Unsaturated Fats
Many people assume that because a heart healthy diet recommends limiting fat, that all types of dietary fat are bad for your heart. However, quite the opposite is true. Unsaturated fatty acids have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Monounsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated fats reduce total cholesterol levels while maintaining your HDL levels. The AHA recommends that 10 to 15 percent of our total daily calories come from monounsaturated fats. They can be found in the following vegetable oils:
- Canola oil
- Olive oil
- Peanut oil
Polyunsaturated Fats
Polyunsaturated fats also help to reduce total cholesterol levels; however, they also lower your HDL levels. The AHA recommends that we get no more than 10 percent of our total daily calories from polyunsaturated fats. This type of fat is found in nuts and vegetable oils. Sources of polyunsaturated fats include:
- Corn oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Safflower oil
- Sesame oil
- Soybean oil
- Sunflower oil
Re-Published with permission by CholesterolNetwork.com