Saturated fats like butter, lard and beef tallow were used for centuries. Then, about 60 years ago, something changed. Suddenly the traditional, saturated fats were considered unhealthy, life-threatening, artery-clogging substances that will kill you sooner than later and vegetable and seed oils were named the healthiest oils on the planet. We all remember the ads for margarine, the doctor-recommended, heart healthy choice for a long and fruitful life. The pictures of the glowing red heart displayed on the labels of vegetable oils promoting its ‘benefits’. Well, times have changed and so has the research on fats. There are still some outdated medical branches that recommend vegetable oils for a healthy diet and they couldn’t be more wrong. PUFAs, Polyunsaturated fatty acids, found in most vegetable and seed oils, have been linked to many of the chronic diseases that affect us today: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and most other common chronic diseases.
So which oils am I talking about that are your true enemy (and I bet you’ll find some of them in your pantry)? Canola oil, soy oil, corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, refined palm oil and hydrogenated oil. All of these Vegetable/seed oils are highly processed and you can find them in most processed, packaged foods such as baked goods, sauces and dressings and in many other foods you’d never suspect such as frozen prepared meals, burgers and ‘healthy’ protein bars and crackers.
I have major issues with these oils: The way it is extracted and overprocessed from the seed, the dangerous levels of Omega-6 we ingest and the high level of oxidation of these fats in our bodies which ultimately causes toxic levels of inflammation wreaking havoc with our metabolism.
The means by which the oil is extracted from the seeds is scary. The process of extraction is mostly chemical, most often using toxic, industrial methods which turn the oil into a highly refined, overprocessed, synthetic product. Kind of like the oil in your car’s engine. It is also bleached, deodorized and coloured to make it more attractive to the consumer. These oils cost very little to manufacture and are therefore used in most processed foods and by most restaurants in their food preparation.
On average, 80% of North Americans get their calories from seed oils. We need Omega 3 and omega 6 since we cannot produce those acids ourselves. Ideally the ration should be around 1:3 (omega 3 : omega 6). Unfortunately we ingest an absurd amount of Omega-6, in North America that ratio is as high as 1:25 creating a constant state of inflammation in our bodies.
Approximately 70% of seed oils is made up of linoleic acid (LA). So what? Well, linoleic acid can act like a metabolic poison. The more linoleic acid you consume the more oxidized your circulating LDL particles and the smaller and denser the LDL particles become (the small. dense LDL particles are the dangerous ones). Linoleic acid has been found to cause inflammation of the arterial lining. Hey, we want to prevent heart disease, not cause it!
In short, seed oils are highly unstable fatty acids that become toxic when overprocessed, heated, and exposed to light. They oxidize very easily creating free radicals in the body. I compare oxidation to the image of a delicious, peeled banana that doesn’t get eaten right away. After a few hours it will turn brown and mushy and ugly… same thing happens in our bodies. Oxidative stress generates free radicals which damages your mitochondria and causes inflammation which is the root cause of so many illnesses. High levels of inflammation in our bloodstream, lungs and other tissues can cause randomized clotting in arteries and veins causing neurological issues, heart attacks and strokes. Over time chronic inflammation will cause obesity, arthritis and cardiovascular disease. Interestingly, saturated fats are much more stable and do not oxidize as easily.
Unfortunately, most doctors are poorly trained to give nutritional advice. To this day most medical professionals will tell you to avoid saturated fats and recommend that you eat PUFAs instead. In fact, to this day the American Heart Association (AHA) still promotes unhealthy seed oils as heart healthy! Not surprising because the AHA has always been heavily supported by companies selling seed oils.
Which oils do I use? Predominantly olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, butter and ghee. Unfortunately it is more difficult to find lard and tallow but those would be fine choices as well.
Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats and low in omega-6, it just doesn’t have a high smoke point so don’t use it with high heat cooking.
Coconut oil is high in saturated fats. This oil has a high smoke point, as does monounsaturated avocado oil, which makes it great for high heat cooking.
Butter, especially grass fed without any additives, is also saturated but good for you and oh so tasty.
To finish, my advice is to read the labels of the food you consume. Nature does not make bad fats, factories do. If you must eat processed food, look at the ingredients, you will be blown away how many contain vegetable/seed oils. You will even increase your linoleic acid consumption by consuming non-organic meat since ‘factory’ animals are usually fed a diet rich in grains (to make it worse, GMO grains). Use your common sense and eat whole foods not made in factories. Look in your pantry and get rid of packages that contain toxic vegetable/seed oils and when eating out ask the restaurant to cook your meal in real butter!