What Are the Benefits of Monounsaturated Fats?- 大数跨境

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Monounsaturated fats are healthy fats found in olive oil, avocados and certain nuts.

In fact, the evidence shows that monounsaturated fats have a number of health benefits.

They can help with weight loss, reduce the risk of heart disease and decrease inflammation.

This article will discuss monounsaturated fats and the scientific evidence behind their advantages.

What Are Monounsaturated Fats?

There are a number of different types of fat in your diet, which vary in their chemical structure.

Unsaturated fats are those that have double bonds in their chemical structure.

Monounsaturated fatty acids, or MUFAs, are a type of unsaturated fat. “Mono,” meaning one, signifies that monounsaturated fats have only one double bond.

There are many different types of MUFAs. Oleic acid is the most common type, comprising around 90% of those found in the diet.

Many foods are high in MUFAs, but most consist of a combination of different fats. There are very few foods that contain only one type of fat.

For example, olive oil is very high in MUFAs and other types of fat.

Foods that are high in unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, are usually liquid at room temperature, whereas foods that are high in saturated fats, such as butter and coconut oil, are usually solid at room temperature.

These different fats affect health and disease differently. Monounsaturated fats, in particular, have been shown to have a number of health benefits.

Monounsaturated Fats May Help You Lose Weight

They May Help Reduce Risk Factors for Heart Disease

There is a big debate in nutrition about whether excessive saturated fats increase the risk of heart disease.

However, there is good evidence that increasing MUFAs in your diet can reduce risk factors for heart disease, especially if you’re replacing saturated fat.

Too much cholesterol in the blood is a risk factor for heart disease, as it can clog arteries and lead to heart attacks or stroke. Various studies have shown that a high intake of monounsaturated fats can reduce blood cholesterol and triglycerides.

For example, one study of 162 healthy people compared three months of a high-MUFA diet with a high-saturated fat diet to see the effects on blood cholesterol.

This study found that the diet high in saturated fat increased unhealthy LDL cholesterol by 4%, while the high-MUFA diet reduced LDL cholesterol by 5%.

Other smaller studies have found similar results of MUFAs reducing LDL cholesterol and also increasing “good” HDL cholesterol.

High-MUFA diets can help lower blood pressure, too. A large study of 164 people with high blood pressure found that a high-MUFA diet lowered blood pressure and the risk of heart disease, compared to a high-carb diet.

Similar beneficial results in blood pressure have also been found in people with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

However, it is important to note that the beneficial effects of high-MUFA diets are only seen when they replace saturated fat or carbs in the diet.

Furthermore, in each of these studies, the high-MUFA diets were part of calorie-controlled diets, meaning that adding extra calories to your diet through high-MUFA foods may not have the same benefits.

They May Help Reduce Cancer Risk

Monounsaturated Fats May Help Improve Insulin Sensitivity

They May Reduce Inflammation

Which Foods Contain These Fats

The best sources of MUFAs are plant-based foods, including nuts, seeds and olive oil. They can be found in meat and animal-based foods, as well.

In fact, some evidence suggests that plant-based sources of MUFAs, particularly olive oil, are more desirable than animal-based sources.

This may be due to the additional beneficial components in olive oil. Here is a list of foods high in MUFAs, along with the amount found in 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of the food:

✔︎ Extra Virgin Olive oil: 73.1grams

✔︎ Almonds: 33.6 grams

✔︎ Cashews: 27.3 grams

✔︎ Peanuts: 24.7 grams

✔︎ Pistachios: 24.2 grams

✔︎ Olives: 15 grams

✔︎ Pumpkin seeds: 13.1 grams

✔︎ Pork: 10.7 grams

✔︎ Avocados: 9.8 grams

✔︎ Sunflower seeds: 9.5 grams

✔︎ Eggs: 4 grams

SUMMARY: MUFAs are found in animal- and plant-based foods. The best sources are olive oil, nuts and seeds.

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The Bottom Line

Monounsaturated fats are healthy fats most commonly found in olive oil, nuts, seeds and some animal-based foods.

Diets high in monounsaturated fats can help with weight loss and may reduce risk factors for heart disease, as long as they don’t add extra calories to your diet.

Foods that contain MUFAs, especially olive oil, may also help reduce cancer risk, inflammation and insulin resistance.

Although it is also important to eat other types of fat, replacing unhealthy fats with MUFAs can provide a number of health benefits.

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