Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Are Unsaturated Fats?Monounsaturated FatsPolyunsaturated FatsOmega-3 Fats
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Are Unsaturated Fats?
Monounsaturated Fats
Polyunsaturated Fats
Omega-3 Fats
Polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) and monounsaturated fat (MUFA) are both types ofhealthy fatsthat, among other things, promote good cholesterol levels and offer other heart-health benefits. The difference between them starts on a molecular level.
This article discusses the two types of unsaturated fats, including why they’re good for you, what foods have them, and how they differ from saturated fats.
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Unsaturated fats are considered healthy fats. Research has found that including them in your diet can improve cholesterol, decrease inflammation, and stabilize heart rhythms.
These fatty acids are made of carbon atom chains that contain one or more double bonds, which reduces the amount of hydrogen atoms attached to the chain. Because of their structure, they’re usually liquid at room temperature.
In contrast, saturated fats are “saturated” with hydrogen atoms, meaning they have the maximum amount of hydrogen surrounding the carbon atoms. Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature.
Saturated fats have long been thought to increase your risk of cardiovascular disease because they increase bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, or LDL).
While research is still ongoing, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends eating foods with unsaturated fat instead of saturated fat when possible and limiting saturated fats. That’s because research has found that replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats can decrease the risk of heart disease. In contrast, replacing saturated fat with refined carbohydrates did not show the same reduction in heart disease risk, and in some cases made it worse.
According to the AHA, both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can lower rates of cardiovascular disease andall-cause mortality. These fats also help to decrease bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels, both of which contribute to heart disease.
Monounsaturated fats have only one carbon-to-carbon double bond in their molecular structure. They help lower bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and help maintain the overall health of cells.
Several healthy foods contain monounsaturated fats, including:
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Polyunsaturated fats have more than one double bond in their carbon structure. Much like monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats can also help lower unhealthy LDL cholesterol.
Polyunsaturated fats are essential for your body’s functions and play a role in building cell membranes and blood clotting. Your body can’t make polyunsaturated fats, so you have to get them from food.
There are two main types of polyunsaturated fats: omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Your body needs both of these for brain function and cell growth.
Foods high in polyunsaturated fats include:
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Polyunsaturated vs. Monounsaturated: Which is Better?One is not better than the other—they both offer health benefits. There’s no recommended daily intake of unsaturated fats, but the National Academy of Medicine recommends choosing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats to replace saturated and trans fats.
Polyunsaturated vs. Monounsaturated: Which is Better?
One is not better than the other—they both offer health benefits. There’s no recommended daily intake of unsaturated fats, but the National Academy of Medicine recommends choosing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats to replace saturated and trans fats.
Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat, have been extensively studied regarding their effects on heart health.
Research showsomega-3 fatscan lowertriglyceridelevels and slightly increaseHDL(good cholesterol) levels. A 2016 study found eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids at least twice a week significantly decreases blood triglyceride levels.
The following foods contain this specific type of polyunsaturated fat:
The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two 3.5-ounce servings of non-fried fish every week to get the benefits of omega-3 fats.
Summary
You may tend to think of fats as being bad for you. However, your body needs some of the fat that we get from food, particularly healthy fats like unsaturated fats. While the jury is still out on saturated fats, most doctors still recommend replacing them with unsaturated fats when possible.
Both monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats have heart-healthy benefits, including decreasing inflammation and improving cholesterol. Both offer health benefits and they’ve been found to decrease cardiovascular disease when they replace saturated fat in your diet.
Your physician or registered dietitian can help answer your questions about the types of fats to include in your diet.
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10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harvard Health Publishing.The truth about fats: the good, the bad, and the in-between.Sacks FM, Lichtenstein AH, Wu JHY, et al.Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease: a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2017;136(3)e1–e23. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000510Lichtenstein AH, Appel LJ, Vadiveloo M, et al.2021 Dietary guidance to improve cardiovascular health: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2021;144(23):e472–e487. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001031National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Facts about monounsaturated fats.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Facts about polyunsaturated fats.U.S. Department of Agriculture.FoodData Central.Harvard Medical School.The truth about fats: the good, the bad, and the in-between.Raatz SK, Johnson LK, Rosenberger TA, Picklo MJ.Twice weekly intake of farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) positively influences lipoprotein concentration and particle size in overweight men and women.Nutr Res. 2016;36(9):899-906. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2016.06.011National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Omega-3 fatty acids: fact sheet for consumers.Rimm EB, Appel LJ, Chiuve SE, et al.Seafood long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: a science advisory from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2018;138(1):e35–e47. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000574
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harvard Health Publishing.The truth about fats: the good, the bad, and the in-between.Sacks FM, Lichtenstein AH, Wu JHY, et al.Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease: a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2017;136(3)e1–e23. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000510Lichtenstein AH, Appel LJ, Vadiveloo M, et al.2021 Dietary guidance to improve cardiovascular health: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2021;144(23):e472–e487. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001031National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Facts about monounsaturated fats.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Facts about polyunsaturated fats.U.S. Department of Agriculture.FoodData Central.Harvard Medical School.The truth about fats: the good, the bad, and the in-between.Raatz SK, Johnson LK, Rosenberger TA, Picklo MJ.Twice weekly intake of farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) positively influences lipoprotein concentration and particle size in overweight men and women.Nutr Res. 2016;36(9):899-906. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2016.06.011National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Omega-3 fatty acids: fact sheet for consumers.Rimm EB, Appel LJ, Chiuve SE, et al.Seafood long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: a science advisory from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2018;138(1):e35–e47. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000574
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Harvard Health Publishing.The truth about fats: the good, the bad, and the in-between.Sacks FM, Lichtenstein AH, Wu JHY, et al.Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease: a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2017;136(3)e1–e23. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000510Lichtenstein AH, Appel LJ, Vadiveloo M, et al.2021 Dietary guidance to improve cardiovascular health: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2021;144(23):e472–e487. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001031National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Facts about monounsaturated fats.National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Facts about polyunsaturated fats.U.S. Department of Agriculture.FoodData Central.Harvard Medical School.The truth about fats: the good, the bad, and the in-between.Raatz SK, Johnson LK, Rosenberger TA, Picklo MJ.Twice weekly intake of farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) positively influences lipoprotein concentration and particle size in overweight men and women.Nutr Res. 2016;36(9):899-906. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2016.06.011National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Omega-3 fatty acids: fact sheet for consumers.Rimm EB, Appel LJ, Chiuve SE, et al.Seafood long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: a science advisory from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2018;138(1):e35–e47. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000574
Harvard Health Publishing.The truth about fats: the good, the bad, and the in-between.
Sacks FM, Lichtenstein AH, Wu JHY, et al.Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease: a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2017;136(3)e1–e23. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000510
Lichtenstein AH, Appel LJ, Vadiveloo M, et al.2021 Dietary guidance to improve cardiovascular health: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2021;144(23):e472–e487. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001031
National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Facts about monounsaturated fats.
National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Facts about polyunsaturated fats.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.FoodData Central.
Harvard Medical School.The truth about fats: the good, the bad, and the in-between.
Raatz SK, Johnson LK, Rosenberger TA, Picklo MJ.Twice weekly intake of farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) positively influences lipoprotein concentration and particle size in overweight men and women.Nutr Res. 2016;36(9):899-906. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2016.06.011
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Omega-3 fatty acids: fact sheet for consumers.
Rimm EB, Appel LJ, Chiuve SE, et al.Seafood long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: a science advisory from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2018;138(1):e35–e47. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000574
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