Which Fats and Oils Are Healthy?
These seems to be a lot of confusion about which fats are healthy to use in the kitchen. It can be really simple if you ask yourself these three questions:
How to choose fats and oils:
Ask yourself these simple questions:
- Is this fat minimally processed and/or can I make it in my own kitchen?
- Was this food eaten by my ancestors?
- Does this fat or oil taste good by itself?
Which fats and oils to eat:
- Coconut oil
- Organic Grass fed butter
- Ghee/ clarified butter
- Grass fed beef tallow
- Pastured Duck fat/ chicken fat
- Lard From pastured pigs
- Organic Pastured Soy-free Eggs
- Palm oil
- Avocados
Eat but don’t heat:
- Cold pressed olive oil
- Cold pressed sesame oil
- Cold pressed walnut oil
- Organic Macadamia Oil
- Avocado Oil
- Flax oil (never heat!!)
- Nut and seeds
Which to avoid:
- Corn oil
- Rice Bran oil
- Canola oil
- Soybean oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Margarine
- Safflower oil
- Grape seed oil
- Most commercial salad dressing-read the lable
- Low fat butter spreads/spritzers
- Cooking Spray’s-Pam
- Blended olive oils-used in many restaurants to cut costs
Reasons to avoid factory fats:
- Oxidized during high heat processing, which creates pro-aging free radicals
- They increase inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk
- Made are from genetically modified seeds which have never been tested but deemed safe by Monsanto
- Toxic chemicals and detergents are used to get the oil out of the seeds
- Bleached and deodorized to make the product palatable
- Increase gut irritation and permeability opening the door for autoimmune diseases
- Increase weight gain because they have appetite stimulating compounds
Look here for a great chart on fats and oils:
balancedbites.com/useful-guides
Sources:
About the Author: Caitlin Weeks
Caitlin Weeks, BA, Certified Nutrition Consultant, C.H.E.K. Holistic Lifestyle Coach, and NASM Certified Personal Trainer is a San Francisco based Holistic Nutritionist serving clients locally and beyond (US & international) via phone and Skype consultations. Since 2001 Caitlin has had success conquering obesity after a lifelong struggle with her weight. Since 2009 she has been winning the battle over Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis by managing stress and using a paleo diet. She is committed to educating others about the benefits of traditional foods and efficient exercise. She writes weekly articles about health and nutrition on her blog: www.grassfedgirl.com
Caitlin Weeks
Caitlin Weeks, BA, Certified Nutrition Consultant, C.H.E.K. Holistic Lifestyle Coach, and NASM Certified Personal Trainer is a San Francisco based Holistic Nutritionist serving clients locally and beyond (US & international) via phone and Skype consultations. Since 2001 Caitlin has had success conquering obesity after a lifelong struggle with her weight. Since 2009 she has been winning the battle over Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis by managing stress and using a paleo diet. She is committed to educating others about the benefits of traditional foods and efficient exercise. She writes weekly articles about health and nutrition on her blog: www.grassfedgirl.com
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