Monounsaturated fats have many potential health benefits for heart health and weight management. Sources of monounsaturated fats include olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds and canola oil. Keep total fat intake to recommended guidelines of 25 to 30 percent of calories and replace saturated fat with monounsaturated fat for the greatest health benefit with monounsaturated fats.
Cholesterol
Eating monounsaturated fats in place of saturated fats can lower total cholesterol and the harmful low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. According to a 2001 study in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition," healthy study participants replaced saturated fat with monounsaturated fats for two and a half weeks while keeping total fat intake around 30 percent of total calories. Total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were lowered 12 and 15 percent, respectively. Another health benefit of monounsaturated fats is they do not lower the good HDL cholesterol which some low-fat diets do, according to a 1999 study from "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition."
Blood Pressure
Replacing saturated fats with monounsaturated fats can also lower blood pressure, as shown in a 2006 study published in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Participants who consumed 37 percent total percent of calories from fat, with 23 percent of those calories from monounsaturated fats, had a significant decrease in blood pressure over three months. This decrease was significantly different than the group who consumed 37 percent of calories with mostly saturated fat. The study also found that a higher intake of 37 percent fat, from mostly monounsaturated fats, did not further decrease blood pressure.
Insulin Resistance
The quality of dietary fat influences insulin sensitivity. Shifting from a diet high in saturated fat to a diet high in monounsaturated fat can help improve insulin sensitivity. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats affect the cell membranes to be more fluid, which assists the cells become more insulin sensitive. To help improve insulin sensitivity, replace most saturated fats with monounsaturated fats.
Obesity
A 2009 study from the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition" concluded that a subject group who consumed the least amount of olive oil were 2.3 times more likely to be obese. Olive oil is a rich source of monounsaturated fat; monounsaturated fat intake could help prevent obesity.
References
- American Heart Association: Monounsaturated Fats
- "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; The Effect of Replacing Dietary Saturated Fat with Polyunsaturated or Monounsaturated Fat on Plasma Lipids in Free-Living Young Adults; L. Hodson, et al.; October 2001
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Effects of Dietary Saturated, Monounsaturated, and n-3 Fatty Acids on Blood Pressure in Healthy Subjects; B.M. Rasmussen, et al; February 2006
- "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Incidence of Obesity is Lower in Persons who Consume Olive Oil: Obesity Incidence and Olive Oil; F. Soriguer; November 2009
- "Clinical Nutrition"; Dietary Fat, Insulin Sensitivity and the Metabolic Syndrome; G. Riccardia, et al.; August 2004
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; High--Monounsaturated Fatty Acid Diets Lower Both Plasma Cholesterol and Triacylglycerol Concentrations; Penny M. Kris-Etherton; December 1999
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