PUFA, MUFA: Choose Your Fats

When it comes to calories, all fats are created equal at about 120 calories per tablespoon.

For some time, olive oil, known to be high in monounsaturated fats and highly promoted by its makers, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a heart-healthy substitute for butter, which it certainly is.

New studies, however, show that vegetable oils that are high in polyunsaturated fats are an effective substitute for fighting heart disease. Polyunsaturates may be better for heart health than the monounsaturated fats found in olive oil.

A report that reviews 11 studies totaling more than 340,000 participants was recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The report shows that switching from saturated fat, such as in butter, to polyunsaturated fat reduced the risk of coronary events by 13 percent and the risk of coronary death by 26 percent.

The same study review shows that switching from butter-type fats to olive oil may have actually increased the risk of coronary events. Doctors at Tufts University are awaiting further findings before making a recommendation. Still, polyunsaturated fats appear to be better for the heart.

Products that are high in beneficial polyunsaturated fats include soybean oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, corn oil and peanut oil.

Always avoid products that are described as partially hydrogenated. They contain unhealthy trans fats.

Be sure to check the number of calories in products that are described as low fat. People who are watching their weight, which is almost everyone, may think the low-fat designation makes them a diet food.

Such products usually have just as many calories as the original form, and just what kind of fats they have may be a mystery.

Editor’s note

Earlier studies showed that polyunsaturated fats lowered both good (HDL) and bad (LDL) cholesterol, while monounsaturated fats lowered only the bad. But cholesterol isn’t everything; the omega-3 fatty acids in the polyunsaturated fats are also beneficial.