healthy fats Archives - Healthy Green Athlete Holistic Health and Sports Nutrition for Adult Athletes Mon, 05 Sep 2022 04:37:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 https://www.healthygreenathlete.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/sage-green-leaf.png healthy fats Archives - Healthy Green Athlete 32 32 181752975 5 Best Oils for Cooking and Baking https://www.healthygreenathlete.com/nutrition/best-oils-for-cooking/ https://www.healthygreenathlete.com/nutrition/best-oils-for-cooking/#comments Mon, 15 Feb 2021 22:35:43 +0000 https://www.healthygreenathlete.com/?p=4100 As a follow-up to my previous post which outlines the criteria for selecting healthy oils for cooking and baking, I put together a list of my 5 favorite oils for cooking that I use and explain why those are the only ones I ever have in my fridge or pantry.  These are the 5 best oils for cooking and baking that I use: 1. Avocado Oil As far as I’m concerned, avocado oil is the king of all cooking oils.  It has a high smoke point so I don’t have to worry about free radicals being released while I’m cooking.  Even in it’s purest (i.e. least processed) form, it has a very mild taste which makes it incredibly versatile.  I use it in almost every recipe that calls for some type of oil.  I use it for roasting vegetables, searing steak in my cast iron pan, making homemade dressings and mayonnaise from scratch. We use avocado oil so much in my house that I buy it by a gallon-sized jug from Amazon for about $40 and then transfer it into a pourer bottle and a mister bottle to make it easier to use.  We cook breakfast and dinner almost every day so a gallon of this brand will usually last us about 3 months.   2. Coconut Oil We don’t use coconut oil as often as avocado oil but there are some recipes where it just works better.  Since it’s solid at room temperature, I love using it to make chocolate covered strawberries (kept in the fridge so that the chocolate shell stays solid).  The healthiest version is the one that’s unrefined which means it’s unprocessed.  That also means that it has a delicious coconut taste so it’s an excellent addition to desserts and pancakes.  Coconut oil can also be used outside of the kitchen to moisturize skin and is perfectly safe for pets’ skin too.  We often use it on our dog’s jowls when they get dry and itchy.  I’ve often used Trader Joe’s brand, but I’m not too thrilled about the plastic container it comes in.  I’m currently making my way through this product which comes in a glass container.  3. Grass-fed butter Another fat that we go through a lot of is butter.  We use it as our primary fat to bake with and since I’m currently on the ketogenic diet so I use it almost every morning to butter my keto toast and keto waffles.  We buy Kerry Gold Unsalted butter in bulk from Costco which will usually last us about a month.    4. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) EVOO is one of the least used oils in our house.  I will sometimes drizzle it onto salads or roasted vegetables before I eat them, but this is one oil that I will never cook or bake with.  It has a low smoke point which means that it burns easily and thus exposes me to potential free radicals.  It also has a heavy olive taste which I love, but don’t want my baked goods tasting like olives.   Since I don’t use EVOO often and I’m using it to drizzle some flavour on my food, I will often splurge for an organic one made in Italy.   In my opinion, there’s no country in the world that makes better olive oil than Italy.  Once in a while, I’ll get crazy and choose one that is infused with some flavor such as rosemary, lemon garlic or chilli.  If you want to experiment with different flavors of EVOO, consider purchasing a sampler pack like this one which includes 4 different flavors.  5. MCT Oil MCT, or medium-chain triglyceride, oil is actually never used in my house for cooking or baking but I consume it on a daily basis so I thought it deserved to be on the list of my favourite oils. I add MCT oil to my keto lattes every morning. It has no taste and gives me a serious energy boost to start my day.  Sometimes I’ll have another latte after lunch just to get the extra calories and healthy fats.  It can be used similarly to EVOO to add moisture and boost calories, but since it has little to no taste, I rarely add it to my food. This is another fat that I stock up on at my local Costco.  They usually have 32 oz bottles of Sports Research Organic MCT Oil for $17.99 which is cheaper than what I can buy it for on Amazon ($26.55).  When I’m travelling, I like to have MCT oil capsules with me since I wouldn’t be able to take my 32 oz bottle on the plane with me.  Whether or not you’re following a ketogenic diet, MCT oil is an excellent source of healthy fats.  If you’re interested in trying MCT oil, be cautious not to drink too much too soon because it can cause some stomach discomfort if you’re not used to it.  Start small and work your way up to a tablespoon or 2.  

The post 5 Best Oils for Cooking and Baking appeared first on Healthy Green Athlete.

]]>

As a follow-up to my previous post which outlines the criteria for selecting healthy oils for cooking and baking, I put together a list of my 5 favorite oils for cooking that I use and explain why those are the only ones I ever have in my fridge or pantry.  These are the 5 best oils for cooking and baking that I use:

1. Avocado Oil

As far as I’m concerned, avocado oil is the king of all cooking oils.  It has a high smoke point so I don’t have to worry about free radicals being released while I’m cooking.  Even in it’s purest (i.e. least processed) form, it has a very mild taste which makes it incredibly versatile.  I use it in almost every recipe that calls for some type of oil.  I use it for roasting vegetables, searing steak in my cast iron pan, making homemade dressings and mayonnaise from scratch.

We use avocado oil so much in my house that I buy it by a gallon-sized jug from Amazon for about $40 and then transfer it into a pourer bottle and a mister bottle to make it easier to use.  We cook breakfast and dinner almost every day so a gallon of this brand will usually last us about 3 months.  

2. Coconut Oil

We don’t use coconut oil as often as avocado oil but there are some recipes where it just works better.  Since it’s solid at room temperature, I love using it to make chocolate covered strawberries (kept in the fridge so that the chocolate shell stays solid).  The healthiest version is the one that’s unrefined which means it’s unprocessed.  That also means that it has a delicious coconut taste so it’s an excellent addition to desserts and pancakes.  Coconut oil can also be used outside of the kitchen to moisturize skin and is perfectly safe for pets’ skin too.  We often use it on our dog’s jowls when they get dry and itchy. 

I’ve often used Trader Joe’s brand, but I’m not too thrilled about the plastic container it comes in.  I’m currently making my way through this product which comes in a glass container. 

3. Grass-fed butter

Another fat that we go through a lot of is butter.  We use it as our primary fat to bake with and since I’m currently on the ketogenic diet so I use it almost every morning to butter my keto toast and keto waffles.  We buy Kerry Gold Unsalted butter in bulk from Costco which will usually last us about a month.   

4. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

EVOO is one of the least used oils in our house.  I will sometimes drizzle it onto salads or roasted vegetables before I eat them, but this is one oil that I will never cook or bake with.  It has a low smoke point which means that it burns easily and thus exposes me to potential free radicals.  It also has a heavy olive taste which I love, but don’t want my baked goods tasting like olives.  

Since I don’t use EVOO often and I’m using it to drizzle some flavour on my food, I will often splurge for an organic one made in Italy.   In my opinion, there’s no country in the world that makes better olive oil than Italy.  Once in a while, I’ll get crazy and choose one that is infused with some flavor such as rosemary, lemon garlic or chilli.  If you want to experiment with different flavors of EVOO, consider purchasing a sampler pack like this one which includes 4 different flavors. 

5. MCT Oil

MCT, or medium-chain triglyceride, oil is actually never used in my house for cooking or baking but I consume it on a daily basis so I thought it deserved to be on the list of my favourite oils. I add MCT oil to my keto lattes every morning. It has no taste and gives me a serious energy boost to start my day.  Sometimes I’ll have another latte after lunch just to get the extra calories and healthy fats.  It can be used similarly to EVOO to add moisture and boost calories, but since it has little to no taste, I rarely add it to my food.

This is another fat that I stock up on at my local Costco.  They usually have 32 oz bottles of Sports Research Organic MCT Oil for $17.99 which is cheaper than what I can buy it for on Amazon ($26.55). 

When I’m travelling, I like to have MCT oil capsules with me since I wouldn’t be able to take my 32 oz bottle on the plane with me. 

Whether or not you’re following a ketogenic diet, MCT oil is an excellent source of healthy fats.  If you’re interested in trying MCT oil, be cautious not to drink too much too soon because it can cause some stomach discomfort if you’re not used to it.  Start small and work your way up to a tablespoon or 2.

 

The post 5 Best Oils for Cooking and Baking appeared first on Healthy Green Athlete.

]]> https://www.healthygreenathlete.com/nutrition/best-oils-for-cooking/feed/ 1 4100 Healthiest Oil to Cook With? A Complete Guide https://www.healthygreenathlete.com/nutrition/healthiest-oil-to-cook-with/ https://www.healthygreenathlete.com/nutrition/healthiest-oil-to-cook-with/#comments Mon, 15 Feb 2021 22:09:25 +0000 https://www.healthygreenathlete.com/?p=4092 If you are conscious about the quality of oils that you use in your food than this is the perfect place to start. I have created a list of all the factors and their importance that you need to keep in mind while purchasing a cooking oil. Without further delay let’s find the healthiest oil to cook with. When it comes to cooking oils, not all of them are created equal.  While there is such a thing as “unhealthy cooking oils”, cooking oils and fats in general get a bad reputation.  Many people believe that consuming fat is bad so cooking with oil has been demonized. In other cases, some people avoid cooking with nature-based oils altogether because they’ve been talked into thinking that saturated fats are bad.   This is why there are so many “low-calorie” alternatives to fats available these days which are full of toxic, man-made chemicals.  These include: non-stick cooking sprays, margarine, plant-based buttery spreads, and vegetable shortening.   When I was growing up, my parents always cooked everything with Pam Cooking Spray and baked with Crisco because they believed that fat was bad.  It wasn’t until later in life that I learned that the ingredients in these highly processed products are linked to increases in bad cholesterol and the development of Type 2 diabetes.  I’m here to set the record straight and tell you that nature-based fats should never be demonized and that saturated fats aren’t always bad.  There is, however, a time and a place for certain types of fats.  In other words, there  are appropriate and inappropriate times for when to use them and for what purpose. The majority of oils that you find in the cooking oil section of the supermarket are either made in a lab (i.e. vegetable shortening), or extracted from the parts of plants that store energy in the form of fats.  In some cases, cooking oils such as canola oil and vegetable oil are originally extracted from plants but they are so highly processed that they lose all nutritional value and are harmful to human health.  The nature-based fats that are most healthy for humans are the ones that are extracted from high-fat fruits, seeds and nuts.  Examples of these include sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, walnuts, peanuts, flax seeds, olives, avocados and coconuts.   Animals also provide excellent sources of nature-based fats for cooking, baking and flavorings.  These include: bacon grease, lard, grass-fed butter and ghee, tallow and chicken fat.     Also Read: 5 Best Oils for Cooking and Baking They vary in terms of their health benefits, taste, and in how they cook foods.  Some are more appropriate for sauteing and  frying, while others are better for baking.   Some oils should never be used to cook, but could be great ingredients for dressings and marinades.  And some oils should be avoided altogether. So there isn’t a single “healthiest oil to cook with” but it depends on the purpose that the oil is going to be used for. But what is it that determines which oil to choose and for what purpose?  Below I discuss the 3 factors to consider when determining which oils should be avoided whenever possible and which ones are best to use for cooking, baking and salad dressings.  Then in this post I share my 5 most used cooking oils and include why I picked them and when I use them.   1. Virginity  When an oil is considered to be “virgin” it means that no heat or chemicals have been used to extract the oil from the plant.  Other words that are used to describe virgin oils include pure and unrefined.  This term is often used to describe olive and coconut oils.   In the case of olive oil, an “extra virgin” (aka EVOO) olive oil is darker than a regular virgin because it’s made by pressing olives to extract the oil – a processed known as cold-pressing.   This is the highest quality oil you can find on the shelves which is reflected in the price tag.   The more pure an oil is, the more distinct and natural the taste will be in comparison to their processed versions.  Unrefined coconut oil has a  strong coconut taste while EVOO tastes a lot like olives.  Also Read: 5 Essential Oils For Improving Focus 2. Smoke point  The smoke point of a fat is also called it’s burning point.  This temperature can range from low (325 degrees F) to very high (520 degrees F)This it the temperature at which the compounds in the oil or fat begin to break apart into unstable compounds such as free radicals.   You should never consume foods that were cooked in oil that has passed it’s smoke point for the same reason you shouldn’t eat burnt bacon.  Smoking or burning oil, often indicated by losing it’s shiny sheen, is a sign that free radicals (carcinogenic or cancer-causing compounds) are being released into your food.  They can also alter the flavor in your foods and make them taste more bitter or burnt. The smoke point varies based on the chemical properties of the oil and depends on how stable the fat molecules are.    Many unrefined oils are a lot more delicate than their processed counterparts.   Grass-fed butter, EVOO and unrefined coconut oil have low smoke points so they are more ideal for using in dressings and spreads, and when baking in an oven that is less than 350 degrees F.   Refined and processed oils are much more stable and have high smoke points which is why they are often used for frying and roasting.  3. Fatty acid ratio All fats are composed of building blocks called fatty acids.  Different combinations of fatty acids form thousands of different  chains of fat molecules which all have different functions within the body.  Some of the most common fatty acids found in cooking fats are the polyunsaturated (poly = many double bonds) fatty acids: Omega-3s and Omega-6s. Omega-3 fatty acids are considered to be anti-inflammatory compounds and essential which means the body needs them to function optimally but they have to be obtained from the diet.  These anti-inflammatory fats are have been found to have a positive impact on the cardiovascular and nervous systems, and also help to support healthy a musculoskeletal and immune system.   Omega-6 fatty acids (aka linoleic acid), on the other hand, are pro-inflammatory fatty acids and have been found to release free radicals when the body digests them.  Some inflammation is necessary for the immune system to function properly but consuming too many inflammatory compounds can lead to symptoms of chronic inflammation and diseases such as: heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and many types of cancer. Also Read: 7 Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Optimum Wellness Most cooking oils contain both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids but the ratio of them is what matters the most.  A fatty substance with a ratio that is too high in Omega-6s in comparison to Omega-3s can increase the risk of chronic inflammation and the diseases listed above.  Scientists estimate that the standard american diet contains a Omega6 to Omega 3 ratio of 16:1 which is much higher than the body is designed to handle.  Cooking oils that have a high Omega-6 ratio (and should be avoided) include: vegetable, corn, soybean and cottonseed oils.  Coconut oil, palm oil, olive oil and avocado oil are on the list of plant-based fats that contain very little Omega6s in comparison to Omega 3s.  Good sources of animal-based cooking fats include: grass-fed butter and lard. Major takeaways: Here are the main takeaways for when it comes to choosing fats for cooking: ALWAYS choose nature-made over man-made or man-altered Stick to cold-processed oils wherever possible(look for labels that include words like extra virgin, virgin, pure and unrefined) Opt for fats that have a healthy omega-6 to omega-3 ratio such as: avocado, coconut, olive oil, butter When cooking foods at high temperatures, choose an oil that has a high smoke point such as avocado oil, hazelnut oil, and almond oil. When baking foods, use grass-fed butter or unrefined coconut oil Due to it’s low smoke point, EVOO is best used for condiments and dressings rather than for cooking. (Note: It can also be used for baking but the strong olive taste may interfere with the finished product.)   By now I hope you know how to choose the healthiest oil to cook with and are a bit more informed about which oil will work best for you. If you have any questions or thought just write down a comment and I will get back to you ASAP!Also these are some oils that you can you use to sleep faster. Go check the article out.

The post Healthiest Oil to Cook With? A Complete Guide appeared first on Healthy Green Athlete.

]]>

If you are conscious about the quality of oils that you use in your food than this is the perfect place to start. I have created a list of all the factors and their importance that you need to keep in mind while purchasing a cooking oil. Without further delay let’s find the healthiest oil to cook with.

When it comes to cooking oils, not all of them are created equal.  While there is such a thing as “unhealthy cooking oils”, cooking oils and fats in general get a bad reputation.  Many people believe that consuming fat is bad so cooking with oil has been demonized. In other cases, some people avoid cooking with nature-based oils altogether because they’ve been talked into thinking that saturated fats are bad.   This is why there are so many “low-calorie” alternatives to fats available these days which are full of toxic, man-made chemicals.  These include: non-stick cooking sprays, margarine, plant-based buttery spreads, and vegetable shortening.   When I was growing up, my parents always cooked everything with Pam Cooking Spray and baked with Crisco because they believed that fat was bad.  It wasn’t until later in life that I learned that the ingredients in these highly processed products are linked to increases in bad cholesterol and the development of Type 2 diabetes. 

I’m here to set the record straight and tell you that nature-based fats should never be demonized and that saturated fats aren’t always bad.  There is, however, a time and a place for certain types of fats.  In other words, there  are appropriate and inappropriate times for when to use them and for what purpose.

The majority of oils that you find in the cooking oil section of the supermarket are either made in a lab (i.e. vegetable shortening), or extracted from the parts of plants that store energy in the form of fats.  In some cases, cooking oils such as canola oil and vegetable oil are originally extracted from plants but they are so highly processed that they lose all nutritional value and are harmful to human health.  The nature-based fats that are most healthy for humans are the ones that are extracted from high-fat fruits, seeds and nuts.  Examples of these include sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, walnuts, peanuts, flax seeds, olives, avocados and coconuts.   Animals also provide excellent sources of nature-based fats for cooking, baking and flavorings.  These include: bacon grease, lard, grass-fed butter and ghee, tallow and chicken fat.    

Also Read: 5 Best Oils for Cooking and Baking

They vary in terms of their health benefits, taste, and in how they cook foods.  Some are more appropriate for sauteing and  frying, while others are better for baking.   Some oils should never be used to cook, but could be great ingredients for dressings and marinades.  And some oils should be avoided altogether. So there isn’t a single “healthiest oil to cook with” but it depends on the purpose that the oil is going to be used for. But what is it that determines which oil to choose and for what purpose? 

Below I discuss the 3 factors to consider when determining which oils should be avoided whenever possible and which ones are best to use for cooking, baking and salad dressings.  Then in this post I share my 5 most used cooking oils and include why I picked them and when I use them.  

1. Virginity

 When an oil is considered to be “virgin” it means that no heat or chemicals have been used to extract the oil from the plant.  Other words that are used to describe virgin oils include pure and unrefined.  This term is often used to describe olive and coconut oils.  

In the case of olive oil, an “extra virgin” (aka EVOO) olive oil is darker than a regular virgin because it’s made by pressing olives to extract the oil – a processed known as cold-pressing.   This is the highest quality oil you can find on the shelves which is reflected in the price tag.  

The more pure an oil is, the more distinct and natural the taste will be in comparison to their processed versions.  Unrefined coconut oil has a  strong coconut taste while EVOO tastes a lot like olives. 

Also Read: 5 Essential Oils For Improving Focus

2. Smoke point

 The smoke point of a fat is also called it’s burning point.  This temperature can range from low (325 degrees F) to very high (520 degrees F)This it the temperature at which the compounds in the oil or fat begin to break apart into unstable compounds such as free radicals.   You should never consume foods that were cooked in oil that has passed it’s smoke point for the same reason you shouldn’t eat burnt bacon.  Smoking or burning oil, often indicated by losing it’s shiny sheen, is a sign that free radicals (carcinogenic or cancer-causing compounds) are being released into your food.  They can also alter the flavor in your foods and make them taste more bitter or burnt.

The smoke point varies based on the chemical properties of the oil and depends on how stable the fat molecules are.    Many unrefined oils are a lot more delicate than their processed counterparts.   Grass-fed butter, EVOO and unrefined coconut oil have low smoke points so they are more ideal for using in dressings and spreads, and when baking in an oven that is less than 350 degrees F.   Refined and processed oils are much more stable and have high smoke points which is why they are often used for frying and roasting. 

3. Fatty acid ratio

All fats are composed of building blocks called fatty acids.  Different combinations of fatty acids form thousands of different  chains of fat molecules which all have different functions within the body.  Some of the most common fatty acids found in cooking fats are the polyunsaturated (poly = many double bonds) fatty acids: Omega-3s and Omega-6s.

Omega-3 fatty acids are considered to be anti-inflammatory compounds and essential which means the body needs them to function optimally but they have to be obtained from the diet.  These anti-inflammatory fats are have been found to have a positive impact on the cardiovascular and nervous systems, and also help to support healthy a musculoskeletal and immune system.  

Omega-6 fatty acids (aka linoleic acid), on the other hand, are pro-inflammatory fatty acids and have been found to release free radicals when the body digests them.  Some inflammation is necessary for the immune system to function properly but consuming too many inflammatory compounds can lead to symptoms of chronic inflammation and diseases such as: heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and many types of cancer.

Also Read: 7 Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Optimum Wellness

Most cooking oils contain both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids but the ratio of them is what matters the most.  A fatty substance with a ratio that is too high in Omega-6s in comparison to Omega-3s can increase the risk of chronic inflammation and the diseases listed above.  Scientists estimate that the standard american diet contains a Omega6 to Omega 3 ratio of 16:1 which is much higher than the body is designed to handle. 

Cooking oils that have a high Omega-6 ratio (and should be avoided) include: vegetable, corn, soybean and cottonseed oils.  Coconut oil, palm oil, olive oil and avocado oil are on the list of plant-based fats that contain very little Omega6s in comparison to Omega 3s.  Good sources of animal-based cooking fats include: grass-fed butter and lard.

Major takeaways:

Here are the main takeaways for when it comes to choosing fats for cooking:

  • ALWAYS choose nature-made over man-made or man-altered
  • Stick to cold-processed oils wherever possible(look for labels that include words like extra virgin, virgin, pure and unrefined)
  • Opt for fats that have a healthy omega-6 to omega-3 ratio such as: avocado, coconut, olive oil, butter
  • When cooking foods at high temperatures, choose an oil that has a high smoke point such as avocado oil, hazelnut oil, and almond oil.
  • When baking foods, use grass-fed butter or unrefined coconut oil
  • Due to it’s low smoke point, EVOO is best used for condiments and dressings rather than for cooking. (Note: It can also be used for baking but the strong olive taste may interfere with the finished product.)
  •  
By now I hope you know how to choose the healthiest oil to cook with and are a bit more informed about which oil will work best for you. If you have any questions or thought just write down a comment and I will get back to you ASAP!
Also these are some oils that you can you use to sleep faster. Go check the article out.

The post Healthiest Oil to Cook With? A Complete Guide appeared first on Healthy Green Athlete.

]]> https://www.healthygreenathlete.com/nutrition/healthiest-oil-to-cook-with/feed/ 4 4092