Dietary fat: Know which to choose Show
Fat is an important part of your diet, but some kinds are healthier than others. Find out which to choose and which to avoid. By Mayo Clinic StaffDietary fat is essential to your health. It gives you energy and helps your body absorb vitamins. But some types of fat may play a role in heart disease and stroke. In addition, fat is high in calories. Eating too many calories can lead to weight gain and possibly obesity. Find out which type of fat to choose — and which to avoid — for good health. The facts about fatMost foods contain a mix of different kinds of fat. For example, canola oil contains some saturated fat but is mostly monounsaturated fat. In contrast, butter contains some unsaturated fat but is mostly saturated fat. What's the difference between saturated and unsaturated fat?
Saturated fatThe Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of calories a day. The American Heart Association recommends staying under 7% of daily calories. Why? Because saturated fat tends to raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in the blood. High cholesterol levels can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Saturated fat occurs naturally in red meat and dairy products. It's also found in baked goods and fried foods. Trans fat occurs naturally in small amounts in red meat and dairy products. Trans fat can also be manufactured by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil. This artificial form of trans fat is known as partially hydrogenated oil. It has unhealthy effects on cholesterol levels and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. For this reason, partially hydrogenated oil can no longer be added to foods in the U.S. Unsaturated fatStudies show that eating foods rich in unsaturated fat instead of saturated fat improves blood cholesterol levels, which can decrease your risk of heart attack and stroke. One type in particular — omega-3 fatty acid — appears to boost heart health by improving cholesterol levels, reducing blood clotting, reducing irregular heartbeats and slightly lowering blood pressure. There are two main types of unsaturated fat:
How can I start eating healthier?Focus on replacing foods high in saturated fat with foods rich in unsaturated fat. Try these tips to reduce unhealthy fat in your diet:
Don't go to extremesYou don't have to cut fat from your diet. But be smart about the amount and type of fat you choose. Remember fat is high in calories. Choose foods rich in healthier unsaturated fat instead of foods high in saturated fat, not in addition to them. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information
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. Which is better for you polyunsaturated or monounsaturated?Polyunsaturated Fats Are Even Better
Polyunsaturated fats are potentially even better than monounsaturated. In one study, replacing foods high in saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat sources reduced the risk of heart disease by 19% ( 21 ).
Is polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat bad for you?Eating moderate amounts of polyunsaturated (and monounsaturated) fat in place of saturated and trans fats can benefit your health since saturated fat and trans fat can increase your risk for heart disease and other health problems.
Is monounsaturated fat the healthiest fat?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.
Why is polyunsaturated fat better?Polyunsaturated fats can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood which can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. They also provide nutrients to help develop and maintain your body's cells.
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