Healthy Oils vs. Non-Healthy Oils

I spent some time researching information that I could share with you to help drive home the reasons that vegetable oils are not really your best choice for cooking and I couldn’t believe some of what I was reading.  There is a lot of information out there on the internet and I can see how confusing it could be if you were to just go out there and try to decipher it on your own.

So, let me see if I can clear it up for you.

When it comes to the vegetable oils, there are many reasons why they shouldn’t be your first choice.   

1. Repeated heating of the oil results in lipid thermal oxidation, forming mew chemical functional groups that deposit in the oil
2. Repeated heating degrades the vitamin E which helps to prevent the lipid thermal oxidation
3. Heated vegetable oil consumption has been associated with Cardio Vascular disease
4. Heated vegetable oil has been shown to increase vascular inflammation
5. And, it reduces oxidative stresses in the body.
6. The manufacture of most vegetable cooking oils requires heat so even if you don’t heat it for cooking, you will still experience the degraded oil.

You can read the full article from ChrisKresser.com here if you are interested.

https://chriskresser.com/an-update-on-omega-6-pufas/

And that isn’t all. 

Omega-6 is a polyunsaturated fat needed for human function.  However, the majority of the omega-6’s that we now get are not coming from the whole foods that we eat.  They are coming from vegetable oils that are made from corn, soy, and sunflower.  And we have increased our consumption dramatically and changed the ratio of omega-6’s to omega-3’s which we also need.

The goal would be to reduce the intake of omega-6’s by eliminating vegetable oil.  You can get what you need from nuts, seeds, and pastured meats.  And you want to have at least 3 -4oz portions of fish per week to keep the balance between the two.

Ok, got that down.  Now what oils are healthy for cooking.  And, when using them, make sure you keep the temperature below the smoke point of the oils.

Avocado Oil – heart nourishing replacement

Coconut Oil – Medium-chain-fatty acids – good for brain and heart health and many, many more benefits, considered a super food.

Grapeseed Oil – Tied to lower cholesterol levels and heart health

Olive Oil – make sure it is Extra Virgin, cold-pressed.  Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, promotes heart health

Well, that was quick and hopefully concise.  The point is, vegetable oils really aren’t doing you any favors.  Get rid of them.  Replace them with the healthier oils and start cooking with them today!!

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash