Lipid metabolism disorders will trigger various chronic diseases, which posing a serious threat to human health. Therefore, maintaining lipid metabolism balance is a key preventive and therapeutic strategy against various chronic and metabolic diseases. Various researches have proved that plant polyphenols play a significantly important role in regulating lipid metabolism. However, the mechanisms and application challenges of polyphenols in lipid metabolism disorders have rarely been elucidated. This review elucidates the definition, classification and function of plant polyphenols, summarize the kinds of polyphenols that can be used to regulate lipid metabolism, paying particular attention to the mechanisms for regulating lipid metabolism by plant polyphenols. Moreover, the limitations of polyphenols in the regulation of lipid metabolism are described and the trend of their development is prospective. This review will provide guidance to polyphenols in regulating metabolic diseases.