Over the last 60 years, we have seen a massive increase in vegetable oil consumption and along with that an increase in chronic disease conditions. So are vegetable oils bad for you? Yes.
And unless you are specifically watching for it in packaged foods, the likelihood you are consuming multiple servings per day is 100%.
This is why refined vegetable oils are usually one of the top items that I address when talking about transforming eating habits.
The average American consumes 20% of their daily calories as vegetable oils.
So many patients and clients mention that they only use olive oil, butter, or coconut oil at home which is great, but then when they start looking at their nut milk, cookies, bread, salad dressing, chips, crackers, all of a sudden they realize that vegetable oils abound in their home and diet.
Vegetable Oils Contribute to Disease Conditions
Right in line with the ever-increasing consumption of unhealthy oils has been the ravenous growth of obesity, cancer, and diabetes.
A 2013 study published in the British Medical Journal showed a 62% higher rate of death over 7 years in those eating the most vegetable oil compared to those eating the lowest amount.
British American Journal
In fact, only heavy smoking and severe obesity had a higher increased risk of death than high vegetable oil consumption. Basically, each teaspoon of vegetable oil you consume is equivalent to smoking two cigarettes.
You look at heart disease in what was deemed the Margarine study, you see that heart attacks were 86% higher in the group consuming vegetable oils.
So, it is not just the added sugar and flours spiking your blood sugar that is the problem. In fact, compared to polyunsaturated cooking oils, flour and sugar is hardly a blip on the chronic disease radar.
Which oils are considered vegetable oils?
Here are some of the most commonly used vegetable oils:
- Soybean oil
- Corn oil
- Palm oil
- Canola oil
- Safflower oil
- Sunflower oil
- Rice bran oil
- Rapeseed oil
- Cottonseed oil
Vegetable Oils and Weight Gain
Did you know that if the average American maintained their total calories but just swapped in vegetable oil for butter and olive oil they would gain an average of 23lbs? Isn’t that crazy!
People are getting sicker by the teaspoon all the while thinking they are doing something good for themselves.
Resolve with me to eliminate vegetable oils from your life.
What kind of oils should you be using?
Cook with coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and butter. It’s also important to check your packaged food items to make sure that they contain healthy oils. By doing so, you are turning off a faucet of inflammation and cell membrane aging.
What oils are best for high heat cooking?
When cooking at high heat, it’s best to use oils with a high smoke point such as avocado oil or ghee (clarified butter).
What are your thoughts on cold=pressed sesame and cold-pressed peanut (groundnut) oil? They are easily accessible where I live (India). Thank you