“Vegetable oil” is an industry term that sometimes includes olive oil, peanut and coconut. However, when you see the words “vegetable oils” on the ingredients, it’s not going to the first press, unrefined version. It will be the cheap, refined PUFA-rich seed oils. Refined vegetable oils contain a high percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). PUFA’s are unstable and break down rapidly when exposed to chemical stress. A little PUFA is fine, in fact we actually need some. When we can get PUFA’s from whole foods such as sunflower, chia and flax seeds, it’s well protected by antioxidants in the seeds. The refining process makes PUFA’s toxic by exposing them to heat etc. These alters the molecules and these molecules promote free-radical reactions that can damage our cells. If we continue to eat them, over the years it will make our body fat prone to inflammation. A lot of these vegetable oils are found in processed foods such as margarines, fake butter spreads, store-bought pastries, chicken nuggets, chips, crackers, some protein bars, some salad dressings and some granola & cereals as well as many more. So always read the labels.
OILS TO AVOID
- Corn
- Cottonseed
- Soy
- Sunflower
- Safflower
- Grapeseed
- Rice bran
- Refined Palm oil
- Any “hydrogenated” oils
WHICH OILS/FATS SHOULD YOU USE?
- Olive oil
- Avocado oil
- Coconut oil
- Duck Fat
- Ghee
- Lard
- Butter
- Peanut oil
- Tallow
- Sesame oil (caution with heat)
- Flax oil (don’t cook with)
- Walnut oil (don’t cook with)
- Almond oil
- Macadamia nut oil
- Any oils that say cold-pressed and “unrefined”
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is hands down my favourite oil.
The benefits of Mediterranean diets have been shown in numerous studies. The use of good quality olive oil is one of the keystones of a healthy Mediterranean diet, with the health benefits ranging from the heart to brain and gut health.
This is a lovely chat between Dr Rupy and Dr Simon Poole who’s passionate about EVOO #99 The Olive Oil Episode with Dr Simon Poole — The Doctors Kitchen
If you would like to read some further research on EVOO then please take a look at these studies.
https://actascientific.com/ASNH/pdf/ASNH-02-0083.pdf
https://europepmc.org/article/med/26041214
https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/76086
Recently, I happened to stumble across The Governor Premium EVOO sold in the UK by Maria Blackburn based in Ascot. If you would like to purchase some of this amazing EVOO from The Governor then please take a look at the website below.