15 Healthy Fat-Rich Foods to Add to Your Diet

The word is out: Fat, or at least "good fat," is not something you should banish from your diet. Unsaturated fats — which include monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats — provide essential fats your body can't produce on its own, which helps you absorb important nutrients and linked to lowering harmful LDL-cholesterol and protecting your ticker, per the American Heart Association.

We've dug through all of the fat facts to come up with 15 good-for-you sources of unsaturated fats. Read on to find out if any of your favorite foods made the list.

Read more: Why the Mediterranean Diet is Ranked the Best for 2019

Most commonly associated with pesto, pine nuts are also delicious when added to meat, fish, salads, vegetable dishes, or baked into bread. These nuts pack about 5 grams of monounsaturated and 10 grams of polyunsaturated fats per ounce serving (about 167 kernels), according to the USDA. Unsaturated fats are great for helping raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

Pine nuts are also rich in iron, which can be great news for those following a vegetarian or vegan diet. Iron is a key part of your hemoglobin, a protein found in healthy red blood cells that helps your body transfer oxygen from your lungs to the tissues, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Just one tablespoon of olive oil contains about 10 grams of monounsaturated fat, 1.42 grams of polyunsaturated fat and only 2 grams of saturated fat, according to the USDA. Due to its high unsaturated fat content, olive oil is a terrific option for boosting heart health and may help decrease risk of heart disease, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Although olive oil can be healthy, watch your portions when drizzling it over salads or veggies, as oil is very calorie-dense, according to the Mayo Clinic. You can mix olive oil with vinegar like balsamic to make a DIY dressing.

And whether you are partial to green, black, purple or brown, all olive varieties are rich in monounsaturated fat. A serving of about 10 large olives will supply about 3 grams of monounsaturated fat, according to the USDA. Consider whipping up an olive tapenade as a sandwich spread or baguette topper. Or, sprinkle some chopped olives into a salad.

PB&J sandwiches are not only a delicious snack but the creamy spread can also be healthy for your heart. A two-tablespoon serving of peanut butter will provide about 8 grams of monounsaturated fat and 3 grams of polyunsaturated fat, according to the USDA.

A serving of peanut butter is also a solid source of fiber, supplying about 3 grams per serving, which is about 12 percent of your daily recommended value. This nutrient promotes satiety but may also reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, too, according to the FDA.

Fatty fish including salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, albacore tuna and anchovies all contain healthy fats — specifically, omega-3 fatty acids, an anti-inflammatory type of polyunsaturated fat. Omega-3s are also linked to reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke, per the AHA.

Fish is also a great source of vitamin B12. This vitamin, found in animal-based products, is crucial for proper red blood cell formation and brain function, according to the NIH.

Whether you pair them with toast or tortilla chips or toss them into a smoothie, avocado is a versatile fruit (yep, it's actually a fruit!) you can easily add to any recipe. One-third of a medium avocado contains 6 grams of fat, the majority of which comes from the good monos and polys, according to the USDA.

Alongside their healthy fat content, avocados are loaded with other vitamins and nutrients. One serving of avocado provides about 7 percent of your daily recommended value of vitamin E, which can help support a healthy immune system.

With nearly 16 grams of unsaturated fat per ounce, hazelnuts may help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. But besides being a heart-healthy choice, hazelnuts are also rich in manganese and copper, vital minerals for iron absorption and bone formation, respectively.

A tablespoon of flaxseed oil packs about 2.5 grams of monounsaturated fat and 9 grams of polyunsaturated fat, according to the USDA. Flaxseed oil is also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, providing about 7.3 grams of ALA, a type of plant-based omega-3, per serving, according to NIH.

Since flaxseed oil turns rancid rather quickly, be sure to refrigerate it after opening, and keep it in a cool, dark place to avoid exposure to light. When purchasing flaxseed oil, look for the cold-pressed variety, since it has been processed at a minimum temperature to preserve its integrity.

Read more: 17 Reasons Why You Probably Need More Omega-3s in Your Diet

Surprised chocolate is on this list? With almost 3.6 grams of healthy monounsaturated fat per ounce, according to the USDA, this is a treat that's truly heart-smart. Look for dark chocolate with high cacao content (preferably 70 percent or higher), since more cacao means more antioxidants and fewer calories and added sugar.

With about 7 grams of healthy monounsaturated fat and 5 percent of your daily value of omega-3s per ounce, pistachios make a great snack for promoting healthy blood pressure. The green nuts have been linked to lower levels of systolic blood pressure, according to a May 2016 study published in Nutrition Today.

Enjoying pistachios as a snack instead of carb-rich options like crackers or pretzels is a smart swap. Pistachios also provide moderate amounts of fiber and protein, which can help keep you feeling full for longer.

With nearly 3 grams of healthy monounsaturated fat and a whopping 14 grams of polyunsaturated fat per one-ounce serving, according to the USDA, walnuts are also nutritional dynamos. Walnuts are a decent source of protein and fiber, making them a satiating snack.

As with most nuts, walnuts are calorie-dense, so you'll want to watch your portion sizes. But, tossing some walnuts into a salad or on top of your breakfast oatmeal or yogurt can make a great addition.

Great versatility, light taste and a dynamite nutrition profile make canola oil an excellent option for cooking. A tablespoon of canola oil will pack about 9 grams of monounsaturated fat and about 4 grams of polyunsaturated fat, according to the USDA.

Since canola oil has a medium-high heat tolerance, it can be used in a variety of different cooking mediums, including baking, stir-frying and grilling, according to the Mayo Clinic. Try using this oil next time you're sautéing some meat or veggies.

Sprinkling an ounce of sunflower seeds onto a salad or into a smoothie can add about 2.7 grams of monounsaturated fat and about 9 grams of polyunsaturated fat to your meal, according to the USDA. Sunflower seeds will also add about 5.5 grams of muscle-maintaining protein.

Just one ounce of sunflower seeds provides 76 percent of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin E and 14 percent of your daily value for zinc. Zinc plays a big role in supporting healthy immune function and protein metabolism, according to the NIH.

Reaching for a small handful of almonds will supply you with a tasty, protein-packed snack that contains 13 grams of unsaturated fat per one-ounce serving — that's about 23 whole almonds, according to the USDA.

This nutrient-dense nut is also a terrific source of magnesium, which is responsible for a variety of functions in the body, according to the NIH. Magnesium is important for proper muscle and nerve function.

A delicacy in Asian cuisine, just one ounce of sesame seeds supplies about 5 and 6 grams of heart-smart mono and poly fats, respectively, and about 22 percent of the recommended daily requirement for calcium, according to the USDA.

Sesame seeds are a terrific source of zinc, providing about 18 percent of your daily value. Add protein-rich sesame seeds to baked chicken, fish or salads for a nice, nutty flavor and texture. You can also use them to make homemade tahini or incorporate sesame seeds into a unique spice blend.

Since it's mainly comprised of monounsaturated fat (about 15 grams per half-breast serving), according to the USDA, duck is a terrific option if you are looking to add a new cut of lean meat into your dinner repertoire.

Duck is also rich in selenium, a necessary trace mineral for supporting a healthy reproductive system, according to the NIH. Duck is delicious pan-roasted or grilled, and it often pairs nicely with fruit, like cranberries or oranges.

Read more: List of Top 10 Foods With the Highest Protein Content