Oleic Acid
The primary monounsaturated fatty acid found in olive oil and avocados.
Oleic acid is a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid that makes up the majority of the fat content in both olive oil (roughly 73%) and avocados (roughly 77%). It is one of the most studied fatty acids in nutrition science, largely because of its prevalence in the Mediterranean diet.
In Practice
When a nutrition label or article credits olive oil or avocados with 'heart-healthy fat,' it is largely referring to their high oleic acid content.
Worth Knowing
Oleic acid is also produced synthetically as 'high-oleic' variants of other oils (like high-oleic sunflower or safflower oil) to mimic some of olive oil's fatty acid profile, though these lack olive oil's polyphenol content.