What Is the MUFA Diet?

MUFA diets emphasize fatty acids that may improve your cholesterol levels and also help you lose belly fat and overall body weight. A healthy MUFA diet includes sources of these fatty acids with every meal and snack that you eat in addition to cutting calories.

Definition

MUFA is the acronym for monounsaturated fatty acids, or fats that have one double-bonded carbon in the molecule. Monounsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature but start to turn solid when chilled. Monounsaturated fats are also typically high in vitamin E, an antioxidant vitamin.

History

Although the value of MUFAs has been known for some time, Kris-Etherton and her colleagues at Pennsylvania State University discovered in 1999 that a diet high in MUFAs decreased cardiovascular risk by an average of 20.6 percent. The editors of "Prevention Magazine," in conjunction with Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, nutrition director at "Prevention," used this research to create a popular diet in 2007 called the "Flat Belly Diet."

Significance

More than one-third of U.S. adults and 16 percent of U.S. children are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Although all excess fat can lead to health problems, the most dangerous type of fat is visceral fat, or the fat that lies deep inside the abdomen surrounding the abdominal organs. This fat has been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, colorectal cancer and other health problems.

Features

The "Flat Belly Diet" form of the MUFA diet includes a jump-start period, a daily dose of "Sassy Water," or water and ginseng, a mind trick at every meal, plus an eating plan. Daily caloric intake is structured around 400-calorie meals and snacks, each of which includes a serving of a MUFA food like olives, vegetable oils, avocados, peanut butter, nuts, seeds and chocolate.

Time Frame

The "Flat Belly Diet" includes a four-day anti-bloat jump-start, in which you eat from a prescribed list of foods and drinks to reduce water retention and relieve digestive issues like gas and constipation. According to the diet creators, you may be able to lose up to 7 pounds and 5 inches in the first four days, although most most people will likely see less dramatic results. The second part of the program is the Four-Week Eating Plan, during which you'll eat three 400-calorie meals and one 400-calorie snack, each with a required amount of MUFAs. The 1,600-calorie daily plan was chosen to be the average ideal amount to help a woman over the age of 40 of average height, frame, size and activity level get down to her ideal body weight and improve energy levels and stimulate the immune system.