Articles
Dietary fat: Know which to choose
Harmful dietary fat
Healthier dietary fat
What changes should I make to my diet?
What about very low-fat diets?
Unhealthy fats
Healthier fats
Recommendations for fat intake
Content
The facts about fat
Saturated fat
Unsaturated fat
How can I start eating healthier?
Don't go to extremes
Unsaturated fat
Studies 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:
- Monounsaturated fat. This is found in olive, canola, peanut, sunflower and safflower oils, and in avocados, peanut butter and most nuts. It's also are part of most animal fats such as fats from chicken, pork and beef.
- Polyunsaturated fat. This is found in sunflower, corn, soybean and cottonseed oils. It's also found in walnuts, pine nuts, flaxseed, and sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Omega-3s fall into this category and are found in fatty fish, such as salmon, herring and sardines.
