What Fats to cook with

by Adel Mehmet

Olive Oil, Vegetable, Canola… How does something so small effect our bodies? This topic is Often overlooked, studies show some oils can cause Inflammation and disease when highly consumed. It’s SO easy to think about what food you’re eating, but if you’re unconsciously coating it in processed oils, its pretty much defeating the purpose. I hope after this you can understand different fats when reading food labels and what you can use to cook with instead.

Saturated, Mono-unsaturated.. Let me break it down for you

There are 4 Categories fats fall under…

  • Saturated
  • Mono Unsaturated
  • Polyunsaturated
  • Trans

They are ALL DIFFERENT! Firstly they are neither “good” or ‘bad” if you have read my posts, you know i’m all about balance. Lets be real, its life. We cant always avoid some types of fats. Here i want to share awareness of something thats added to every cooked cooked meal.

Did you know In nature, there is no such thing as a “Canola plant” that produces “Canola oil.” Canola was created through breeding from the rapeseed plant.  It is refined and processed. Same concept for vegetable oil… Do you think we should be eating chemical, bleached, genetically engineered oils & products?

Mono- Unsaturated Fats

  • Avocado, Nut Butters & Nuts (Cashews, Almonds, Hazelnuts) Olive Oil based spreads.

Poly-Unsaturated Fats

  • Fish sources, Nuts & Seeds, Vegetable oils such as sunflower, corn or soy. (In Moderation)

Saturated Fats

Mainly animal foods…Cream, Full fat milk, Commercial products such as fast foods, pastries, deep fried food, Fat cut offs from Meat, Coconut oil – *also comes under this list but processes differently in the body, so is the best out of all in moderate amounts research says ( Limit Intake )

Trans Fats

  • Margarine, Baked & Take away foods… Added to increase shelf life and keep some foods crunchy. Limit intake or “sometimes in small amounts ” as the Australian Dietary guidelines advise.

Healthier Alternatives

So cooking wise…some oils can stand higher temperature then others. I refer to this as “high and low smoke point”, keep in mind you never need as much oil when using a Non stick pan!

  1. Olive Oil from Olive tree – Unrefined Extra virgin (Darker) Small amount for pan frying on low heat, it has a low smoke point . Also use as a salad dressing. Light Olive Oil is refined- used for deep frying because it has a higher smoke point. The types of olive oil are not the same, the process in the making is different.
  2. Avocado Oil from avocados – Salad dressing & Frying, also has a high smoke point!
  3. Ghee (Clarified Butter) – Used for frying also in small amounts, has a high smoke point.
  4. Flax Seed, Hemp & Sesame Oil – As a Salad dressing.
  5. Coconut oil – can be used to fry foods but i prefer to use in frying desserts and cakes as a “Canola” oil substitute If you enjoy the taste!
  6. Peanut Oil – High smoke point and neutral taste! Best for Deep frying.

All of these containing Antioxidants, Anti Inflammatory properties, High in Omega-3/6 to support our bodies and so much more! that sums it up as I don’t want to go into detail individually and overwhelm you with information! Know that these are the healthiest alternatives which of course means a higher price, but you cant put a price on health! Look out for a upcoming post about where you can get the best quality of all this from, including fruits and vegetables but just quickly… Farmers Markets over mainstream supermarkets are the best and wont charge you as much as your arm! All my love, Adel

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