Other Good Oils
Coconut Oil - is actually a medium chain fatty acid and is not as damaged by heat as most oils. It is a good choice for cooking at medium temperatures. Coconut Oil does impart a slightly nutty and tropical taste, but it is light and quite pleasant.
Avocado Oil - has one of the highest smoke points and is a good choice for cooking. As with all oils, keep the temperature moderately low, remember there is some damage with any heat, but it increases as the heat does.
Palm Oil – This is a confusing one. There are actually two types of palm oil, both of which come from the same tree, but one is healthy and the other is not. Palm Kernel Oil is the unhealthy oil and is often what you see in the ingredient list of processed foods. It is derived from the nuts of the African palm tree. Palm Fruit Oil is the healthier oil derived from the same tree but is extracted from the fruit instead of the nut. This oil has a dark red-orange color and can be used just as you would coconut oil.
Butter or Ghee – Butter was given a bad rap and for many years we were convinced to replace it with man-made products like margarine. Well, butter is back! It is a saturated fat and as such should still be used in moderation, but modern research has dispelled the myth that saturated fat is the devil it was thought to be and can be included in a healthy diet. More damage is imposed on the body by the hydrogenated, fake, processed, man-made fats than good old butter.
Flaxseed Oil - should definitely NOT be used in cooking. It is very fragile and becomes unhealthy when heated. It is actually better to eat or use the whole flaxseed (as with any nut or seed) but if you want to incorporate flaxseed oil, use it raw in smoothie, salad dressings, etc. Oddly, you can use flaxseeds in baking and they are not damaged. The Omega-3’s in the flaxseeds don’t get damaged because of the water in the recipe keeps them safe from damage.
Crisco, margarine, corn oil, “vegetable oil” (which is actually not vegetables), canola, and grapeseed should not be a part of a healthy diet……………period!
