Fatty acids whose carbon chains are relatively long, conventionally defined as containing more than six carbon atoms, though in nutrition the term usually means the 14- to 24-carbon acids that dominate dietary fats. Long chain fatty acids include palmitic and stearic acids, the monounsaturated oleic acid, and the essential polyunsaturates linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, along with their longer derivatives EPA and DHA. They are digested and absorbed through the lymphatic system via chylomicrons, unlike shorter chains that pass directly to the liver. Their chain length and saturation profoundly influence the physical properties of fats and their effects on blood lipids and health.