Monounsaturated Fats
The Best Sources
Monounsaturated Fats
The discussion of fats and which ones are better for us has been ongoing for more than twenty years. Most of us have heard that we should limit the amount of saturated fats in our diet and include more of the unsaturated variety.
It's about hydrogen
You probably know that the designation of fats as “unsaturated” refers to the hydrogen capacity and whether a fat has reached its limit. In other words, saturated fats are literally “saturated” with hydrogen, while unsaturated fats have room for more.
Saturated fats are easy to identify since they are solid at room temperature. They are very stable, more difficult to digest and may collect in our arteries, but they don’t get rancid as easily and add taste and satiety to our foods. Many health experts have linked a high consumption of saturated fats to an increased risk of heart disease and some cancers.
Two categories of unsaturated fats
The other category of fats, unsaturated fats, are divided into two groups—monounsaturated, (popularly called "MUFAS), and polyunsaturated, based on the extent to which the fat has reached its hydrogen capacity.
Recently, everyone from health experts to diet gurus have encouraged us to include more of the monounsaturated variety in our diets, since these fats tend to be more stable and less likely to become rancid like their polyunsaturated cousins, without some of the disadvantages of saturated fats.
Here is a list of foods that are the best sources of MUFAS, because they have a high monounsaturated fat content, while at the same time a minimal amount of saturated fat.
Click here for a printable copy of this list.
The Best Sources of Monounsaturated Fats
Olive Oil
Canola Oil
Grape Seed Oil
Avocados
Almonds
Macadamia Nuts
Cashews
Pecans
Dry roasted peanuts
Sesame Seeds
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