plant tissues, vital for energy storage and cell functioning. Grease, on the other hand, is a term often used to describe thick, oily substances used in mechanical contexts for lubrication or derived from cooking fats and oils.
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Nov 29, 2023
In culinary contexts, fat is an essential ingredient, providing flavor, texture, and nutritional value to food. Grease, in contrast, usually refers to the byproduct of cooking, often left over after cooking meats or used in small amounts for cooking other foods.
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Chemically, fats are triglycerides, composed of glycerol and fatty acids. Grease can be a mixture of such fats along with other impurities, and it often has a lower quality or is considered waste in the context of cooking.
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In health discussions, fat is a crucial macronutrient, important for various body functions, including hormone production. Conversely, grease is often associated with waste or excess, especially in reference to unhealthy cooking practices.
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Nov 29, 2023
Comparison Chart
Definition
Natural oily substance in animals and plants
Thick, oily substance, often for lubrication
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Composition
Triglycerides (glycerol and fatty acids)
Mixture of fats and impurities
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Usage in Cooking
Ingredient for flavor and nutrition
Byproduct, used in small amounts
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Health Association
Essential nutrient, energy source
Often seen as waste, excess
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Fat and Grease Definitions
Fat
A natural oily substance occurring in animal bodies.
Saturated fat is common in meat and dairy products.
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Grease
Oily or fatty matter in general.
His hands were covered in machine grease.
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Fat
A substance in plants and animals stored for energy.
Bears accumulate fat for hibernation.
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Grease
Cooking byproduct, often from meat.
Bacon grease was left in the pan.
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Grease
To coat with a fatty or oily substance.
She greased the pan before baking.
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Fat
Any of various soft, solid, or semisolid organic compounds constituting the esters of glycerol and fatty acids and their associated organic groups.
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Grease
A term for bribery or corruption.
The official's palm was greased to expedite the process.
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Fat
A mixture of such compounds occurring widely in organic tissue, especially in the adipose tissue of animals and in the seeds, nuts, and fruits of plants.
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Oct 19, 2023
Grease
A thick oil or viscous substance, especially when used as a lubricant.
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Fat
Unnecessary excess
"would drain the appropriation's fat without cutting into education's muscle" (New York Times).
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Grease
(Slang) Something, such as money or influence, that facilitates the attainment of an object or a desire
Accepted some grease to fix the outcome of the race.
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Fat
Fertile or productive; rich
"It was a fine, green, fat landscape" (Robert Louis Stevenson).
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Grease
Inflammation of a horse's heels, also known as scratches or pastern dermatitis.
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Grease
(transitive) To put grease or fat on something, especially in order to lubricate.
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Fat
Carrying more fat than usual on one's body; plump; not lean or thin.
The fat man had trouble getting through the door.
The fattest pig should yield the most meat.
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Fat
Thick; large.
The fat wallets of the men from the city brought joy to the peddlers.
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Grease
To perform a landing extraordinarily smoothly.
To my amazement, I greased the landing despite the tricky crosswinds.
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Fat
(obsolete) Exhibiting the qualities of a fat animal; coarse; heavy; gross; dull; stupid.
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Grease
Animal fat, as tallow or lard, especially when in a soft state; oily or unctuous matter of any kind.
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Fat
Rich; producing a large income; desirable.
A fat benefice; a fat office;
A fat job
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Grease
An inflammation of a horse's heels, suspending the ordinary greasy secretion of the part, and producing dryness and scurfiness, followed by cracks, ulceration, and fungous excrescences.
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Grease
To smear, anoint, or daub, with grease or fat; to lubricate; as, to grease the wheels of a wagon.
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Fat
Of a character which enables the compositor to make large wages; said of matter containing blank, cuts, or many leads, etc.
A fat take; a fat page
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Grease
To bribe; to corrupt with presents.
The greased advocate that grinds the poor.
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Fat
(uncountable) A specialized animal tissue with high lipid content, used for long-term storage of energy: fat tissue.
Mammals that hibernate have plenty of fat to keep them warm during the winter.
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Fat
Such tissue as food: the fatty portion of (or trimmings from) meat cuts.
Ask the butcher for a few pounds of fat for our greens.
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Fat
(countable) A lipid that is solid at room temperature, which fat tissue contains and which is also found in the blood circulation; sometimes, a refined substance chemically resembling such naturally occurring lipids.
Dietary fat is not the evil that it was once misapprehended to be; carbs are increasingly recognized as a bigger driver of atherosclerosis via chronic insulin resistance and the vascular processes that cascade from it.
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Grease
A thick, oily substance used for lubrication.
He applied grease to the squeaky hinge.
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Fat
That part of an organization deemed wasteful.
We need to trim the fat in this company
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Fat
(golf) A poorly played shot where the ball is struck by the top part of the club head. (see also thin, shank, toe)
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Fat
The best or richest productions; the best part.
To live on the fat of the land
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Fat
Work containing much blank, or its equivalent, and therefore profitable to the compositor.
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Fat
(obsolete) A large tub or vessel for water, wine, or other liquids; a cistern.
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Fat
A large tub, cistern, or vessel; a vat.
The fats shall overflow with wine and oil.
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Fat
An oily liquid or greasy substance making up the main bulk of the adipose tissue of animals, and widely distributed in the seeds of plants. See Adipose tissue, under Adipose.
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Fat
The best or richest productions; the best part; as, to live on the fat of the land.
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Fat
Work. containing much blank, or its equivalent, and, therefore, profitable to the compositor.
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Fat
Exhibiting the qualities of a fat animal; coarse; heavy; gross; dull; stupid.
Making our western wits fat and mean.
Make the heart of this people fat.
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Fat
Rich; producing a large income; desirable; as, a fat benefice; a fat office; a fat job.
Now parson of Troston, a fat living in Suffolk.
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Fat
Abounding in riches; affluent; fortunate.
Persons grown fat and wealthy by long impostures.
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Fat
Of a character which enables the compositor to make large wages; - said of matter containing blank, cuts, or many leads, etc.; as, a fat take; a fat page.
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Fat
To make fat; to fatten; to make plump and fleshy with abundant food; as, to fat fowls or sheep.
We fat all creatures else to fat us.
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Fat
To grow fat, plump, and fleshy.
An old ox fats as well, and is as good, as a young one.
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Fat
A soft greasy substance occurring in organic tissue and consisting of a mixture of lipids (mostly triglycerides);
Pizza has too much fat
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Fat
A kind of body tissue containing stored fat that serves as a source of energy; adipose tissue also cushions and insulates vital organs;
Fatty tissue protected them from the severe cold
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Fat
Excess bodily weight;
She found fatness disgusting in herself as well as in others
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Fat
Having much flesh (especially fat);
He hadn't remembered how fat she was
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Fat
Marked by great fruitfulness;
Fertile farmland
A fat land
A productive vineyard
Rich soil
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Fat
A nutrient important for energy and cell function.
Avocados are high in healthy fats.
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Nov 29, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Is all grease made from fat?
Most grease is derived from fats, but not all grease is exclusively made from fat.
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Can grease be used in food preparation?
Yes, in small amounts for cooking or baking.
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Is cooking grease always unhealthy?
Not necessarily, but excessive use of cooking grease can be unhealthy.
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Are all fats solid at room temperature?
No, some fats like oils are liquid at room temperature.
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Can "fat" refer to both animal and plant sources?
Yes, fat can come from both animal and plant sources.
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Are there different types of grease for mechanical use?
Yes, there are various types of grease for different mechanical purposes.
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Can grease be recycled or reused?
Yes, cooking grease can sometimes be recycled or reused.
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Is the fat in nuts and seeds healthy?
Yes, these contain healthy fats beneficial for health.
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Can fats be unsaturated or saturated?
Yes, fats can be either unsaturated or saturated.
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Is it safe to pour grease down the drain?
No, it can cause blockages and should be disposed of properly.
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Can grease be a fire hazard in kitchens?
Yes, accumulated grease can be a significant fire hazard.
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Do fats play a role in hormone production?
Yes, fats are important for hormone production and other bodily functions.
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Is it possible to make biofuel from grease?
Yes, certain types of grease can be processed into biofuel.
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Is dietary fat essential for health?
Yes, fats are essential for energy and various bodily functions.
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Are trans fats considered unhealthy?
Yes, trans fats are generally considered unhealthy.
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Is there a difference between animal and vegetable grease?
Yes, they differ in composition and often in use.
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Can grease stains be difficult to remove?
Yes, grease stains can be stubborn and hard to clean.
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Are omega-3 fatty acids a type of fat?
Yes, omega-3s are a healthy type of polyunsaturated fat.
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Do fats provide more energy than carbohydrates?
Yes, fats provide more energy per gram than carbohydrates.
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Can a diet be completely fat-free?
A completely fat-free diet is not recommended, as fats are essential nutrients.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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