IS OIL REALLY A HEALTH FOOD?

By Vegan Victoria, Certified Nutrition Consultant

We’ve all heard certain oils, like olive oil, coconut oil and flaxseed oil, are good for us.   Oils contain polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats.  Numerous studies have shown these fats can protect against heart disease by lowering cholesterol and reducing blood clots. Additionally, the Mayo Clinic says other studies suggest they can improve insulin levels and blood sugar control, which can be helpful if you have type 2 diabetes.  So some people take this as permission to slather on as much oil as they like.  

But, while eating a certain amount of fat in its natural state on a daily basis is essential to maintain good health, choosing oil as a means to get your fat may actually be a poor choice. In fact, I’ve been reading more and more arguments from nutrition experts (like Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. Joel Fuhrman) that it’s best to avoid oil altogether.  This sounds blasphemous. What is going on?  Here’s what I’ve found:

Oil is an artificially processed form of a natural food.  To get some healthy fat, you’re better off eating olives, coconut flakes and ground flaxseed in their original form, rather than their oil, because the process of making the oil removes many healthy nutrients.

All oil is 100% pure fat.  In fact, 1 tablespoon of olive oil has more fat than a snickers bar (14 grams versus 12 grams).  And the candy bar at least has other nutrients in it, like protein (4 grams), carbohydrates (33 grams), and fiber (1 gram), while the oil is just 100% fat.

Another problem is cooking with oil.  According to the Cleveland Clinic website, heating oil above its smoke point — the temperature at which the oil begins to smoke — produces toxic fumes and harmful free radicals (the stuff we’re trying to prevent in the first place).

How to avoid using oil.  It’s really not hard to eliminate oil from your diet.  Instead of using oil to sauté food like onions, I now just use a little water or low-sodium vegetable broth which makes the food taste  so much better.  It’s not coated with an oily covering, allowing the natural delicious taste of your food to come through.

Also, instead of using oil on a salad, try sprinkling some balsamic vinegar and/or some lemon juice on your veggies along with some fresh herbs/seasonings.  Balsamic vinegar has only about 5 calories per tbsp. and has no saturated fat.  It will also add lots of flavor without adding any of the extra caloriesl.  I’ve been doing this for the last year and have not missed oil at all plus I’ve lost some weight and gained a lot of energy.  Give it a try!

The bottom line:  “If you’re thin and exercise a lot, consuming up to 1 tablespoon of oil a day is no big deal-BUT if you’re trying to lose weight, it’s best to avoid oil all together. “(Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Eat to Live)