Diets containing healthy unsaturated fats are recommended by the American Heart Association. Monounsaturated fats are a specific type of healthy unsaturated fat. According to the American Heart Association, consuming monounsaturated fats will help lower a person's risk of heart disease and stroke and provide her with various nutrients such as vitamin E. To increase the amounts of monounsaturated fats in a diet, oils and proteins high in saturated fat should be replaced with oils and proteins that contain mostly monounsaturated fats.
Almonds
Almonds, among other nuts, are high in monounsaturated fats, which are beneficial to heart health. The MayoClinic.com reports that regularly eating a handful of almonds or other nuts can help protect against heart disease.
Almonds can be eaten by themselves, added to salads, mixed with dry fruit, used as a topping or mixed into stir-fries. Almonds should be eaten in moderation because although they contain healthy fats they do contain high amounts of calories and eating too many calories can lead to weight gain.
Almonds are easy to regularly have on hand because they store easily and last a long time. They also induce a full feeling and help keep people feeling fuller longer.
Seeds
Pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds are considered to be good sources of monounsaturated fats, notes HelpGuide.org. These seeds can be eaten by themselves, mixed into dried fruit and nut mixtures and they are often found in some breads and crackers.
According to the The World's Healthiest Foods website, pumpkin seeds contain significant amount of zinc, which can help promote prostate health in men and they many have anti-inflammatory benefits.
Oils
Oils such as canola, peanut and olive oil are high in monounsaturated fats, notes the Harvard School of Public Health. Use these oils when cooking, baking and flavoring foods to replace unhealthier fats found in foods such as butter, margarine, vegetable shortening, coconut oil and palm oils.
According to HelpGuide.org, 72 percent of the fat in a serving of olive oil comes from monounsaturated fats. Olive oil also contains a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acid, which is beneficial to overall heart health.
Fatty Fruit
The avocado, a high fat fruit, contains a significant amount of monounsaturated fat. Avocados are high in calories and should be eaten in moderation, but eaten regularly. The amount of monounsaturated fats that avocados contain has been shown to be beneficial to the heart by positively affecting levels of blood cholesterol.
Unripe avocados can be ripened in a brown bag and eaten raw, added to sandwiches and salads or used in dips.
References
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fats and Cholesterol Out With the Bad, In With The Good
- MayoClinic.com: Cholesterol Top 5 Foods to Lower Your Numbers
- Help Guide: Healthy Dietary Fats The Truth About Fat, Nutrition and Cholesterol
- American Heart Association: Monounsaturated Fats
- The World's Healthiest Foods: Pumpkin Seeds
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