Solving the Oil Crisis One Fat Myth at a Time

Fats and Oils
an Integrative Nutrition document, tweaked slightly by me to clarify about expeller-pressed oils...or as my dad would say in a French accent "expelier-pressed" oils. Here is everything healthy nutcases like you an me need to know about fat and oils.

Walk down the aisles of any grocery store and you’ll see packages feeding America’s fear of fats with the NO FAT/LOW FAT claims. Let's set the record straight: not all oils and fats are created equal!

Heavily processed fats and oils used in packaged foods are those fats that our bodies do not know what to do with. Fat from high-quality oils and whole foods are used by our bodies to help keep metabolism steady, nourish our skin, hair and nails and keep enough healthy “grease” in our engine to have the body’s functions work fluidly.

Some of the healthy fats include extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, unrefined sesame oil, ghee (clarified butter) used often in Ayurvedic diets, whole nuts and seeds or nut butter, the fats in whole foods such as avocados and coconuts and the high-quality fats in cold-water fish such as salmon and tuna.

Usage

For sautéing and baking at high temperatures, use butter, ghee and coconut oil because they do not break down under extreme heat. When sautéing and stovetop cooking at moderate temperatures, try an organic extra virgin olive oil.

A simple way to know when you have heated the oil to the right temperature is to place the oil in your cooking pan, turn your stove on medium and heat it until you just begin to smell the aroma. Quickly add and sauté your ingredients. You do not want the oil to ripple or heat to the point of smoking. Nut and seed oils, such as toasted sesame oil, flax oil, walnut oil, pumpkin seed oil and almond oil are best used unheated. Drizzle them on salads, veggies or grains just before serving. Never heat flax seed oil or toasted sesame oil. Selection When selecting oil, buy the highest quality organic products you can afford, since they are the backbone of many dishes. Look for oils stored in dark bottles because oxygen, heat and light promote vitamin loss and rancidity.

Good words to look for on the label are organic, first-pressed, cold-pressed (no heat used to extract the oil) and unrefined. Some oils list a date of manufacture and “best used by” date. Words to avoid are "refined, expeller-pressed" or "refined and solvent extracted/cold-processed" (petroleum solvents are used to separate the oil from the food), a process for extraction that is mechanical and involves heat... The exceptions are simply "cold-pressed" but this term is thrown around a lot as a marketing tool, or if you are certain the oil was extracted by an old man cranking coconuts or flax with a hand-machine then you can call it healthy. By the way, if an oil or butter substitute doesn’t say “unrefined” on the label, it is most likely refined. I can say that Spectrum organic products are a safe bet. Personally, I don't like the taste of expeller-pressed mayo, (I just use olive oil on sandwiches now or avocado mushed up and when I do have a mayo-ey sandwich I have it once in a blue moon and have the "bad" kind from a deli or whatever--won't kill ya.) But, obviously, any oil is still healthier than hydrogenated oils, partially hydrogenated oils, margarine, low-quality butter-fat, of any kind. There are many different sides to the butter, oil debate. I suggest reading literature by Dr. Sally Fallon who eats three tablespoons of butter every morning, (Read Nourishing Traditions,) and then read something by Dr. Neil Barnard (vegan doctor) or David Wolfe (raw foods guy) so you have all sides of the story, then can decide what to eat for yourself, knowing who YOU are better than any research, website, or even world-renowned expert can possibly tell you about you.


Benefits

Our bodies need fat to insulate us and keep us warm and to protect and hold our organs in place. Consuming fats helps us to feel grounded and gives us a sense of soothing comfort. When there is a healthy percentage of high-quality fat in a meal, it creates a lasting feeling of energy, fulfillment and warmth. Signs of not enough high-quality fats in the diet are brittle hair and nails, dry skin, always feeling hungry after a meal and feeling cold. When there is an excess amount of fats and oils in the diet, especially of the heavily processed and refined kind, a person can experience weight gain, skin breakouts, high blood pressure, liver strain and an overall feeling of mental, physical and emotional heaviness.

Storage

Keep oils in a cool, dark place—not out on the counter, next to your stove or above your refrigerator, where it tends to be warmer. In most cases, oils are best kept in the refrigerator (especially those that are not to be heated when consumed). Check the label for the ideal storage temperature.