Healthy Cooking Oils and Fats

But when we cut through the media hype and the complex studies, the answers are simple and consistent with the rest of our philosophy:

Your body needs high quality unrefined fats in moderation, combined with a variety of (mostly) plant based whole foods.

When the link between saturated animal fats and heart disease was discovered, fat in general gained a bad reputation. People attempted to eat low or no fat diets, low fat diet books were published and tons of fat-free or low fat products appeared on the grocery store shelves. Healthy cooking oils were swapped for new low fat margarines. Even with all these efforts to avoid fat, heart disease continues to proliferate and obesity rates have skyrocketed.

Without understanding the role of fat and with so many low quality high fat products at your finger tips, it’s hard to stay healthy. Your body requires high quality unadulterated fat to stay healthy, produce hormones and even lose weight! But the low quality fats abundantly available in our modern food supply can be deadly. Learning how to use healthy cooking oils in moderation is the smart middle path.

Why Do We Need Fat and Healthy Cooking Oils?

Your cell membranes are made from fats. The right balance of healthy cooking oils and fats allows your body to create strong but flexible cell membranes that can receive nutrients and expel wastes efficiently.² Certain high quality fats are also able to reduce cholesterol levels and aid in detoxification.

Each gram of fat offers more than twice the amount of energy (9 calories) than either protein or carbohydrates (4 calories each). Through evolution our bodies have learned to favor this efficient and powerful energy source. The deep internal heat provided by fats, the sense of security they promote, and this ample energy has made fat based foods (avocados, olives, nuts, animal products, and healthy cooking oils) some of the most valued foods in every culture.

What is the Problem with Fat?

Too Much Animal Fat

Factory farming has made it possible for many people to eat meat or dairy in almost every meal. Traditionally, meat was a highly prized and expensive food that was eaten in moderation. Animal products such as meat, dairy and eggs contain high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol.

Cholesterol in and of itself is not a bad thing. It’s a natural substance produced in your body that’s necessary for good health. It’s used to form sex and adrenal hormones, vitamin D and bile (needed to digest fats).¹

But when you eat too much saturated fat, you start producing too much cholesterol. This excess cholesterol is the main component of arterial plaque. It leads to the hardening of arteries known as arteriosclerosis, heart disease, high blood pressure, and heart attacks. Eating animal products in moderation, if at all, is important for keeping your levels of saturated fat and cholesterol in check.

Rancid Vegetable Oils vs. Healthy Cooking Oils

Many healthy cooking oils made from plants have been used for centuries. But with the industrialization of food production these once healthy cooking oils are not healthy any longer.

Once oils have been extracted from their whole food origin they spoil very easily. Even minimal exposure to heat, light and/or air will make them rancid. When oils become rancid they form free radicals that accelerate aging and weaken immunity.

Most commercial oils are extracted at heat above 400 degrees F and very few of them are bottled, stored and shipped with attention to light, heat and air exposure. In addition to being exposed to high temperatures, many commercial oils are extracted using chemical solvents, such as hexane. These oils are often bleached and deodorized to hide the fact that they have been made rancid in the extraction process.¹

Healthy cooking oils made from high quality natural vegetables convey many health benefits and protective elements. The lecithin, chlorophyll, vitamin E, beta carotene, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, and phosphorus naturally found in these oils can help you stay healthy mentally and physically. But when healthy cooking oils are allowed to become rancid and treated with toxic chemicals their vital nutrients and protective qualities are destroyed and dangerous free radicals are formed.

Trans Fats Cause Heart Attacks

After the link between saturated animal fats and heart disease became known some fancy new products hit the shelves. Margarine and shortening, made by partially hydrogenating vegetable oils, quickly stepped in to replace butter and lard. Doctors recommended these new products as alternatives to healthy cooking oils for preventing high cholesterol and heart disease.

Unfortunately, heart disease rates continued to rise even faster than before. What they didn’t realize at the time is that when vegetable oil is partially hydrogenated, trans fats are created. After years of research, it was discovered that trans fats raise LDL (bad cholesterol) and lower HDL (good cholesterol), elevate levels of triglycerides and lipoproteins, increase clotting, and cause increased inflammation. This deadly combination of effects has significantly contributed to heart disease since trans fat products have become so popular.³

"Using the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) own data, the Center for Science in the Public Interest estimates that removing trans fats from the food supply will prevent between eleven thousand and thirty thousand premature deaths and save $50 billion in medical costs a year.”

- Walter C. Willet, M.D., Eat, Drink and Be Healthy: the Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating

Many restaurants, especially fast food restaurants, use partially hydrogenated oil for deep frying. They typically reuse this oil over and over again at high temperatures creating an even more detrimental effect. With this repeated use, long chain synthetic polymers are formed. These polymers are the basic ingredients used to make the most highly durable car waxes…clearly not good for your body.¹

The European food industry responded rapidly to initial concerns about trans fats by reducing them in their products. By 1995 most European margarines were free of trans fat and Denmark had banned it altogether.³ The United States has been slow to follow their lead. But following an initiative lead by Walter Willet, M.D. of Harvard Medical School, the FDA has agreed to begin labeling trans fats on food products and many major food manufacturers have begun to phase out this harmful substance. In July 2008, New York City became the first city in the United States to ban trans fats from its restaurants.⁴

Too Much of a Bad Thing

Most of the fats in our modern food supply are of the unhealthy variety - saturated fats from animal products, trans fats, or highly refined rancid vegetable oils. These unhealthy fats make up 30-40% of the average American’s diet. High fat diets promote tumors, cancer, obesity, heart disease, gallbladder and liver disorders, diabetes and other degenerative diseases.¹

In your effort to reduce unhealthy fats, please be wary of “fat free” products. Many of these products use artificial ingredients and extra sugar or High Fructose Corn Syrup to compensate for the lack of fat.

Transitioning to Healthy Cooking Oils and Fat Sources

As you transition from a standard Western diet to a whole foods diet with higher quality fats in less quantity you’ll want to take it gradually. When you reduce fat consumption your liver will start to cleanse itself of the built up fat and stagnation. As your body makes this transition your cravings for rich, high fat foods will gradually diminish.

Clear Out the Old Fat with Omega 3

During this time make good use of the high quality fats that will satisfy your cravings and help your body clear out the old debris. Omega 3 fatty acids help reduce the effects of harmful fats and cholesterol accumulations. They reduce blood viscosity, lower lipid levels, reduce clotting, lower blood pressure and help prevent heart attacks and strokes.¹

Compared to their ancestors, modern westerners consume only one fifth the amount of Omega 3 fatty acids while eating large amounts of saturated and trans fats.¹ To bring your fat intake back into balance focus on including Omega 3 rich foods. Wild cold water fish, such as salmon, mackerel and sardines are the most potent sources of Omega 3.¹

Farm fresh eggs from truly free range chickens are also a good source of Omega 3. Be sure to buy locally from a farmer you trust. Commercial eggs (even if labeled “organic” and “free range”) rarely provide high quality Omega 3.

These wild fish and free range chickens provide rich sources of Omega 3 because of the wild plant food they eat. All dark green foods (chlorophyll rich) contain the Omega 3 precursor, Alpha-linolenic Acid (ALA). Micro-algaes, such as spirulina and chlorella are potent sources of this precursor. They make up a large part of the diet of these wild cold water fish and can be included in your diet as well.¹

Other dark greens, such as kale, collards and parsley are also great sources. ALA is also found in great quantity in certain seeds, nuts and beans. Flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and soy beans are all loaded with this important fatty acid.¹ In addition to including these whole foods in your diet you may also consider taking their concentrated oils as a daily supplement to help establish a healthy balance and clear out the old fats.

Enjoy Whole Foods

In addition to these Omega 3 sources, other whole foods can also help to cleanse the harmful fats from your system. Lecithin, vitamins C and E and niacin are helpful in this endeavor. Legumes, beans, sprouts, cabbage, parsley, bell peppers and citrus are all great additions to your fat cleansing diet. A diet of legumes, whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts and seeds, with moderate amounts of omega 3 rich fish is enough for most people to see significant improvements in cholesterol, blood pressure and other circulatory issues within weeks.¹

Eating a whole foods diet can supply lots of satisfying, delicious fat. As you transition off of processed foods and restaurant fare you will discover the delight of fats and oils in their original form. Every oil comes from an oil rich food. When you eat the whole food you get the full benefits and complex synergy of that complete package. It’s time to let go of the fear of fats and enjoy the pleasures of avocados, coconut, olives, nuts, seeds, fish and healthy cooking oils again.

Tips for Using Healthy Cooking Oils

• Always choose unrefined oils.
• Look for the terms “cold pressed” or “expeller pressed” on the labels.
• In general, avoid corn, cottonseed, canola, soy, and safflower/sunflower oils. Oleic-rich or high oleic safflower and sunflower oils are more resistant to rancidity and may be a good choice. These are strains that have been bred with higher amounts of oleic acid for stability, but as with any altered food, they are still somewhat suspect.
• Store healthy cooking oils in a cool, dark place in airtight containers. Keeping oils in the cabinet above your stove or out on the counter in the sunlight will cause them to go rancid quickly.
• Keep the highly sensitive polyunsaturated oils such as flax and hemp in your refrigerator.
• For high heat cooking use saturated fats (coconut oil, butter or ghee). They are the most stable. If you are cleansing from a diet high in animal fats use these oils very sparingly. Long term vegetarians may benefit from these oils in moderation.
• For medium heat cooking use monounsaturated oils (olive oil, sesame oil, avocado, almond, peanut, and high oleic safflower or sunflower oil).
• Try an oil/water sauté to keep the temp of the oil low while still benefiting from its qualities and taste.
• Never heat or cook with the polyunsaturated oils (flax, hemp and walnut oil). Use these only to dress foods just before eating.
• Discard oils that have developed a rancid smell and taste.
• Avoid products with trans fats. Look for “partially hydrogenated oil” or “vegetable shortening” in the ingredients label to indicate if the product contains trans fats.

Healthy Cooking Oils and Fat Sources

• Coconut Oil - A plant based saturated fat that is solid at room temp. Coconut oil is very stable. It is less likely to become rancid and can be used for high heat cooking. Long term vegetarians can healthfully enjoy this saturated fat in moderation. Long term meat eaters may need to use it more sparingly. Coconut oil can be used in place of butter when making baked goods.

• Olive Oil - The most reliable healthy cooking oil. Choose unrefined extra virgin for the highest quality. Olive oil is easy to extract at low temperatures. As a monounsaturated fat it does not instigate cholesterol development and is more resistant to rancidity than the polyunsaturated fats. Olive Oil is known to reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) without lowering HDL (good cholesterol). The abundance of olive oil consumption and the very low incidence of heart disease among people who eat the Mediterranean diet has been the subject of many recent studies. This oil has been consumed for thousands of years with healthful results.
• Sunflower/Safflower Oil - These oils are traditionally polyunsaturated and therefore quite susceptible to rancidity. New strains of these plants have been bred to have high monounsaturated content. Look for “high oleic” on the label for the more stable version. Avoid using these oil if they are not “high oleic” and organic.
• Sesame Oil - This stable monounsaturated oil has been used for thousands of years in the East with healthful results. It is in fact one of the most stable of all oils. It has strong detoxifying and healing properties and promotes healthy bowel movements. It imparts a delicious and distinctly Asian flavor to dishes.
• Peanut Oil - Has a very stable ratio of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated fats. Choose organic peanut oil to avoid the heavy pesticide load of non organic peanuts. Organic peanuts are also less likely to be contaminated with the mold Aspergillus Flavis.
• Flax and Hemp Oils - These oils are excellent sources of the Omega 3 precursor, ALA. They are also very delicate. These oils should be stored in dark airtight containers in your refrigerator. They should never be used in cooking but can be taken as a supplement or added to dressings, smoothies and other raw foods. The best way to benefit from these oils is in their whole form. Include whole or freshly ground flax and hemp seeds in your diet as much as possible.

¹Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition (3rd Edition), by Paul Pitchford

²Eating Well For Optimum Health by Andrew Weil, M.D.

³Eat Drink and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating, by Walter Willet, M.D.

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