Many public health experts say that trans fats in hydrogenated oils are to blame for many of the premature deaths that have taken place. There was a recent study review done by the Harvard school of public health that said trans fats may increase your risk of many chronic diseases and that it can also promote weight gain.
So what type of oils should you consume with your healthy diet plans? Should you consume any at all?
One thing we do know is that we can’t rely on vegetable oils when it comes to our healthy eating plans. When you see "vegetable oil" listed on a food label it could be a couple different versions. It may mean soybean oil, corn oil or even a blend of sunflower or canola oil.
The one thing that is common is that it contains high levels of Omega 6 fatty acids. These Omega 6 fats which are polyunsaturated fat are not that bad when they are balanced out with Omega 3 fats. The problem is we don’t consume a balance of these fats. We typically consume a 20:1 ratio of Omega 6 fats to Omega 3 fats. A high intake of Omega 6 fats increases inflammation in the body, which may increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer according to a 2008 review of studies by the Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health.
The most nutritious way to consume oils with your healthy diet plans is to balance your intake of Omega 3 and Omega 6 polyunsaturated fats. Also include saturated and monounsaturated fats as well. So your healthy eating plans could include some olive oil to your salad, eat cold water fish a couple times a week and use coconut oil when you are making some stir fry.
You can even consume butter!
What?? Did I just say eat butter? Isn’t butter full of saturated fat and dangerous for us? Walter Willett, M.D. and chairman of the department of nutrition at Harvard University states that the health scare with saturated fat and cholesterol was blown out of proportion. In 2010 there was a review of 21 studies that was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and it stated that there was no conclusive evidence that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke or cardiovascular disease.
The reality of it all is you can use butter, but just like with any other high calorie oil or high calorie food for that matter you need to eat it in moderation and control your overall intake. Butter is also an excellent source of natural conjugated linoleic acid, which some research has shown to help with weight loss as well as a cancer fighting nutrient.
So we know to moderate our oil intake, but do we know which ones to choose more than others? Here is a quick chart that gives you some guidelines on which oils are better or worse for your healthy diet plans.
| Canola | Olive | Butter | Vegetable Oil |
Margarine | |
|
Omega 6:Omega 3 |
2:1 | 13:1 | 7:1 | Can vary depending on blend. |
11:1 |
| Best time to use | Canola works well with high heat and has a neutral flavor. |
Extra virgin olive oil can be used for salads, vegetables and in cooked dishes. Regular olive oil is fine for cooking also. |
Used in baked goods and for sauces. | Minimize your use of this oil | Don’t use if it contains trans fats. Look for healthier versions of margarine. |
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