Behind the Good & Bad of Fats/Oils

Everything has it’s good and bads and that includes FATS & OILS. I think there is a lot of confusion when it comes to choosing the right oils, especially for cooking so I wanted to take you behind the good and bad of fats and oils and what you should really consider when choosing your oils.

What you should not be concerned about:

1) Amount of fat:
Supermarket shelves can really push for that ‘low fat’ requirement, with this and that item being ‘fat free’ or ‘low fat’; so you think, ‘THAT is what I need’. A balanced diet is one that consists of healthy fats and what we really need is a diet that focuses on the quality of fats, not the quantity. By quality of fats, I mean how it functions in your body and how it affects your health. Keep reading and you should understand and learn the quality fats that you want to include in your diet.

2) Saturated fats:
Saturated fats have been labeled as a ‘bad fat’ because it increases the levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol or ‘bad cholesterol’. But this is just one side of the story – it does not take into account that saturated fats also increases HDL cholesterol which is the ‘good cholesterol’. So while LDL blocks your arteries and prevents blood flow, HDL clears the LDL from your blood. Nutritionists, doctors and other health professionals have come to realize that it is the LDL:HDL ratio that we should worry about and not the total cholesterol. Coconut oil and palm kernel oil are ideal sources of saturated fat.

What you should be concerned about:

1) Man-made oils:
Say “no thank you” to margarine. These are packed with trans fatty acids that will ensure your LDL cholesterol soars way above those levels of a healthy LDL:HDL ratio.

2) Highly processed unsaturated fats:
These are oils that oxidize (changes form) with exposure to heat, light and air so by the time its ready to be absorbed by your body it has become a toxic substance. These oils include canola, corn, soybean, vegetable, grapeseed, sunflower, safflower and ricebran - no nos!

3) Heating healthy unsaturated fats:
There are unsaturated fats that are healthy for consumption however these cannot be heated and should only be used cold. Once heated these oils will oxidize and become toxic. Healthy unsaturated fats that should be eaten cold include olive, avocado and nut and seed oils.

Hope that this helped and can help you identify the good and the bad!

Jacki:)