Monounsaturated fats, or MUFAs, can be a healthy addition to your diet. While MUFAs have an array of benefits for your body, they are still fats and high in calories. Instead of adding MUFAs to your diet, replace other less-healthy fats with MUFAs. This way, you can reap the benefits that MUFAs have to offer, without increasing your caloric intake. Before you make any changes to your diet, check with your doctor or registered dietitian to avoid adverse health effects.
Good vs. Bad Fats
You need fat in your diet to produce certain hormones, absorb fat-soluble vitamins and maintain your core body temperature. "Good" fats, such as MUFAs and polyunsaturated fats, or PUFAs, are beneficial for your heart and cholesterol. Unhealthy saturated and trans fats, called "bad" fats, can be detrimental to your health if you consume too much, since they increase cholesterol and risk of heart disease. While there is no specific amount of MUFAs you need as part of your MUFA diet, there are specific guidelines for overall fat intake.
Fat and Calories
A MUFA diet can have adverse effects if you consume too much due to their high calorie content. All fats, good or bad, provide 9 calories per gram, while carbohydrates and protein each have 4 calories per gram. Since fats, including MUFAs, have twice the calories of other macronutrients, monitor your intake to avoid unwanted weight gain. According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, between 20 perecent to 35 percent of your calories should come from fat. If you normally consume 2,000 calories per day, you need 44 g to 78 g of total fat for the day. Most of your fat intake should come from MUFAs, since they can set you up on a path for optimal health.
Benefits of a MUFA Diet
Following a MUFA-rich diet can be highly beneficial. Research published in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2001 shows that replacing saturated fat in your diet with MUFAs and PUFAs lowers your cholesterol. Subjects in the study ingested strictly MUFAs or PUFAs, in place of "bad" fats and had diets consisting of 30 to 33 percent calories from fat. At the end of the study, participants on the MUFA diet had an average of 12 percent lower total cholesterol and 15 percent lower low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol known as "bad" cholesterol. Furthermore, information published in the "Nutrition Reviews" journal in 2006, explains that consuming 20 percent of your total calories from MUFAs can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. While following a MUFA diet can be beneficial in moderation, keep in mind that MUFAs are high in calories, so you should manage your fat intake.
Food Sources of MUFAs
A variety of foods provide beneficial MUFAs for your MUFA diet. These fats come primarily from plant-based sources. Nuts, such as pistachios, walnuts and almonds contain MUFAs, or you can enjoy seeds, including sunflower seeds. Olive, canola or peanut oil are all loaded with MUFAs, and avocados are famous for their high MUFA concentration.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Dietary Fats; February 2011
- "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
- "Nutrition Reviews": Monounsaturated Fat and Cardiovascular Risk; Jose Lopez-Miranda, M.D., et al; October 2006
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