Without oils, cooking would be difficult. These fats help us saute veggies, marinate meats, and keep roasts from drying out. But much of what we have been taught about healthy cooking oils is wrong... I am going to let you in on a secret that could add years to your life.
What Most People Use
When people go to use vegetable oils for cooking, they usually reach for a bottle of canola, soybean, sunflower, or corn oil (if not a combination of these). Since these oils are low in saturated fat and high in unsaturated fat, we have been led to believe they are the best types of oils for healthy cooking. Unfortunately, this is wrong.
Bad, Bad Omega-6 Fats
Omega-3 fats are all the rage these days. People are eating foods fortified with flax oil and taking fish oil supplements. But did you know that omega-3 fats are only beneficial when a different type of fat, called omega-6, is low? If the amount of omega-6s you eat is large, it doesn't matter how much omega-3 you consume, you will end up with inflammation issues that lead to chronic disease.
And what kind of fats do you think are primarily in the most common vegetable oils? That's right, omega-6! (Plus some trans fats thrown in for good measure.)
The Benefits of Saturated Fat
Most people have been scared away by saturated fat. We hear it from nutritionists, the government, our friends... it is really, REALLY bad and should be avoided at all costs. As it turns out, previous scientific evidence condemning this fat was based on poor data and it turns out that saturated fat actually has more health benefits than you might realize, including improved cardiovascular risk factors.
But the most important thing to note is that saturated fat does not decompose at high temperatures. Due to the chemical structure of unsaturated fats, they oxidize to form free radicals and turn rancid at the high heats we need to use to cook. Not a good thing.
The Shocking Surprise
So the healthiest cooking oils are the ones that are highest in fats that are saturated! The best vegetable oils to fit this description are coconut oil and palm oil.
But why stop at vegetable oils? Animal fats are high in saturated fat and are therefore excellent candidates for cooking. They can be used to substitute for vegetable oils in any recipe. Try butter or lard as well.
Now that you know the secret about healthy cooking oils, you'll be sure to become a much healthier person. And this is a secret you should tell everyone about!
