Fat is an essential part of a healthy human diet because it supplies energy and is involved in many bodily processes, but there are healthy and unhealthy fats. MayoClinic.com says the sources of bad fats are saturated and trans fats. On the other hand, the good fats you shouldn't avoid include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Monounsaturated
Monounsaturated fats, or MUFAs, offer many health benefits. MayoClinic.com says this type of fat can help improve your cholesterol and insulin levels and control blood sugar. So, this fat is beneficial for those at risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. MUFAs are found in a variety of foods, including olive oil, macadamia nuts, sesame seeds, almond butter and avocado. MUFAs are liquid at room temperature.
Polyunsaturated
The other type of healthy fat is polyunsaturated fat, or PUFAs. They offer health benefits similar to MUFAs. Two of the most significant types of PUFA are omega-3 fatty acid and omega-6 fatty acid, according to the University of Michigan Health System, or UMHS. These are considered essential fatty acids because the human body cannot produce them but still needs them. PUFAs are soft or liquid at room temperature. Common dietary sources of PUFAs include fatty fish, vegetable oils, nuts and olives.
Ratio
The UMHS recommends three to nine total servings of healthy fats per day. Most of these servings should consist of MUFAs and omega-3 fatty acids. A serving size of fat is much smaller than other dietary portions. For instance, one serving of olive oil is 1 tsp., and one serving of almonds is seven nuts. MayoClinic.com recommends limiting fat intake to 20 percent to 35 percent of total daily caloric intake. Saturated fats should not exceed 10 percent of your total fat intake for the day.
Considerations
Although omega-6 fatty acids are an essential and healthy PUFA, UMHS says that most Americans consume too much of it compared with omega-3 fatty acids. Consuming far more omega-6 than omega-3 fatty acids can increase your risk of chronic diseases and inflammation. Sources of omega-6 fatty acid include processed foods that contain corn, safflower or soybean oils. Choose unprocessed foods to ensure you properly balance omega-3 and omega-6 intake at a ratio of nearly 1 to 1.
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