What fats are considered monounsaturated?
Most fats are a mixture of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats. Olive oil, for example, is 15 percent saturated, 11 percent polyunsaturated, and 74 percent monounsaturated fat. It is recognized as a monounsaturated fat because that's the fat that is found in the greatest amount. In addition to olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil, peanut oil and walnut oil are also considered to be rich in monounsaturated fats.
Total calories from fat should be 30 percent or less of total calories consumed. A third or less of the fats you eat should come from polyunsaturated fats. And another third or less of the fats you eat should be saturated. The remaining fat calories should come from monounsaturated fat sources.
How to calculate personal daily fat allowance. If your calorie need is 1800, cross out the last number of your calorie recommendation and divide by 3:
180/3= 60 grams fat/day
From this we can figure out how much saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated we should consume.
60/3= 20 grams or less of
saturated fat (preferably less)
60/3= 20 grams or less of polyunsaturated fat
The remaining fat grams should come from monounsaturated sources.
Reference:
University of North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service at:
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/fcs/heart/hhb6-1.html
For additional
information visit:
The American Heart Association at:
http://www.americanheart.org/Heart_and_Stroke_A_Z_Guide/fat.html