By Rebecca Rose of ChoiceEating.com

In their quest to lose weight, many people try to avoid the fats. But not all fats are culprits in weight gain. In fact, monounsaturated fats actually can help you lose weight.

A 2001 study concluded that those who consumed MUFAs, or Omega-9 fatty acids, lost an average of nine pounds.

The American Heart Association recommends people replace trans and saturated fats with MUFAs to increase access to vitamin E and to reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease. What distinguishes MUFAs from other fats is that they tend to be liquid at room temperature and become more solid when chilled.

Common sources of MUFAs include olive, sunflower and safflower oils; macadamia and hazelnuts; and avocados and olives. Olive oil is about 75 percent monounsaturated fat.

However, those who want to incorporate MUFAs into their diets shouldn’t just add fats without considering their total consumption of calories.  The total fats recommended by the AHA is up to 35 percent of daily calories People who want to be healthier and lose weight with MUFAs cannot just add these into the diet. Fats, including MUFAs, have nine calories per gram, compared with four per gram for carbs and protein.

Still, MUFAs are known for their fat-burning properties and serve as the cornerstone of the popular Flat Belly Diet. A 2007 study published in the journal Diabetes Care concluded that MUFAs discourage the development of both subcutaneous fat, the surface fat that’s visible, and visceral fat, the dangerous fat that can accumulate around the vital organs, without additional exercise.

Because MUFAs like olive oil are high in oleic acid, they also have the benefit of preventing overgrowth of yeast in the body. Yeast overgrowth can lead to bloating and weight gain.

However, the Sprecher Institute for Comparative Cancer Research at Cornell University reports that the jury is out on whether MUFAs contribute to breast cancer.

Rebecca Rose is an award-winning writer based in Oak Park, IL, who routinely covers health and fitness, financial and women’s issues regionally and nationally.