Olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil and butter are the healthiest oils to eat and cook with, as well as lard and tallow.
OLIVE OIL is recommended as a staple in your diet. It is good for low-heat cooking, dressings and drizzling. Many sources now recommend taking a shot of olive oil just for health benefits and to lose weight. When I lived in Italy and had an Italian boyfriend, we were all in our 20’s, when we gathered for meals olive oil was used as an hors d’oeuvres to dip raw veggies in.
Your Olive Oil should be organic (so no pesticides which are stored in oils) EVOO (Extra-Virgin Olive Oil) in dark glass bottles (no plastic – the plastic hormone-disruptors go into your olive oil) and don’t put in sunlight.
AVOCADO OIL is better for higher heat cooking due to its low smoke point, like searing, roasting and stir-frying (smoke point around 520).
Both oils are high in polyphenols., help heart health and decrease inflammation and arthritis symptoms in our joints.
COCONUT OIL is a superfood. The saturated fat is a medium chain triglyceride which the body prefers for clean energy for the body. MCT has massive positive health benefits. It helps balance hormones, including the ones that control your appetite. By speeding up metabolism MCT’s can help with weight management.
Coconut oil increases the efficiency of EFA (Essential Fatty Acids) by 100%. It is antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal. You can use it topically on fungal infections. It is easy on the digestion because it doesn’t require pancreatic enzymes or bile to digest it. It increases the absorption of minerals (found in your greens and smoothies). It helps diabetes by improving insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose. It resists artery clogging, purifies the blood and is highly alkaline, and it stays stable for years. Lauric Acid is its main component, a powerful antimicrobial immune function compound found in breast milk. And it is the only oil that doesn’t create trans fats when heated to high temperature.
Virgin, unrefined and organic are key words for great coconut oil. It improves the quality of your LDL cholesterol and raises HDL, so it improves your LDL/HDL ration.
On your skin – fractionated coconut oil = MCT oil – can be used as a skin moisturizer. I put frankincense essential oil in and rub it on my face and whole body. You can bake, sauté or fry with it and it doesn’t morph into trans fats with high heat.
BUTTER – Made from the fat separated from milk, is rich in nutrients (all the fat soluble) and minerals, which helps bone and vision. It has CLA – Conjugated Linoleic Acid , antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. A saturated fat, it has a lot of health benefits, including improving cholesterol and brain function and reducing some chronic disease. Gut health is increased by providing butter to feed our microbiome. The better butter is from grass-fed cows. My favorite is the pure Irish Butter Kerrygold (Costco sells it) We should all be eating butter unless we have an allergy to cow dairy protein. If you do, you can buy or make ghee where the milk solids have been removed.
LARD – From rendered pork fat is a semi-solid white fat made by slowly cooking the pig fat. It has a high smoke point, it has no trans fats (unlike shortening) primarily saturated fats, which are healthy, but lower saturated fat than butter.
TALLOW – Rendered beef fat with a high smoke point, so good for frying and searing. Both tallow and lard make flaky pastry, add flavor to your food and can be used in skin care – known to reduce wrinkles when applied to your skin.
Seed oils are considered bad largely due to the industrial processing and chemicals used to extract them and make them neutral tasting (cheap oils for highly processed foods) a few are healthy when eaten raw or cold pressed.
Sunflower seeds are healthy. I get them raw and add to smoothies or snack. Its smoke point is 450 degrees. Flax seeds help prevent breast cancer, promotes healthy skin and skin cell regeneration, may help reduce cholesterol, high in vitamin E, boosts energy and helps heart health.
CORIANDER SEED OIL – Supports organ health to help flush out toxins, fights fungal and candida infections, improves gut health and helps create a balanced microbiome, has free radical fighting antioxidants, lowers blood sugar, helps decrease blood pressure, helps to remove heavy metals, helps ease digestive issues, antispasmodic – helps reduce muscle spasms and cramps, natural bacterial balancing properties and is a natural aphrodisiac.
BLACK SEASAME OIL – Boosts anti-aging, defends against free radicals, full of anti-oxidants, helps liver and kidney healthy, anti-parasitic, increase lactation in women, helps balance hormones, decreases symptoms of menopause, nourishes hair, stimulates blood circulation, supports the nervous system and helps protect against DNA damage from radiation (due to sesamol)
Used in Ayurvedic medicine, it supports healthy skin, hair and joints while promoting calm and balance from within. Beneficial for promoting overall health and development of several systems in the body. It is anti-aging, full of antioxidants, defends against harmful free radicals, rich in essential nutrients, keeps bones healthy and dense, and kidneys healthy. Known to be anti-parasitic – removes intestinal worms. Promotes lactation in nursing mothers, helps balance hormones, decreases menopause symptoms, nourishes hair, stimulates blood circulation, supports nervous system, helps protect against DNA damage from radiation.
Black Cumin Seed Oil – Called the “Seed of Blessing” used for thousands of years to support the immune system and overall vitality. From Nigella Sativa, it helps digestion, blood sugar, improves metabolism and supports gut health.
Hemp Oil – High in GLA which reduces inflammation in the body, deeply moisturizing, high in chlorophyll, Vitamin D, amino Acids – contains all 9 essential amino acids that our bodies cannot make. Supports heart and brain health, strengthens the immune system, optimum ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids, rich in GLA (Gamma-Linolenic Acid), may help alleviate arthritis and joint pain and helps relieve eczema and psoriasis.
Milk Thistle Oil – Primo oil for liver, gall bladder and kidney health. Known as “Holy Thistle” it lowers cholesterol, supports circulation, promotes the body’s natural detoxification process. The active ingredient is Silymarin, a hot scientific research topic for its antioxidant and neuro-protective potential in age related cognitive decline. Promotes thicker, fuller hair, balances cholesterol and blood pressure, energizes cellular regeneration, good source of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory effects.
Fennel Seed Oil – Great for digestion. Has a licorice-like flavor and aroma. It is antiseptic, can reduce gut spasms, prevent gas and bloating, speed digestion, has purifying and detoxifying effects, is an expectorant, a powerful antioxidant, a natural laxative, helps IBS, eases menstrual cramps, supports a healthy lymphatic system, may improve eyesight and eye health, reduces asthma symptoms, loosens congestion, decreases sweet cravings, reduces water retention – helps flush out excess fluids as it works as a diuretic. Antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-fungal. May increase breast milk.
Pumpkin Seed Oil – Increases prostate and heart health, decreases risk of stones in kidney and bladder, fights hair loss in men, boost immune system and metabolism, regulates cholesterol and LDL, fights intestinal parasites, anti-diabetic and anti-hyperglycemic, high in magnesium and zinc, strong antioxidant, decreases inflammation and encourages mental well-being.
Kava Seed Oil – Famous for decreasing anxiety, and can treat stress induced insomnia
The fats we eat make up part of our skin barriers, the cell membranes of all the cells of our body What do you want your cells to be made of? You determine that by the type and quality of the oils you eat.
We recommend that you try one or two of these less common oils, match what they help with complaints you have -and try them in your diet. They must be organic and cold-pressed in dark bottles. Pour on salads or vegetables after cooking and see which flavors you like best.
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