MUFA, which stands for monounsaturated fatty acid, is one of the fats that can be found in your foods. Looking at the total fat content of a food doesn't give you a lot of information about what you're eating because different fats can have different impacts on your health. MUFA is an essential component of the Mediterranean diet, along with omega-3 fats from fish and plenty of fiber and antioxidants from vegetables, fruits and legumes. Including any type of almonds in your diet can help you obtain these healthy fats because all almonds are rich in MUFA.
MUFA Content
Of the 14.8 g of total fat found in 1 oz. of dry roasted, oil roasted, blanched, raw, salted or unsalted almonds, close to two-thirds, or 9.2 g, are MUFA, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database. These values correspond to an average and may vary slightly depending on the season, variety and ripeness of the almonds. A tablespoon of almond butter has 8.9 g of total fat, of which 5.2 g are MUFA.
Other Types of Fat
The majority of the fats found in all almonds are MUFA, or monounsaturated. The remaining fats found in almonds are polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFA, and saturated fatty acids, or SFA. In a serving of 1 oz. of any type of almonds, approximately 1.1 g of fat are SFA and 3.5 g are PUFA. Almond butter has a similar ratio of MUFA, SFA and PUFA, with about 0.7 g of SFA and 2.2 g PUFA per tablespoon.
MUFA and Your Health
MUFA is the main source of fat promoted by the Mediterranean diet. Found in olive oil, MUFA fat is recommended to lower your LDL cholesterol levels and prevent cardiovascular disease and stroke, according to the American Heart Association. Another benefit of MUFA-rich almonds is that they are a great source of vitamin E, an antioxidant vitamin that is also an important part of the Mediterranean diet to protect your heart health. The American Heart Association recommends that most of your fat intake, which should correspond to 25 to 35 percent of your daily calories, come from MUFA.
Other MUFA-Rich Foods
All almonds, no matter how they are processed, are rich in MUFA. It is best to stick to unsalted, raw or dry roasted almonds to avoid adding unneeded salt and vegetable oil to your diet. If you enjoy almond butter, choose natural almond butter that is free of added oil, sugar and salt. You can also obtain MUFA from olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, avocados and most nuts and seeds, including sesame seeds, peanuts and peanut butter.
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