PH: 0417 632 464
Ross Walter Nutritionist & Naturopath
  • About
  • Contact
  • Treatments
  • Seminars
  • Programs
  • Articles
  • Resources
  • Members
  • Partners
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • Pathology
  • Bookings

which fats/oils are the best for your health or cooking?

27/9/2016

0 Comments

 
In the 1970s-80s we had the "low/no fat" scare campaign, because all dietary fat was apparently evil, as what fat we ate became the fat that we put on... which is a total lie! Because of this scare marketing, almost all homes and restaurants changed from using lard or animal fats (ie, saturated fat) for frying or cooking, and replacing with "cheaper" and "healthier" vegetable oils, or more correctly called seed oils. What the seed oil companies didn't tell the restaurants or home cooks was that the seed oils went rancid quicker and didn't last as long, which meant that you had to buy them more often! While seed oils were initially cheaper, buying them more frequently meant it actually cost you MORE money, and made the seed oil companies MORE profits!
 
Many plant-based oils can be very good for you, such as olive oil, coconut oil, and others. But again like some other foods on this list, the devil is in the details... Many of these same plant-based oils can be incredibly damaging to your health in certain circumstances.
 
Oils and fats do not contain just one type of fat - they are mixture of several different types, as shown in the picture below.

  A definition of the different types of fats and oils is needed here:
- A monounsaturated fat has one (ie, mono) double bond in its chemical structure
- A polyunsaturated fat has two or more (ie, poly) double bonds in its chemical structure
- A saturated fat has no double bonds
- Double bonds make the oil or fat more liquid but less stable, or in other words, more unstable in the presence of oxygen or heat
- By definition and having more double bonds, polyunsaturated fats are the most unstable and tend to oxidise very quickly when exposed to heat, or even at room temperature
- Oxidised fats and oils become rancid very quickly, being very sticky and having a "not right" smell
- Oxidised fats and oils are very inflammatory to your body
- Oxidised fats in your blood is what causes atherosclerotic plaques in the walls of your blood vessels and increases your risk of heart disease or heart attacks
- Saturated fats are stable in the presence of oxygen, tend to be more solid at room temperature (ie, lard, butter and coconut oil), and are much more stable when heated or exposed to oxygen
- The "smoke point" of an oil is irrelevant as to whether it is a healthy oil or not!
 
One of the worst things you can do with some oils or fats is to HEAT them! This exposes them to more oxygen, breaks the unstable double bonds and turns the oil into an oxidised, rancid and inflammatory oil. As you can see from the figure above, the oils to absolutely avoid for cooking are the polyunsaturated seed oils - those with a higher % of blue or orange shown in the figure above. Amazingly enough, this includes many oils which we are told in their marketing (aka "lies") are "healthy" for you - canola, sunflower and soybean oil and others!
 
Do NOT use polyunsaturated seed oils for cooking! Especially not canola, safflower, sunflower or olive oils. In fact, with the exception of flaxseed oil, all of your polyunsaturated oils should be thrown away as they are already likely to be rancid and oxidised and causing you adverse health effects.
 
Monounsaturated oils are not that much better - they will still oxidise and become rancid when heated or exposed to oxygen. So these oils having a high % of yellow in the picture, should NOT be heated either. With the exception of olive oil and perhaps flaxseed oil (which is only kept in the fridge - because it oxidises far too quickly), all the other monounsaturated oils should be thrown away.
 
Saturated fats on the other hand are stable when heated (as they have no weak double bonds) and do not oxidise as quickly as the other types of oils. Hence ONLY saturated fats should be used for cooking! This means butter and coconut oil. Lard is ok, but has a high polyunsaturated fat % which can oxidise to be rancid.
 
For making dressings on your salads or vegetables, use olive oil or flaxseed oil. Flaxseed oil can be very healthy as it has a very high % of a plant-based omega-3 oil, which is an anti-inflammatory oil. But this oil is VERY unstable to heat and oxygen, must be kept in the refrigerator and used quickly. Olive oil is very healthy (preferably organic and extra virgin) but for dressings only!

I hope this explains which oils are good for you and why, and which to only use for cooking!

Picture
0 Comments

    COPYRIGHT

    All articles here are Copyright (c) to Ross Walter Nutritionist & Naturopath (2015-2020). You are welcome to share these articles in your personal or business marketing, in full and referencing this website.
    If you wish to have specific health articles written for your business, please ask via email to ross@rosswalter.com.au  

    Archives

    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015

    Categories

    All
    5:2 Diet
    Acidity
    Acne
    Acrylamide
    AIDS
    Alcohol
    Alkaline Food
    Allergies
    Aluminium
    Alzheimer's
    Antibacterial
    Antibiotics
    Anti Inflammatories
    Anti-inflammatories
    Anxiety
    Aromatherapy
    Arsenic
    Artificial Sweeteners
    Atherosclerosis
    Autism
    Autoimmune Conditions
    Baby Powder
    Baking Soda
    Bipolar Disorder
    Blending
    Blood Glucose
    Blood Sugar
    Bone Density
    Bowel Movement
    Bowels
    BPA Free Plastic
    BPA-free Plastic
    BPA Plastic
    BPS Plastic
    Burns
    Cacao
    Calcium
    Calories
    Cancer
    Cancer In Children
    Cannabis
    Carb Adapted
    Carbohydrates
    Carcinogens
    Causes
    Celebrity
    Cervical Cancer
    Chemicals
    Children's Health
    Chocolate
    Cholesterol
    Chronic Disease
    Chronic Inflammation
    Climate Change
    Codeine
    Coeliac Disease
    Coffee
    Cold And Flu Prevention
    Common Cold
    Constipation
    Contraception
    Cooking
    Cookware
    Coronavirus
    Corporate Sponsorship
    COVID 19
    COVID-19
    Cravings
    DAA
    Dairy
    Dental Health
    Depression
    Detox
    Diabetes
    Dieting
    Dietitian
    Dietitians
    Digestive System
    Documentary Review
    EAT Lancet Diet
    EAT-Lancet Diet
    EBV
    Eczema
    Eggs
    E Health
    E-health
    Endocrine Disruptors
    Endometriosis
    Endorsements
    Enlarged Prostate
    Environmental Health
    Environmental Toxins
    Epstein-Barr Virus
    Essential Nutrients
    Essential Oils
    Evidence Based
    Exercise
    Farming
    Fast Food
    Fasting
    Fat Adapted
    Fatigue
    Fats
    Female Health
    Female Hormones
    Fermented Foods
    Fertility
    Fibre
    Fibroids
    Film Review
    Fish Oil
    Fitness
    Flu
    Fluoride
    Flu Vaccine
    Folate
    Folic Acid
    Food Additives
    Food Allergies
    Food Containters
    Food Guidelines
    Food Industry
    Food Ingredients
    Food Intake
    Food Intolerances
    Food Labelling
    Food Labels
    Food Production
    Food Pyramid
    Food Sensitivities
    Food Star Rating
    Fracking
    Fructose
    Gardasil Vaccine
    Genetically Modified Foods
    Genetic Modification
    Genetics
    Germ Theory
    Glandular Fever
    Global Warming
    Glucose
    Gluten
    Gluten Free Food
    Gluten-free Food
    Glyphosate
    GMO
    Goals
    Government
    Grains
    Gut Bacteria
    Gut-brain Connection
    Gut Health
    Hand Washing
    Health Funds
    Health Information
    Health Insurance
    Health Policy
    Health Star Ratings
    Health Statistics
    Healthy Fats
    Heartburn
    Heart Disease
    Heart Health
    Heavy Metals
    Herd Immunity
    High Blood Pressure
    HIV
    Hormonal Issues
    Hormone Disrupting
    Hormones
    HPV
    HPV Vaccine
    Hydroxychloroquine HCQ
    IBS
    Immune Suppressives
    Immune System
    Indigestion
    Infections
    Infertility
    Inflammation
    Influenza
    Insomnia
    Insulin
    Irritable Bowel
    Juicing
    Ketogenic Diet
    LCHF
    Leaky Gut
    Liver
    Low Carb Diet
    Low Fat Diets
    Low GI
    Lung Disease
    Man Flu
    Manuka Honey
    Margarine
    Marketing
    Masks
    Meal Replacements
    Measles
    Meat
    Medical Privacy
    Medical Records
    Medical Science
    Medications
    Medicinal Cannabis
    Melanoma
    Melatonin
    Men's Health
    Mental Health
    Mental Illness
    Microbiome
    Microwave Meals
    Microwaves
    Miscarriage
    MMR Vaccine
    Moderation
    Modern Diets
    Motivation
    MTHFR
    My Health Record
    Natural Therapies
    Naturopathy
    New Years Resolutions
    NSAIDs
    Nutrient Deficiencies
    Nutrients
    Nutrigenomics
    Nutrition
    Nutritional Medicine
    Nutrition Guidelines
    Nutritionist
    Nutrition Research
    Obesity
    Oestrogen
    Oil
    Omega-3
    Osteoporosis
    Pain
    Painkillers
    Paleo
    Pandemic
    Pap Smears
    Pathology Testing
    PCOS
    PCR Testing
    Personalised Consultations
    Pet Foods
    Pets
    Pharmaceuticals
    PH Of Food
    Plastic
    Plastic Bottles
    PMDD
    PMS
    Polyunsaturated Fats
    Poo
    Population Growth
    POTS
    PPI
    Preconception
    Pregnancy
    Primal
    Privacy
    Probiotics
    Processed Foods
    Psoriasis
    Pyrrole Disorder
    Red Meat
    Red Wine
    Reflux
    Research
    Respiratory Infections
    Resveratrol
    Reviews
    Rice
    Root Causes
    Roundup
    Salt
    SARS
    Saturated Fat
    Schizophrenia
    Scientific Evidence
    Scientific Research
    SIBO
    Skin
    Skin Cancer
    Skin Conditions
    Sleep
    Sore Throat
    Soy
    Soy Products
    Sports
    Sports Nutrition
    Spring
    Statistics
    Stevia
    Stress
    Sugar
    Sunburn
    Sunglasses
    Sunlight
    Sun Safe
    Sunscreens
    Talcum Powder
    TGA
    Thyroid
    Tonsillitis
    Tooth Decay
    Toxicity
    Toxins And Chemicals
    Type 1 Diabetes
    Type 2 Diabetes
    Ulcers
    Vaccination
    Vaccines
    Vegan
    Vegetables
    Virus
    Vitamin C
    Vitamin D
    Water
    Water Fluoridation
    Weight Gain
    Weight Loss
    Wheat
    Whole Grains
    Winter
    Winter Health
    Womens Health
    Would Healing
    Xenoestrogens
    Xeno-oestrogens
    Zinc

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly