I’m already overweight and you want me to have fats and oils!! Are you nuts??
I probably am nuts, but that is not the topic for today. In regard to fats and oils – no, I definitely am not nuts – though as a side-note, you should remember that nuts are good for you too.
Let’s look at some different fats and oils. Today we will look at olive oil, coconut oil, butter, fish oil and vegetable oil.
Here’s the quick version – use olive oil, coconut oil and butter. They won’t make you fat in moderation, will help you control weight, don’t cause heart disease and have other health benefits. You need fats/oils in your diet to absorb fat soluble vitamins.
Let’s examine the oils.
Olive oil – protective against heart disease, contains antioxidants, aids inflammation control, helps control hunger – and helps keep you feeling fuller longer. It can also improve digestive function. Go for extra virgin olive oil in dark containers (you don’t want it exposed to light) – just make sure it isn’t mixed with other oils to keep the cost down.
Coconut oil – improves HDL (the “good” cholesterol), reduces visceral adiposity (the fat around organs), can help with insulin resistance and may have a positive impact on cognitive function (including with Alzheimer’s Disease – studies done in 2015, 2016, 2017) and can help with achieving weight loss by keeping you feeling fuller longer (didn’t I say that a minute ago about olive oil?). It also has antimicrobial actions.
Butter – pick one with minimal ingredients – just cream and a bit of salt – it doesn’t need anything else. It contains beneficial fatty acids (short and medium-chain fatty acids – which the body uses for energy) and fat-soluble vitamins – especially if you get butter where the cream is sourced from grass-fed cows. And it tastes goooooood!
Fish and fish oil – most people know fish is good, but why? Some reasons are the anti-inflammatory properties, help control blood pressure, immune health (helps cells to resist micro-organisms), regulating white blood cells (which are linked to immune function) and aid communication between nerve cells (including the brain).
Vegetable oils – just don’t. Most are high in Omega-6 and are inflammatory. We already get way too much omega-6 in our diets. Processed polyunsaturated fats damage cell membranes – and you really don’t want this! Which ones am I talking about? Canola, sunflower, soybean, corn, palm oil. Margarine is also made from vegetable oil – use butter or olive oil instead.
The science section:
Different types of fats have different impacts on the body. Saturated fats have long been demonised as “bad” because they cause heart disease. Wrong. In 2010 a 14-year meta-analysis (a study of studies) was done, which involved 347,747 people and 21 separate studies – and concluded that there is no relationship between saturated fat and cardiovascular disease. More studies since then have concluded exactly the same thing.