Understanding What Are the Healthiest Fats for the Heart

November 21, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the American Heart Association, replacing saturated and trans fats with unsaturated alternatives is key to reducing heart disease risk. Understanding what are the healthiest fats for the heart is a fundamental step toward building a diet that actively protects your cardiovascular system and improves overall well-being.

Quick Summary

This article details the differences between fat types and highlights monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, including omega-3s, as most beneficial for cardiovascular health. It covers their food sources, heart benefits, and provides actionable tips for incorporating them into your diet while limiting harmful fats.

Key Points

Prioritize Unsaturated Fats: Focus on monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, including omega-3s, from plant sources and fish to support heart health.
Boost Omega-3 Intake: Regularly eat oily fish like salmon and mackerel, or plant-based sources like flaxseeds and walnuts, to lower triglycerides and protect against irregular heartbeats.
Limit Saturated and Avoid Trans Fats: Reduce consumption of saturated fats found in animal products and tropical oils, and completely eliminate industrially-produced trans fats.
Choose Healthy Cooking Oils: Opt for olive, canola, and avocado oils for cooking and dressings over butter, lard, and high-fat tropical oils.
Make Smart Snacking Swaps: Replace processed, high-fat snacks with whole food options like nuts, seeds, and avocado to get a dose of healthy fats.
Don't Fear Fat, Choose Wisely: Understand that fats are essential nutrients; the goal is to choose the healthiest types rather than eliminating all fat from your diet.

The Science of Fats: Good, Bad, and Everything in Between

Fats are essential nutrients, providing energy and aiding vitamin absorption. However, the type of fat is crucial for heart health. Modern nutrition science emphasizes replacing unhealthy fats with healthier options rather than avoiding all fats.

The "Good" Fats: Unsaturated

Unsaturated fats, typically liquid at room temperature, are primarily from plants and fish and benefit heart health by improving cholesterol levels, reducing inflammation, and stabilizing heart rhythms. They are divided into two main types:

Monounsaturated Fats (MUFAs)

MUFAs help lower LDL ('bad') cholesterol while maintaining HDL ('good') cholesterol, thus lowering heart disease risk. Key sources include olive oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds.

Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFAs)

PUFAs, essential fatty acids the body cannot make, also help lower LDL cholesterol. The most important types are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Known for significant heart benefits, including lowering triglycerides, reducing arrhythmia risk, slowing artery plaque buildup, and slightly lowering blood pressure. EPA and DHA are found in oily fish like salmon and mackerel, while ALA is in flaxseeds, walnuts, and chia seeds.

Omega-6 Fatty Acids

Essential fats that can lower LDL cholesterol, found in many vegetable oils and nuts. Maintaining a balance between omega-3s and omega-6s is important, and increasing omega-3 intake is often recommended in typical Western diets.

The Fats to Limit: Saturated and Trans

High intake of saturated fats and any industrially-produced trans fats can raise LDL cholesterol, increasing heart disease risk.

Saturated Fats: Found in animal products (red meat, butter) and tropical oils (coconut, palm). Replacing them with unsaturated fats is recommended for heart health.
Trans Fats: Industrially produced through hydrogenation, these are very harmful, raising LDL and lowering HDL cholesterol. Look for "partially hydrogenated oils" on labels.

Comparison of Healthy vs. Unhealthy Fats


Feature	Monounsaturated Fats (MUFAs)	Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFAs)	Saturated Fats	Trans Fats
Heart Impact	Lowers LDL, maintains HDL	Lowers LDL and triglycerides, lowers blood pressure	Raises LDL cholesterol	Raises LDL, lowers HDL
Sources	Olive oil, avocados, almonds	Oily fish, walnuts, flaxseeds	Fatty meat, butter, palm oil	Processed snacks, fried foods
State at Room Temp	Liquid	Liquid	Solid	Solid
Health Status	Heart-healthy	Heart-healthy (Essential)	Limit intake	Avoid

How to Incorporate Healthiest Fats for the Heart

Simple dietary swaps can increase your intake of heart-healthy fats.

Heart-Healthy Swaps

Use olive, canola, or avocado oil for cooking.
Choose nuts or seeds as snacks instead of processed options.
Spread avocado or nut butter on toast instead of butter.
Opt for oily fish like salmon over fatty red meat.
Make salad dressings with olive or canola oil.

Authoritative Guidance

For more information on dietary fats and heart health, consult reputable sources like the American Heart Association.

Conclusion

Prioritizing unsaturated fats, especially MUFAs and PUFAs like omega-3s found in sources such as olive oil, avocados, nuts, and oily fish, is key for cardiovascular health. Replacing saturated and trans fats with these healthier alternatives helps lower bad cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and decrease the risk of heart disease. Incorporating small, consistent dietary changes is a proactive strategy for long-term heart and overall wellness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature and come mainly from animal products, while unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and mostly from plant-based sources and fish. Unsaturated fats are considered more beneficial for heart health.

No, fats are an essential part of a healthy diet, providing energy and helping with nutrient absorption. The goal is not to eliminate fat but to replace unhealthy saturated and trans fats with healthy unsaturated ones.

Coconut and palm oils are high in saturated fats. While not as harmful as trans fats, it's generally recommended to limit their intake and prioritize oils rich in unsaturated fats, such as olive or canola oil, for better heart health.

Oily fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines are the best sources of the beneficial EPA and DHA omega-3s. Plant-based sources of ALA include flaxseeds, walnuts, and chia seeds.

You can make simple swaps like using olive oil for cooking, adding avocado to salads or sandwiches, snacking on a handful of nuts, and choosing oily fish over fatty red meat for dinner.

Yes, consuming monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can help reduce LDL ('bad') cholesterol levels and in some cases, increase HDL ('good') cholesterol levels, which is beneficial for heart health.

For most people, the best way to get omega-3s is from whole foods, particularly oily fish. Supplements may be beneficial for individuals with existing heart disease or high triglycerides, but it is best to consult with a healthcare provider first.

No, all fats are high in calories, including healthy ones. Moderation is key to maintaining a healthy weight. The American Heart Association recommends that fats constitute 20-35% of your total daily calories.

Look for cooking oils that are high in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, such as olive, canola, sunflower, or avocado oil. These are better for your heart and overall health than oils high in saturated fats.