Monounsaturated Fats & Weight Loss

Much has been made of monounsaturated fats and the Flat Belly Diet, but there is always a bunch of press around any new major diet. Many times, after things have settled, we find that not much sound science backs up the hype. At best, we find out it is not better than any other diets out there. Sometimes we find that it is actually dangerous or establishes eating patterns that encourage weight gain after the diet is over.

Good News About MUFAs

The good news is monounsaturated fatty acids, or MUFAs for short, have been scientifically shown to affect how the body handles fat. In 2007 study published in the journal Diabetic Care, Dr. Paniagua and his team concluded that a diet rich in MUFAs prevented central fat distribution. This goes along with the claims of the Flat Belly Diet that MUFAs prevent belly fat in particular and changes the thinking that there is no way to "spot reduce" on a diet and exercise program.

MUFAS and Fat Burning

A later study conducted by Walker and O'Dea in 2007, in response to Paniagua, confirmed his findings and went on to show that subjects started burning fat after eating a MUFA-rich meal that the fat burning continued. Subjects also not only lost significant belly fat, but also lost fat in their limbs as well while consuming 40 percent of their total calories from fat. That is 5 to 15 percent more than the current recommended daily amount.

MUFAS and Lean Body Mass

Not only do MUFAs burn fat, but they were shown to preserve lean body mass during weight loss in a 2004 study published in the Journal of Nutrition. By preserving lean tissue, MUFAs decrease your body fat percentage and the health risks associated with a high percentage. Most weight loss diets alone cause a loss of both fat and lean muscle tissue, so this is a boon to those dieters who are not able to keep lean mass through an exercise program.

MUFAs and Weight Loss

The British Journal of Nutrition published a report that found that a diet high in MUFAs even helped people lose a small amount of weight with no change to their calorie intake.

Keeping It Real

With all that said, MUFAs are not "magic." They are still a fat, and you need to eat them as part of a moderate-fat diet. To lose significant weight, you still need to combine MUFAs with a reduced-calorie diet. To gain the most benefit from MUFAs, use them to replace saturated fats, like those found in meats, full-fat dairy, butter and lard. Weight loss goals need to be realistic and reasonable for best results, but MUFAs can play an important role in helping you meet them.