Beyond energy storage: food lipids as modulators of metabolism, inflammation, and organ function

Dietary lipids are increasingly recognized as complex bioactive components whose physiological effects extend far beyond their contribution to energy intake. Recent advances in analytical technologies revealed an extraordinary diversity of lipid species in foods and highlighted how their biological activity depends not only on fatty acid composition but also on molecular structure, food matrix organization, processing conditions, and interactions with host metabolism. These findings challenged traditional nutritional paradigms based solely on total fat intake and have promoted a more integrated view of dietary lipids. This review discusses current knowledge on the complexity of food lipids and the mechanisms through which their structure, organization, and metabolic transformations influence digestion, bioavailability, and physiological responses. Particular emphasis is placed on recent insights provided by food lipidomics and on the emerging concept that individual lipid species, rather than total lipid content alone, may differentially affect metabolic health. The growing integration of lipidomics with nutrition science is opening new perspectives for understanding diet–health relationships and may contribute to the development of functional foods and precision nutrition strategies aimed at improving metabolic health and reducing disease risk.