According to MayoClinic.com, your best options, when choosing fats, are foods rich in unsaturated fats, specifically monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. If you consume these fats in place of less healthful fats, such as saturated and trans fats, you may lower your blood cholesterol levels and, subsequently, your risk of heart disease.
Fish, Flaxseeds and Walnuts
One type of polyunsaturated fat, omega-3 fatty acids, may offer additional heart health benefits. According to the American Heart Association, omega-3 fatty acids appear to decrease your risk of developing coronary artery disease and may protect against irregular heartbeats and reduce blood pressure levels. Fatty fish are the best food sources of this type of polyunsaturated fat. Fish particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids include salmon -- especially wild Atlantic salmon -- sardines, mackerel, herring, trout and fresh tuna. Flax seeds, flax seed oil and walnuts are vegan-friendly food sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Oils
All cooking and salad oils contain a mixture of the various fatty acids -- monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated. The predominant fatty acid, or the one that is found in the largest quantity in an oil, typically determines its category. According to the American Heart Association, the oils that are richest in polyunsaturated fatty acids include sesame, safflower, soybean, corn and sunflower-seed oils. In addition, soft tub margarine spreads made from any of these oils are also sources of this type of unsaturated fat.
Legumes and Seeds
Legumes, such as peanuts and peanut butter, contain a blend of unsaturated fatty acids but are a good food source of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Soybeans are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids as well. Over half of the fat in soybeans is polyunsaturated. Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and sesame seed butter are all food sources of polyunsaturated fats, according to the World's Healthiest Foods website. However, aside from flax seeds, sunflower seeds contain the most polyunsaturated fatty acids. Approximately 75 percent of the fat in these seeds is polyunsaturated.
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