Unsaturated fat: includes polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat. Both types are predominantly found in plant products. Examples of polyunsaturated fat food sources include soybean, sunflower, fish and corn oils. Monounsaturated fat is found in high content in olive, peanut, and canola oils.

Several studies reveal that replacement of foods high in saturated fatty acids with polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat rich foods reduces the total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Therefore, consumption of foods high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids is suggested to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

 

In the following table is a list of unsaturated fat food sources and their corresponding estimate of  polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat content. With in each catagory, the food items are listed from high to low for monounsaturated fat content.

Unsaturated fat food sourcesPolyunsaturated fat content (gram/100 grams food)Monounsaturated fat content (gram/100 grams food)
Nuts
Nuts, macadamia nuts, dry roasted, with salt added 1.50 59.27
Nuts, hazelnuts or filberts 7.92 45.65
Nuts, pecans 21.62 40.80
Nuts, almonds 12.22 32.16
Nuts, mixed nuts, oil roasted, with peanuts, with salt added 13.30 31.70
Nuts, mixed nuts, dry roasted, with peanuts, with salt added 10.77 31.39
Nuts, cashew nuts, dry roasted, with salt added 7.84 27.32
Nuts, cashew nuts, oil roasted, with salt added 8.55 25.92
Nuts, brazilnuts, dried, unblanched 20.58 24.55
Nuts, pistachio nuts, dry roasted, with salt added 13.90 24.22
Nuts, pine nuts, dried 34.07 18.77
Nuts, pine nuts, dried 34.07 18.77
Nuts, walnuts, english 47.17 8.93
Nuts, coconut meat, dried (desiccated), sweetened, shredded 0.39 1.51
Nuts, coconut meat, raw 0.37 1.42
Nuts, chestnuts, european, roasted 0.87 0.76
Peanuts
Peanuts, all types, oil-roasted, with salt 15.27 25.94
Peanuts, all types, dry-roasted, with salt 15.69 24.64
Peanuts, all types, dry-roasted, without salt 15.69 24.64
Peanut butter, chunk style, with salt 14.80 24.56
Peanut butter, smooth style, with salt 13.87 23.71
Vegatable oils
Oil, vegetable safflower, salad or cooking, oleic, over 70% (primary safflower oil of commerce) 14.35 74.65
Oil, olive, salad or cooking 10.53 72.96
Oil, peanut, salad or cooking 32.00 46.20
Oil, soybean, salad or cooking, (hydrogenated) 37.60 43.00
Oil, sesame, salad or cooking 41.70 39.70
Oil, soybean, salad or cooking, (hydrogenated) and cottonseed 48.10 29.50
Oil, vegetable, corn, industrial and retail, all purpose salad or cooking 54.68 27.57
Oil, vegetable, sunflower, linoleic, (approx. 65%) 65.70 19.50