When a fat or oil contains a large percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids, it is referred to as a monounsaturated fat. USDA Dietary guidelines recommend you reduce the amount of animal fats in your diet and select foods containing monounsaturated fats, which are considered good, heart-healthy fats.
How Much Monounsaturated Fat
Your average intake of fat should not exceed 30 percent of your total calories, recommends the USDA Dietary Guidelines. The USDA Food Guide Pyramid recommends fat intake in grams for low, moderate and higher calorie diets. For a 1,600-calorie diet, you should get 53g of fat or less; if your diet is 2,000 calories a day you can have 63g of fat or less; if you're aiming for 2,200 calories a day, 73g of fat or less is your goal; and for a 2,800-calorie diet, aim for 93g of fat or less. Dietary guidelines recommend that most of your fats come from food sources that contain good fats, which includes monounsaturated fatty acids.
Dairy Products
Milk and eggs contain a moderate amount of monounsaturated fatty acids. Whole milk contains 40 percent and one medium egg contains about 48 percent. In grams, one medium raw egg contains about 1.6g of monounsaturated fatty acids and 1 cup of whole milk contains about 2g. If you cook your egg in 1 tbsp. of olive oil, you increased the amount of good dietary fat by 10g.
Meats and Fish
Roasted chicken without skin and a pork chop contain significant amounts of fatty acids. Chicken contains about 46 percent; lean hamburger contains about 43 percent; and a pork chop about 49 percent of monounsaturated fats. In grams, 5 oz. of canned chicken meat without skin contains about 4.5g. If you like pickled herring, you will get 10g of monounsaturated fatty acids in 3 oz. of herring.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are some of the best food sources of monounsaturated fatty acids and are low in saturated fatty acids. The percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids in cashews is 62 percent; macadamia nuts contain 46 percent; dry roasted peanuts contain 52 percent; peanut butter contains 51 percent and sunflower seeds contain 20 percent. In grams, 18 dry roasted cashew nuts will provide abut 8g, 10 to 12 macadamia nuts contains 17g, and 1 oz of dry roasted peanuts will provide about 9g of monounsaturated fatty acids.
Vegetable Oils
Using vegetable oils for cooking and salad dressings is another heart-healthy way to get monounsaturated dietary fats. The amount of monounsaturated fatty acids in olive oil is 74 percent, and canola oil contains 58 percent. In grams, 1 tbsp. of canola oil has about 9g, and 1 tbsp. of olive oil is has 10g.
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