Updated

Here's the thing about fat: Most people have a negative knee-jerk reaction to the word—but they shouldn't. Good-for-you fats promote heart health, keep us feeling full and satisfied, and may even help ward off cognitive decline. All of these foods contain more fat than a glazed doughnut (which contains 14 grams), but that doesn't mean you should eliminate them from your diet. Here's why:

Half an Avocado

Each half of this fruit comes with 15 grams of fat—but 10 of those grams are monounsaturated fats, which improve cholesterol levels. They may also prevent the accumulation of belly fat, according to a study published in Diabetes Care.

Two Tablespoons Peanut Butter

If you limit yourself to two tablespoons, you'll be taking in 16 grams of fat, about half of which is monounsaturated. You'll also get nearly four grams of polyunsaturated fat, which can help reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

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One Ounce Unsweetened Dried Coconut

Almost all of the 18 grams of fat in this ideal oatmeal- or yogurt-topper are saturated—but new research suggests there's a place in healthy diets for saturated fats (and that they may not be as strongly linked to heart disease as previously thought). Since the recommendation is to get no more than 10 percent of your daily calories from saturated fats (and that comes to about 20 grams for an 1,800-calorie diet), you definitely don't want to go overboard with dried coconut—but you can work some into a healthy diet.

MORE: 4 Times It's Better to Go with the Full-Fat Version

3 Large Eggs

You'll get just more than 14 grams of fat from a breakfast that includes three eggs. The fat content breaks down fairly evenly between saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats.

MORE: The Surprising Danger of Skipping Breakfast

12 Olives

These edge out the donuts with 15 grams of fat, the vast majority of which is monounsaturated. Plus, olives, as with all of these foods mentioned, offer lots of other nutrients outside of their healthy fats. Unfortunately, we can't say the same for the doughnut.

MORE: 5 Foods That Have More Sugar Than a Candy Bar