Q: I'm constantly bombarded with different information on what kind of oil to use, and there are so many choices at the grocery store. Which is the best?
A: Usually when patients leave my office they are given a lot of information. If I could choose to have one piece of advice stick and be implemented in their homes straightaway it would be to throw out the highly inflammatory oils. Stay far away from corn, soy, vegetable, canola (also called rapeseed), and safflower oils. These oils are all omega 6 fatty acids, which translates to systemic inflammation. I know these oils are found in almost every household and used for almost all cooking. A simple switch to healthier oils can have a large impact in your overall health status. This can be easier than any other dietary change, as you don't have to change any of your actual foods to start. You just have to change what you cook them in.
The oils that one should be using include extra virgin coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil. Some of the more exotic oils such as avocado oil, walnut oil, and grape seed oil are also good alternatives albeit slightly harder to find and may be more expensive. However, there are a few things to look for when buying these oils. Always make sure they are cold-pressed. High quality natural oils pressed at high heats denature their properties and change the composition to make them more harmful to your health. It is important that you cook with your coconut, avocado, or grape seed oil as these three are able to withstand high temperatures without damage to the structure. Unfortunately, olive oil specifically is very delicate and will denature with even small amounts of heat. Olive oil is best used to dress salads, add to vegetables after they've been cooked, make dips, or any uses that doesn't involve heating or cooking. Coconut oil is touted as a super food as of late. This is because of the many uses it has throughout the body. Coconut oil contains lauric acid and caprylic acid both of which have anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-microbial properties. This is a great bonus to any food you should be ingesting daily. Secondly, it contains good fats shaped as medium chain triglycerides (MCT). It was believed for a long time that the only fuel the brain could utilize was glucose. However, it has been discovered that the brain can readily and happily use MCTs as fuel. Therefore, coconuts and specifically the oil from coconuts is literal brain food to keep you focused and sharp throughout the day.
In conclusion, it will be of great benefit to you to resist the temptation to use familiar, less-expensive cooking oils. These oils do not have a neutral effect in your body. It matters what you cook your food in. If you are trying to eat healthy and eat at home, but are still using these highly inflammatory processed oils, you may be doing yourself more harm than good. Inflammation is now believed to have much more to do with chronic, degenerative diseases than previously thought. Decreasing inflammation in the body will help to prevent these long-term conditions. Making a simple switch to high quality oils will have lasting health benefits.
By Marigot Vreeland D.C.
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