Good fats vs. bad fats
Good fats vs. bad fats… this is perhaps the most controversial and enduring topic in world of nutrition. To further complicate the fat conundrum, we must not only choose the good fats but use them in a way to preserve their healthful qualities and prevent them from turning into bad fats. For example, cold-pressed sunflower seed oil provides a neutral-flavored base for cold salad dressings. But if you heat that oil, due to the unstable double bonds in the oil (a.k.a. polyunsaturated fatty acids), it will oxidize and become toxic to body cells.
How to use good fats: a print-out!
The image chart below is perfect for your Pinterest boards, but I formatted a print-friendly list so you can stick it on your fridge for easy reference.
Download the print-friendly How To Use Good Fats here (it’s a PDF).
Sources:
Know Your Fats by Mary Enig
Put Your Heart In Your Mouth by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
http://www.foodrenegade.com/your-extravirgin-olive-oil-fake/
http://www.foodrenegade.com/hemp-oil-hemp-seeds-safety/
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/flax-prostate-cancer-risk/#axzz2Nc8cQTxL
We’re having a great discussion down below in the comments! If you have a question after reading this list, check the comments because I might have already answered it there. I’d love for you to join in our discussion!
Please no palm oil! Production of palm oil is destroying rainforest habitat.
I was not aware of that issue–thanks for sharing! I will certainly research that topic now.
Alethea is only saying that because of the big issue about Girl Scout cooking using palm oil and “destroying rain forests” Its all a big lie. There is palm farms just like any other farms for mass production needs. http://cambreenotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/palmplants.jpg
Borneo is losing huge tracts of rainforest due to clear cutting to create palm plantations. This is habitat for Orangutans and Probosis Monkeys and many other animals who are now threatened. Best not to use palm oil.
No, Alethea is correct. YOU can google and see the massive massacring of orangetans – even setting them on fire! They are murdering the animals and cutting down the forests to plant the $$$$ producing Palm.
if it comes to a question of MY health and the assumption that maybe an animal is slaughtered in Borneo to produce the item, sadly I have to tell you that MY health has first and foremost priority. That is the price we pay for being on top of the food chain. That is reality, just as the animal fat we use such as lard comes from animals that we kill to get it.
Face it – whatever oil you eat, it is grown on what used to be a forest. Oil palm produces the largest amount of oil per acre, and thus is the least damaging of all oil crops. Sure, Borneo’s forests are being cut down for timber first (that’s to build your wooden houses) and oil palm second, but what about the Amazon being destroyed for soybeans? Soybean oil, soy milk, tofu, burger fillers, emulsifiers… don’t you consume loads of that too?
Good point.
The conversation can degrade into a debate about ethical farming practices, fair trade, eco-friendly business etc. However, the main gist of the article Lauren was writing is about HEALTH.
You can make any other number of arguments for just about any mass-produced food, oil or ingredient out there. It does not negate the health aspect of the product.
There are sustainable sources for palm oil that do not wantonly damage rainforest or slaughter apes. Tropical Traditions is a good organization for many coconut products and they also carry palm oil produced in Africa. I feel comfortable that they support local communities in their business relationship without the colonial paternalism that so often destroys others. However, it seems they are often on backorder for palm oil.
Hi Lauren
Thanks for putting all this info on healthy fats in one spot!
I’d like to print out the image chart with the fun fonts and images. Is there a chance you could provide that as a pdf, too, please?
You say not to use flax oil. I use ground flax seeds in my baking all the time – is this OK?
Ground flax is still high in phytoestrogens. Additionally, the (albeit poorly absorbed in the first place) omega-3s present in the flax will be degraded by the oven heat.
Could you explain why not to use grape seed oil? I was told it has a very high flash point and is great for all kinds of cooking.
From what i’ve heard about why you should not use it, it is high in omega-6, and you should limit your omega 6 intake and raise your omega-3 intake.
Yes, please explain why not to use grape seed oil. I love it. Use it all the time.
I was told it is healthier than olive oil and most other oils.
I discuss in my reply to Diana in a comment below.
I’ve also heard great things about grapeseed oil….. Very interesting, thanks for sharing!!
I was told that refined grapeseed oil is amazing when you put it on your skin. I have never cooked with it but if its bad to eat, it should be bad to wear. Is that true?
I discussed this on your comment below
I was informed by my sister-in law that they are all bad, so I watched tv and most of the chef’s used olive oil so I recieved the offer I shared with you, haven’t recieved it in the mail but thought it wasn’t as expensive as in the grocery stores plus you get a free Tempurs frying pan with it. It comes from Italy and is sold in the US. I hope I like it. Does anyone have any comments?
What is wrong with grape see oil? I thought it had a low smoking point and was extremely good for you. It was recommended by my nutritionist.
According to Mary Enig, author of “Know Your Fats,”
“Grapeseed oil contains phenols that raise the smoke point. However it is very high in omega-6 fatty acids, so it not a good choice for our diets–we need to avoid excess omega-6 fatty acids as much as possible. Also, grapeseed oil is industrially processed with hexane and other carcinogenic solvents, and traces will remain in the oil.”
Some of your info is WAY off….
Um… why and how? I can’t refute your argument with evidence unless you actually give me an argument…
I have to agree bacon fat or any animal product fat is KNOWN to clog your arteries when some of these others may have some toxins in them (such as your grapeseed you have discussed) but bacon fat, geese fat, LARD those all equal to walking heart attack.
When I read this I thought:
butter –sure, coconut oil–still trying to convence my brain that yes that’s ok but getting there, lard~bacon fat~goose fat–ew and no no no, olive oil ~nut oils~ and avocado oil–yes please…some of the avoids that’s the first seeing them there (grapeseed oil for one) —–that’s just my opinion and take on it
I don’t believe all the info presented here is accurate! Can you please verify how you back up what you say?
My primary sources for this post include the books “Know Your Fats” by Dr. Mary Enig, “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon, “Put Your Heart In Your Mouth” by Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride, and “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration” by Dr. Weston Price.
Weston A. Price is a dentist who published _over 80 years ago_! Mary Enig is a nutritionist (Phd and not MD) that relies on some very outdated information that modern science refutes heavily. The majority of the sources used in Enig’s book are from other Weston A. Price foundation doctors as opposed to peer reviewed, medical journals.
I understand that the want to blame a dark conspirator for any (and every) host of medical woes that may come our way, but do we ever wonder why we jump on board so quickly with a minority of ill qualified people, many of whom seek to profit from their followers directly like Joe Murcola D.O. of the WAPF (charges $59 for an internet questionnaire), rather than the hundreds of reputable doctors who publish in peer reviewed journals that are opened to the public.
I understand that none of us want to die. I understand the need to vilify our doctors and attempt to take control of our own lives. What we need to do, however; is treat ourselves and our peers like intelligent human beings and stop jumping on board with every dentist that thinks he has found a fountain of healing in correlative evidence. Once again, _Nutrition and Physical Degeneration_ was published in 1939!
This article is long but very very good. http://www.vegsource.com/news/2010/07/the-truth-about-the-weston-price-foundation.html.
Also a quick wikipedia search of Enig or Price should give anyone plenty of cause for speculation.
Eliminating processed foods and chemicals is a very good idea. Local, sustainable food? Excellent. No question. Lets just be very wary of taking our nutritional advice from the fringes of…well, I cannot even really call it science, and, of course, from blogs. This age of constantly sharing information is great, as long as we realize that we have to diligently scrutinize the constant assault of nutritional information that we now receive.
I completely agree that we must “diligently scrutinize the constant assault of nutritional information that we now receive.” And I would urge my readers to practice the same scrutinization as they read the heavily-biased article you linked. A vegetarian website discussing the “misinterpretation” of Dr. Price’s work is not an objective source. You insinuate that Dr. Price’s work is outdated and irrelevant because it was published in 1939… but effective dietary wisdom is NEVER outdated.
Great response Lauren. It seems that everyone is quick to throw away traditional wisdom for a “new and improved” version of what healthy food is (wikipedia, really?), but slow to do the research on the huge corporations and the massive industrial control of our foods and medicines.
We have entered a time when the medical students at Harvard are complaining about the quality of their education being corrupted by the pharmaceutical industry and when vegetarianism is being pushed down our throats by the heavily-subsidized-Monsanto-controlled farming industry, I’ll stick with what my ancestors ate (including my grandmother, raised on a farm that grew all of what she ate, AND who is an active 84 with no auto immune disease).
It’s also disturbing how it’s not acceptable for anyone to make a profit from their work and research anymore either – I guess if it’s not funded by government/corporate-controlled grant money then it must not be true? Hmm.
I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT FLAX AND GRAPESEED OIL. I HAVE BEEN EATING FLAX SEED OIL FO R A WHILE FOR INFLAMMATION. AND I USE GRAPESEED OIL AS A “LOTION” FOR DRY SKIN.
I can hear you… no need to speak so loudly
For women, the phytoestrogens in flax bind to estrogen receptors but don’t fully function like estrogen. In a nutshell, this is not good (read more here). For men, some studies show that high ALA (from flax seeds and oil) intake is linked to a higher risk of prostate cancer (read more here).
I discussed grapeseed oil in a comment above. It’s not going to do as much harm if you are putting it on your body instead of eating it. But for a better natural moisturizer, I would recommend coconut oil. I also use rendered beef tallow that I mix with essential oils. This sounds really weird, but tallow is actually more compatible to the biology of our cells than vegetable moisturizers (read more here). Plus, it is the best moisturizer I have ever used.
FOR THOSE WHO REQUIRE ‘HRT’ WITH PHYTOESTROGENS IN THEIR DIET THEN SOYA BEAN OIL & FLAX SEED OILS ARE GREAT. [MOSTLY FEMALES]
My goodness, Trevor, why are you yelling?
Anyway, I disagree. I think it’s best to support metabolism and hormones with fat-soluble vitamins from grassfed animal sources. Natural therapies like acupuncture are also safe and very effective.
And soybean oil? OMG, don’t get me started on that. It is oxidized and toxic to the body, it causes infertility and hormonal issues, and it supports GM crops that are devastating our planet (over 90% of soybeans are genetically modified). Not to mention that GMO’s are toxic to our bodies.
Thanks Lauren for all the wonderful recipes and information. I totally agree as a person who healed her own cancer, naturally and who have been doing research on all herbs, oils, recipes, therapies, and food, I agree totally with you about coconut oil & olive oil the best oils there are for health, healing, and nutrition. I think most readers need to do a little research, or lots.. most of the other oils out there, are all being produced by genetically modified organisms (the seeds) and Soy is truly one of the worst. Please avoid soy products as much as possible, there might be very few and I mean few farms that might have non GMOs seeds but in any case, Soy creates tons of other issues regarding hormones in males & females. In short Lauren, keep up the good work.. people ought research. Namaste Angelina
Thanks for posting this. I’ve been wondering more and more lately about what oils to use. I was raised with the idea that canola oil was the way to go, but over the past year or so, I’ve learned just how bad it is and have been at a bit of a loss at to what to do for baking (if a recipe calls for oil, I usually use organic, unsweetened applesauce, but there are instances when that won’t work). You’ve give me a lot to think about/research (thanks for also posting your sources).
I was wondering why you say to only use olive oil from the USA? The ones I use are always imported from italy. I was under the impression that if anything they had more strict rules about how they grow and process it. I was just curious why you suggest only grown in the USA?
Here’s a good article about the olive oil controversy: http://www.foodrenegade.com/your-extravirgin-olive-oil-fake/
From what else I’ve read, there is more “doctored” olive oil coming out of Italy than the U.S. But that isn’t to say that all imported olive oil is fake or all U.S. olive oil is real–buy it from a source that you trust and you can do the fridge test recommended in the article.
Thanks for the info. I had no idea it was such a controversy. Nice page too, keep up the good work!
Coconut oil is the winner here – it is seriously amazing. If a quality product is selected, it’s a sustainable choice, remains stable when heated and can be used in almost all recipes. I use an organic tasteless coconut oil (Sip of Paradise) when I don’t want that lovely, but full flavour of regular coconut oil. It also solidifies in cooler temperatures (but isn’t a hydrogenated fat), so it’s ideal for raw desserts and snacks. It gives substance, texture and flavour to refrigerated and frozen treats. It also contains up to 50% lauric acid, which has powerful anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties. It has been shown to help with candida, hormone imbalances and hypoglycaemia. Coconut oil is also an instant energy source and a super efficient, easily digested fuel source for athletes. It contains no cholesterol and no trans-fatty acids. You’ve probably gathered I love this miracle ingredient!
Grapeseed Oil is NOT a fat to avoid unless you are using solvent pressed instead of cold pressed and Grapeseed oil heats up to 419 degrees without burning so there for it won’t break down unless you are above that temp. Also, polyunstaturated fats are only unhealthy when the maunfacturer exceeds the Omega 3 and Omega 6 ratio. Go to Wildtree.com and you will see that our oil does NOT exceed the proper ratio.
Grapeseed Oil is very heart healthy and has many healing properties for heart, brain function, joint issues.
Before you tell people that something is unhealthy maybe you should tell them all the facts!
There are companies like Wildtree that have superior quality maybe you should check it out.
It sounds like you are invested in Wildtree. So maybe you’re not the best person to comment. And when you say things like, “it’s a shame that Lauren makes blanket statements about things…” instead of respectfully disagreeing you further weaken your opinion, in my opinion.
Nor is Lauren making blanket statements. For one, I’m not aware of any traditional cultures using grapeseed oil in their cooking. And two, here’s another source that explains why the smoke point of an oil is not a good determinant of its health value: http://www.eatnakednow.com/eatnaked/2011/04/12/smokin-hot-or-unsafe-is-cooking-with-grape-seed-oil-a-good-idea/
Thanks, Craig! Well said
I agree and I don’t invest in any companies!
Here I have been telling all and sunder to use flaxseed oil for moodswings and have been using it in smoothies (ground and oil) for a long time. Thanks for the article
Thanks for the post, though the comment about staying clear of nitrates (“nitrate-free bacon”) is unwarranted. Another myth. The seminal study, as noted by Chris Kresser: http://chriskresser.com/the-nitrate-and-nitrite-myth-another-reason-not-to-fear-bacon#comment-41806 was discredited after peer review.
Avoiding nitrates/nitrites in bacon is just plain silly. I researched it myself.
A food study in 2004 (Australia) compared nitrate and nitrite amounts in food. To give you an example:
Bacon: 36mg/kg sodium nitrate
15.9 mg/kg sodium nitrite
Lettuce: 1590 mg/kg sodium nitrate
2.5 mg/kg sodium nitrite
The human body converts dietary nitrates to nitrites. Using just the 5% conversion rate (which is baseline – it can go up to 20%) on both means we ingest/convert about 17.7 mg/kg sodium nitrite for bacon and 82 mg/kg sodium nitrite for lettuce.
For broccoli, it is about even with bacon.
Moral of the story? Save money and buy some cheaper bacon.
The problem is in heating meats that contain these levels of nitrates. This leads to the production of nitrosamines that are carcinogenic. That isn’t an issue with vegetables.
Two questions…
Please correct me!
1. I’ve always used olive oil to cook…fry chicken breasts, beef cubes, etc. in it. I learned this from watching cooking shows on TV (my mom doesn’t cook much, so I had to learn somewhere) and I love Wolfgang Puck stainless steel cookware, so I learned how to cook in them from watching him. From what I’ve watched, you’re supposed to heat the pan, add olive oil, and in a minute, once it’s at the smoke point, then add your food to the pan. Is this bad? Ahhhhh…I thought I was doing this right!
2. I’ve tried cooking in coconut oil before, but my husband and I can’t stand the taste it gives on the meat…tastes like rancid coconut to me. Is there a version of it that isn’t so flavorful that would be better for cooking things like chicken?
I do save my bacon fat and love cooking eggs in it. I also fry eggs in ghee and sometimes butter. My husband always fries eggs in olive oil…is that bad?
Thanks for the great article and I’m looking forward to your response!
Hi Rachel! It is best to choose the cooking fats from the above list over olive oil. If you don’t like the taste of coconut oil, try refined coconut oil–it has less taste than unrefined coconut oil, and it is still healthy. Ghee is also a great substitute for olive oil in cooking. Do you have a source of rendered lard? That is great for cooking proteins like chicken and beef.
I love this info.
Most of the sources you listed are books I have.
The others I will try to find.
I love Lard for cooking and we always use butter for eggs.
I need to buy another cow share so I can make more butter.
ALSO, Do you know about Kombucha?
Best thing I do and what toxins I do take it the Kombucha helps my body eliminate.
Hi, can you point me in the direction, book or website, of where you got the information specifically regarding Flax oil and Hemp oil? I just bought some flax oil to add to smoothies, but now it’s “bad”? So confused. I bought it specifically for the Omega-3 benefit. It is the Spectrum brand, “Organic Flax Oil with Vitamin D” “Ultra Lignan” “Unrefined”.
Thanks!
Thanks for this post. I’ve been grappling with this question (which fats for which purpose) for a while now. One question–I was told by a naturopathic doctor to only use coconut oil for baking. Have you heard anything to this effect? I’m wondering if the high heat of sauteing can damage it but I’ve heard mixed things. Thanks!
Coconut oil is very stable and great for everything… baking, sautéing and even deep frying. But I sometimes prefer grassfed butter for baking because I like the buttery taste. Either one is a healthy choice.
Thanks for the handy pdf and info. I will certainly be using once ive double checked.
I do have to say though i read a few posts back that the info you use is from books by individual authors. I personally use evidence based medicine on updated research. Whilst i agree that some dated information may be usefull. I do fear that using outdated books as a source without further investigation may be detrimental.
hi! how about rice oil?
the info on the oil was accurate, and was a great “cheat sheet” for people to use. Your articles are always good, and this one was very handy. The problem, I believe, is that it is a drop in the bucket for some people reading this who have no idea about the benefits of grass fed/pastured meats and the healthiness of the oils and fats from those meats over conventional ones. Everyone is assuming you are throwing out some strange ideas of your own about oils, for example, but if anyone wants to find the full story that backs up this info. they can read any of the great Paleo books out there, like Practical Paleo that goes really indepth about the research and science behind the way foods are processed and used in our bodies. The info that is provided here is fantastic, so if you want to read more, then go get some books and read the latest scientific research. Not pointing fingers at anyone, just thinking some of you may wish to do some further reading
And why hemp oil is bad? I see you have listed the reason in brackets, but I keep reading that hemp oil helps curing cancer.
I was a bit concerned about that as well as I believed the opposite! She did provide a link at the end of her post about hemp which was very enlightening and relieving lol! I put it here again: http://www.foodrenegade.com/hemp-oil-hemp-seeds-safety/
What about hemp seeds? My grandma is taking hemp oil for supposed health benefits, I didn’t know it was not a good choice.
I know regular (sunflower) oil is not ok, but how come, if sunflower seeds are recommended??