While the total amount of fat in your diet is important, the specific types of fats you eat impact your health, too. Saturated and trans fats may raise low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in your blood and increase your risk for heart disease, but unsaturated fats may be healthy for your heart. The American Heart Association recommends getting the majority of your fat from unsaturated fat sources like nuts, vegetable oils and fish.
Nuts And Seeds
Nuts and seeds contain unsaturated fats. According to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center, nuts provide monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, including dietary essential omega-6 and omega-3 fats. Examples of nuts that are high in unsaturated fats are Brazil nuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, cashews and pecans. Seeds with unsaturated fats include sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. Oils from nuts, seeds and other plant sources are high in unsaturated fats. Sources include canola, safflower, sunflower and soybean oils. When you cook, replacing saturated fats, such as butter, with unsaturated fats from vegetable oils may help you control your cholesterol. If you are trying to lose weight, remember that fat always has 9 calories in 1g, and eating too many calories from any single source will undermine your efforts.
Fatty Fish
Fatty fish contain the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, which may support heart health. According to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center, diets high in omega-3 fats may reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease, lower blood pressure and reduce triglycerides and cholesterol levels in the blood. Sources include salmon, herring, mackerel and oysters. Some plant foods, such as flaxseed and flaxseed oil, canola oil and walnuts, are vegetarian sources of omega-3 fats. Instead of long-chain DHA or EPA in fish, the omega-3 fatty acid in these foods is alpha-linolenic acid. Your body can convert some alpha-linolenic acid into DHA and EPA, but eating DHA and EPA from fish oil may be more effective for health benefits.
Olives, Oils and Avocados
Avocados and olives are high in monounsaturated fats. You can also get monounsaturated fats from vegetable oils including olive, safflower, canola and peanut oil. Monounsaturated fats are not essential nutrients in the diet because your body can produce them using other dietary components, but eating them can be healthy. The American Heart Association states that they may help you control your cholesterol if you eat them instead of saturated fat or trans fats, and the Harvard School of Public Health states that eating monounsaturated fats instead of carbohydrates may improve your blood pressure and blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
References
- Harvard School of Public Health: The Nutrition Source: Fats And Cholesterol: Out With The Bad, in With The Good
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center: Essential Fatty Acids
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center: Nuts
- American Heart Association: Knowing Your Fats
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