Healthy Fats and Oils
Much of the information regarding dietary fat intake is confusing and conflicting. Most people try to avoid all fats because they are misinformed. Approximately 95% of the U.S. population does not get the right kinds of fats and oils to stay healthy. They eat refined, processed, overheated, hydrogenated and solvent-ridden oils.
To reach optimal health, avoid chronic disease, and to slow the aging process, you must eat the right kinds of fats and oils. Essential fatty acids is the term used to describe the “right kind” of fats and oils. They are essential because the body needs them but cannot make them, so we must obtain them from food.
These healthy fats are necessary for a healthy terrain. Essential fatty acids are the building blocks of all of our cells, especially the cell membranes (the outer layer of the cell). Cell membranes are critically important because all the nutrients your cells need and all the toxic waste products they produce need to pass through the cell membranes. If you eat the right kinds of fats and oils, your cell membranes properly regulate the passage of materials
Eating unhealthy fats leads the cell membranes to become clogged and inflamed, causing them to work against you. When your cell membranes are not working correctly, your cells will malfunction, which can manifest into just about any disease you can imagine. The ingestion of unhealthy fats also puts a strain on our organs, especially the liver and gallbladder. In addition, a growing body of medical evidence indicates that consumption of processed oils and trans fats raise levels of LDL (the bad cholesterol) and reduces levels of HDL (the good cholesterol). This double whammy increases the risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), which itself is an independent risk factor for
heart attacks and strokes. Unhealthy fats are also suspected of causing certain cancers, including breast cancer.
What are the Unhealthy Fats?
Processed oils are produced when liquid vegetable oils undergo a food refining process called “hydrogenation”. During this process, hydrogen is added to make the oils more solid. Food manufacturers produce these “hydrogenated vegetable fats” (also known as trans fats or trans fatty acids) because they deteriorate at a slower speed thus permitting food products a longer shelf-life.
What Foods Contain Processed Oils and Trans Fats?
Processed oils and trans fats are commonly found in foods like: shortenings, margarine, cakes, cookies, crackers, pretzels, snack foods, fried foods, donuts, pastries, baked goods, and other processed foods made with “partially hydrogenated oils”. In addition, small amounts of trans fatty acids occur naturally in various meat and dairy products.
What are the Healthy (Essential) Fats?
The two basic categories of essential fatty acids are: Omega-3s and Omega-6s
Omega-6 and Omega-3 essential fatty acids are ideally consumed in a ratio of approximately 3:1 – three omega-6s for every one omega-3.
Most Western diets range between 20 and 30 to 1 in favor of omega-6, which is not good for health. It is estimated that approximately 90% of Americans are deficient in omega-3s. In general, we consume too much omega-6 fat and not enough omega-3 fat. Unfortunately, many of the oils high in omega-6 are heavily processed and can cause imbalances and harm to our terrains as mentioned above.
The primary sources of omega-6s are corn, soy, canola, safflower, primrose, grape seed, and sunflower oils. They are also found in raw nuts and some seeds. These oils are overabundant in the typical diet, which explains our excess omega-6 levels.
Omega-3s are typically found in Alaskan salmon, sardines, mackerel, lake trout, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and cod liver and krill oils. Supplementing with omega-3 oils is often required to ensure the daily therapeutic dose. *It is especially needed for those who do not consume adequate amounts of fish high in omega-3s. For vegetarians and vegans there are plant derived omega-3 supplements.
The benefits of consuming a diet that is balance with omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acids include: increased stamina, improved brain function, (the brain is approximately 60% fat),
improved digestion, stronger bones, lower glycemic index, lower triglycerides and cholesterol,
better sleep, healthy hair, healthy nails and radiant skin, to name a few.
What Foods Contain Processed Oils and Trans Fats?
Processed oils and trans fats are commonly found in foods like: shortenings, margarine, cakes, cookies, crackers, pretzels, snack foods, fried foods, donuts, pastries, baked goods, and other processed foods made with “partially hydrogenated oils”. In addition, small amounts of trans fatty acids occur naturally in various meat and dairy products.
What are the Healthy (Essential) Fats?
The two basic categories of essential fatty acids are: Omega-3s and Omega-6s
Omega-6 and Omega-3 essential fatty acids are ideally consumed in a ratio of approximately 3:1 – three omega-6s for every one omega-3.
Most Western diets range between 20 and 30 to 1 in favor of omega-6, which is not good for health. It is estimated that approximately 90% of Americans are deficient in omega-3s. In general, we consume too much omega-6 fat and not enough omega-3 fat. Unfortunately, many of the oils high in omega-6 are heavily processed and can cause imbalances and harm to our terrains as mentioned above.
The primary sources of omega-6s are corn, soy, canola, safflower, primrose, grape seed, and sunflower oils. They are also found in raw nuts and some seeds. These oils are overabundant in the typical diet, which explains our excess omega-6 levels.
Omega-3s are typically found in Alaskan salmon, sardines, mackerel, lake trout, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and cod liver and krill oils. Supplementing with omega-3 oils is often required to ensure the daily therapeutic dose. *It is especially needed for those who do not consume adequate amounts of fish high in omega-3s. For vegetarians and vegans there are plant derived omega-3 supplements.
The benefits of consuming a diet that is balance with omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acids include: increased stamina, improved brain function, (the brain is approximately 60% fat),
improved digestion, stronger bones, lower glycemic index, lower triglycerides and cholesterol,
better sleep, healthy hair, healthy nails and radiant skin, to name a few.
Increase your intake of Omega-3s and decrease your intake of Omega-6s!
Essential fatty acids can turn rancid very quickly. They should be kept away from light, heat and air and they should be refrigerated once opened. Also, they are destroyed by commercial processing, so always buy UNREFINED, COLD-PRESSED oils. Finally, pesticides often gather in fats and oils, so buy ORGANIC whenever possible. When purchasing oils, particularly olive oil, make sure the oil is dark in color (light oils are highly refined) and in a dark bottle.
Use unrefined, cold-pressed, organic oils.
NEVER RECYCLE ANY OILS – once you cook with any oils, they must be discarded. Recycled oils are highly inflammatory.
Healthy Fat Recipes
One delicious way to add Omega-3’s to your diet is by adding this flax/olive oil dressing to your salads:
1 cup olive oil – should be dark in color and in a dark bottle
1 cup flaxseed oil
3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt
**4 finely chopped kalamata or green olives
Black pepper to taste
**Optional
This dressing must be refrigerated and never heated or used for cooking. It’s best to use no more than one tablespoon per serving.
It is best not to cook with oils. When oils are used for cooking, use coconut oil, avocado oil, and grapeseed oil. These oils are more heat tolerant than others. Never cook oils with a high heat!
High heat increases dangerous free radical production, even with heat tolerant oils. Strictly avoid fried foods!
Best for cooking – most heat tolerant
• Avocado oil
• Coconut oil
• Grapeseed oil
Best for dressings, dips (do not heat)
• Olive oil – should be dark in color and in a dark bottle
• Flaxseed oil (never heat, always keep refrigerated)
• Sesame oil
• Avocado oil
Oils to avoid
• ALL processed oils
• ALL margarines and margarine-based spreads
• Partially hydrogenated oils (including hydrogenated palm oil)
• Trans fats
• Vegetable shortening
• Vegetable oils: *
o Canola oil –always GMO.
o Cottonseed Oil – heavily processed, probable GMO
o Corn oil – heavily refined and processed, high in Omega 6, probable GMO
o Soy or soybean oil – heavily processed, probable GMO
• Some popular brands to avoid are Wesson, Crisco, Mazola, Hy-Vee, Smart Balance
• Also avoid any oils that contain artificial flavorings, colorings, and preservatives—always read the labels
*Modern vegetable oils go through a process of caustic refining, bleaching, and degumming, all of which involve high temperatures, or chemicals and solvents of questionable safety.