I'm a mayonnaise addict. No word of a lie. If I am addicted to anything I can safely say it's mayonnaise. A year ago I would have preferred to give up caffeine than our beloved mayo. My partner is Dutch and he is equally addicted.
I blame my Dutch heritage,
Because of this, when it came to gut health and my clients, I used to always overlook mayonnaise and to be honest, all other oils too. I was focused on the usual culprits like a high-sugar diet, stress, lack of probiotics, overeating and alcohol intake.
Then I decided it was time to make my own mayo.
Wow. It takes a LOT of oil to make mayo, and let me tell you, even if all the mayo you ate had an avocado oil (which they likely don't) - it's still a lot. More than our body needs, or wants.
I started paying attention to all the times I was consuming oils outside of the little ghee we cooked with at home. Again.. far too much and far too much of the bad stuff because that's what people give you, especially in Thailand. Shitty oils, because shitty oils are C.H.E.A.P.
Below is the information you need to make smarter choices about oils. The information you need so that your gut can take the next step in healing. Making better choices and overall limiting the amount of oil you use will lower inflammation levels, reduce pain and make your skin can glow. Because that's exactly what happened to mine when I started to control the Mayo addiction.
The best oils to use for your health depend on how you intend to use them – is it for sauteeing, salad dressing or to fry with?
High Temp Cooking
Saturated fats are considered more stable and less prone to oxidation (going rancid). They have a high smoke point and so can better tolerate heat, thus they're better for cooking than other types of fats.
THE BEST OILS OPTIONS
Coconut oil
Butter
Ghee (love ghee because a. it's delicious and b. the lactose has been removed so it's well tolerated if you have a dairy (lactose) intolerance).
Low Temp Cooking (not above 180°C)
Monounsaturated fats oxidise or go rancid at higher temperatures so they're better used for low temp cooking. Think sautéing and stir-fries. These fats are great for heart health, absorption of fat-soluble nutrients (A, D, E & K).
THE BEST OPTIONS
Extra virgin olive oil
Avocado oil
Macadamia oil
No Temp (Raw) Use
Polyunsaturated fats oxidise when heated and produce free radicals that damage our cells. This is why they should only be used in their raw state. Ideally organic, unrefined and cold-pressed for drizzling on salads, porridge or whatever floats your boat. Store them in the fridge or even in the freezer (if you live in the tropics) as they can go rancid quickly just by being exposed to a little sunlight.
THE BEST OPTIONS
Flaxseed oil
Walnut oil
Extra virgin olive oil
You may have noticed that olive oil can be used for low temps and for drizzling. This is because it contains 74% monounsaturated fats and 10% polyunsaturated fats. The rest is saturated.
So What Oils Should We Avoid Completely?
Rapeseed oil (canola oil)
Safflower oil
Sunflower oil
Corn oil
Soybean oil
Cottonseed oil
Margarine
Vegetable oils
Rice bran oil
These refined oils are harmful. During refining, the oils are often purified, treated and deodorised with chemicals like bleach.
What About Trans-fats?
Trans fats are a specific type of unsaturated fat found in certain animal products (like meat and dairy) and found in industrial foods - these are the kind we should be worried about. They come to be through a process of partial hydrogenation.
Hydrogenated fats have undergone the process of hydrogenation. Which is typically used to convert liquid vegetable oils into semi-solid or solid fats like margarine or shortening.
Friends don't let friend eat margarine.
The purpose of hydrogenation is to increase the shelf life and improve the texture of the fat.
These fats are abundant in processed foods. Because of the unnatural shape of these oils they can't effectively be incorporated into our cell membranes or enzymes. Instead they become sticky and essentially coat our arteries, predisposing us to atherosclerosis, liver issues and potentially cancer. Yay!
WHAT TO AVOID
Firstly, read the label. Avoid, put back or throw away anything that states hydrogenated oils.
Margarine
Fried foods
Processed deli meats
Processed baked goods
Canola oil
To Wrap Up.
And a few extras to know.
There are 3 types of dietary fats: unsaturated fats, saturated fats and trans fats.
The unsaturated fats include mono and polyunsaturated fats which contain our omega 3’s. Omega 3’s are our friend. Think avo, chia, flax, hemp, sardines, mackerel, salmon, anchovies and herring. They help our brain and support a healthy inflammatory response.
Saturated fats, like cholesterol, have got a bad rep but they're certainly not all bad. Natural saturated fats like coconut and butter are beneficial, so don't be scared I don't care what your doctor told you. It's the saturated fats in processed foods that are not good for us and need to be avoided.
Trans Fats are the other main ones to avoid - they're linked to all kinds of poor health outcomes.
If you want to eat better, look better and feel better - start our 28 day Re-program Challenge. One of the foundations is avoiding bad fats. You'll be surprised how much you unknowingly consume and how great you can feel limiting them!