A certain amount of dietary fat is essential to good health. As dietary fat metabolizes, it breaks down into fatty acids that become a source of energy, a method of vitamin absorption and a way of insulating and protecting your body. Fatty acids can be unsaturated or saturated, with each playing a role that affects your health. Knowing the differences between the two and identifying food sources that contain high amounts of each type can help you make informed food choices.
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids
Monounsaturated fats are one of the two types of unsaturated fatty acids the American Heart Association recognizes as beneficial to your heart and health, as long as you stay within established guidelines for consumption. This means, according to the AHA, that you limit fat consumption to no more than 25 to 35 percent of your daily calorie intake. For, example, a daily caloric allowance of 2,000 calories should include no more than 500 to 700 calories of fat, preferably unsaturated. In terms of grams, this equates to 55.5 to 78 grams each day, as there are nine calories per gram of any type of fat.
You can distinguish monounsaturated fatty acids by their tendency to be liquid at room temperature and solid when chilled. According to Nutrition Data, a nutritional information database, foods containing high amounts of monounsaturated fatty acids include margarine and vegetable oils, such as sunflower, safflower, hazelnut, olive, corn and canola, all of which average between 14 to 19 grams per 200 calories. Avocados and peanut butter contain approximately 12 grams, and nuts are next with 10 to 12 grams per 200 calories.
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
Polyunsaturated fatty acids, characterized by their tendency to remain in a liquid state whether at room temperature or when chilled, are another heart healthy fat, according to the AHA. Two of these, omega-3 and omega-6, play an important role in proper brain function and the normal growth and development of your body. You must get these acids from your diet, as your body cannot make them.
According to World's Healthiest Foods, a non-profit nutritional information site developed by the George Mateljan Foundation, foods containing the highest amounts of the essential omega-3 fatty acids include fish, such as salmon, sardines, halibut, shrimp, snapper and scallops, as well as walnuts, soybeans and tofu.
Nutrition Data lists decaffeinated, restaurant-prepared coffee and espresso as the foods highest in polyunsaturated fatty acids at 18 grams per 200 calorie serving. Oils, such as vegetable, grapeseed, flaxseed, linolenic, wheatgerm and soybean, average 12 to 17 grams per 200-calorie serving. Also on the list are condiments, such as salad dressing and mayonnaise, at between 11 to 15 grams and seeds, such as flaxseeds, poppy seeds, sunflower seeds and watermelon seeds, that range from 10 to 12 grams per 200-calorie serving.
Saturated Fats
Saturated fats are the fats you should avoid whenever possible, as this type of fat leads to high levels of blood cholesterol and increases your risk for heart disease. Many fried and processed baked foods have high levels of saturated fatty acids, especially if they contain palm oil, palm kernel oil or coconut oil, according to the AHA. In addition, the AHA lists meat and dairy products, such as red meat, pork, poultry skin, tallow, lard, cream, butter, cheese, and whole or two-percent milk as foods that also contain high saturated fatty acids.
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