Dietary Oils and Fats

Dietary Oils And Fats, The Short Version

Elaine Mansfield

Although most Americans consume too much fat, the body does need the essential fatty acids provided by high quality mono-saturated vegetable oils. These oils are the carriers of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E. They are also the building blocks of many hormones and are necessary for many physiological processes, including the metabolism of fats.

1. Use at least 1 tablespoon of uncooked monounsaturated vegetable oil daily—olive is best. Canola is also high in monounsaturates. Quality extra virgin olive oil is worth the expense, especially for salads. Store large containers of oils in the refrigerator. A small dispenser of olive oil can be kept unrefrigerated for daily use.

2. Get omega-6 oils from a whole foods diet. Supplementation isn't usually necessary.

3. Omega-3 oils are essential for good health. And eat 2-3 servings a week of cold water fish, such as salmon, swordfish, or sardines. Unfortunately, there are many pollution problems with farm-raised fish. Wild salmon is safest, but extremely expensive. Look at www.oceansalive.org for good info on healthiest fish. Walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3s. A one ounce serving of walnuts (10-14 walnut halves) supplies a daily serving of omega-3s. Eat a heaping tablespoon of ground flax seeds (store ground seeds in refrigerator or freezer) or 1 T flax oil daily. Omega-3 eggs are also available. You can supplement with flax seed oil perls (100-200 mg a day), but food is the best choice.

4. Try fresh tahini (sesame butter) or natural (unhydrogenated) nut butters, such as almond, cashew, peanut, and hazelnut. Keep these refrigerated after opening.

5. Use butter sparingly. Buy organic if you can afford it. Don’t substitute margarine—it’s worse for you than butter. Try other possibilities like extra virgin olive oil or nut butters on bread.

6. Avoid tropical oils—palm kernel, coconut, and cottonseed.

High temperature and hydrogenation destroy the healthful properties of vegetable oils. Highly processed oils are linked with high cholesterol levels, many types of cancer, gallstones, and atherosclerosis. Avoid the following:

1. Hydrogenated oils: these are found in the prepared foods that many of us consume—mayonnaise, vegetable shortening, commercial peanut butter (natural peanut butter is fine), margarine, many commercial salad dressings, commercial baked goods, including many breads, crackers, cookies, popcorn, etc. Labels will say if products contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.

2. Deep fried foods: potato chips, corn chips, french fries, other deep fried foods. Avoid any deep fried foods from restaurants. Most commercial frying is done in oils that are used over and over again, creating carcinogenic chemical changes in the oil.

3. Rancid oils: use your nose to detect “off” flavors in crackers, nuts, granola, nut butters, butter, etc. Don’t eat them.

Recipes:

1. Better butter: blend 1/2 cup light colored olive or canola oil and 1/2 cup room temperature unsalted butter. (Add 1 tablespoon dried milk for a more solid mixture.) Store in the refrigerator and use as you would butter.

2. If you use commercial salad dressings, read labels carefully and buy dressings in which the oil and other liquids are separated. Use homemade salad dressing, such as 1 cup olive oil to 1 cup balsamic with 2 cloves crushed garlic, salt, and a little black or red pepper (optional: 1 tsp each oregano or prepared mustard). Mix in blender or shake well and store in the refrigerator.

3. Experiment with tahini (sesame butter)

Mix 2 tablespoons of tahini with equal amounts of water, adding the liquid slowly and stirring until you get the thickness you want. Add some tamari (soy sauce) or lemon for flavor.

Salad dressing: mix 1/4 cup tahini with juice of a lemon, stirring to thicken the tahini. Add about 1 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 tsp. Salt and 1 clove crushed garlic.

4. Flax seed: Mix a heaping tablespoon of ground flaxseed with lightly sweetened low-fat yogurt, or mix it with cereal or salads.