If you are shunning butter and looking for an oil to use for a variety of different cooking purposes as well as to benefit from healthy fats, the following list will serve you well.

I list three main oils as well as a few others that are incredibly versatile, common and cover all your fatty needs. While I am a personal fan of butter, I find that its cooking temperature is quite low and I have trouble cooking certain dishes in the manner I desire. Oil generally has a higher cooking temperature and thus stretches further than butter in the kitchen. Below are great options that keep you satisfied in the kitchen and still fuel your body with healthy fats.

Oils are generally a better alternative to butter for those trying to avoid saturated fats. However, like anything in life: everything in moderation!

These delicious oils uses stretch far and complement just about any dish you have in mind. Keep your portion sizes reasonable and use just enough oil to get the job done without overdoing it. You’ll know the line when you cross it. With that said, enjoy!

Olive Oil 

Olive oil is one of the most versatile of oils. In its unrefined, raw form, olive oil is rich in mono-unsaturated fats and phytochemicals. When put up against other fats, extra-virgin olive oil also showed to give individuals a higher sense of fullness. Olive oil is best consumed cold-pressed. This process creates little heat and thus maintains the nutritional integrity of the oil. That means you should avoid “pure olive oil,” “light olive oil,” or simple “olive oil” labels for maximum flavor and nutrition, at least when eating it cold. If you are heating the oil, a pure variation is enough, as using a high-quality oil wouldn’t make much of a difference since the heat will biochemically compromise its nutritional composition anyway.

Best when: raw or lightly cooked.

Canola Oil

This oil is a great source of essential fatty acids, including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which your body cannot make on its own. Canola oil is great for cooking and can resist heat very well. Omega-6 fatty acids are harder to come by, and striking a proper balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids is a key to keeping health in check.

Best when: cooking with high heat, saving money

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has been written about extensively these days, and for good reason. Coconut is high in saturated fat, but not that kind that will clog your arteries and negatively affect your health. In fact, coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides that are shorter than those found in animal fats. Because of this, your body can metabolize them efficiently and not store them in the body. Other benefits are on account of its lauric, caprylic and capric acid content. Lauric acid fights off bacteria and viruses. Caprylic acid contributes to healthy digestion and balances gut bacteria. Capric acid has anti-microbial and anti-viral properties.

Best when: replacing butter, cooking with high heat, raw, looking for a unique aftertaste

Other Oils

Take your cooking to the next level by using any of the following oils: safflower, avocado, sesame, sunflower, grape seed, and almond oil. These alternative vegetable oils are high in polyunsaturated fats, which can lower blood cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease. They may be more expensive, but they are always fun to work with now and then.

Best when: splurging money, looking for a fun alternative

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Photo Credit: horaceko

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Fat is often pegged the scapegoat for cholesterol problems and cardiovascular disease and has gained the reputation as a dieter’s taboo – an outright no-man’s-land for those wanting to slim down.

Assumptions about fat take advantage of the obvious culprits – trans fats and saturated fats – and use them as poster children for all fats, when they only represent half the story. The truth is, shunning fat may work against rather than for you. To integrate fat into your diet without tipping the scale requires being able to determine more than just how much fat to eat but also the quality of it.

A diet deficient in fat would not only contribute to an unhealthy body but also one that doesn’t know how to properly lose unwanted pounds. Fat has many critical functions: it provides energy, cushions organs, and helps in the assimilation of nutrients, such as vitamins A, D, E and K. Indeed, “bad” fats can raise cholesterol levels and put you at risk of certain diseases, but “good” fats can do the exact opposite.

The Good, the Bad, and the Compromise

Bad fats include saturated fats and trans fats. You can recognize them as being solid at room temperature, like a stick of margarine, or hydrogenated oils common in packaged snacks, such as chips. Saturated fats include meats, chicken, full-fat milk, butter, and cheese, while trans fats encompass many commercially baked items, packaged junk food, margarine, vegetable shortening, fried foods and candy bars. The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat intake to less than 7 percent of total daily calories and trans fats to less than 1 percent.

To avoid the negative effects of saturated and trans fats, switch to unsaturated fats–polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and found in many plant-based foods. These include nuts, seeds, avocados, plant-based oils, olives, and fish (not a plant food).

But this is not where the story ends. Despite the bad rap of saturated fats, they do have their place in the human diet, just a limited space. Studies have shown that saturated fat can improve cardiovascular health, strengthen bones, promote liver and lung health, boost the immune system, improve proper nerve signaling, and contribute to a healthy brain. For instance, coconut oil is a saturated fat but it can be part of a healthy diet, because it increases HDL (good) cholesterol due to its lauric acid content and bears a host of health benefits.

And while oils in their raw state have benefits, cooking some above a certain temperature can bio-chemically change its composition, making the oil devoid of nutrition, unfit for human consumption and ultimately acidic and toxic in the body. Because coconut oil has a high burn temperature, it is an oil safe to cook with at higher temperatures. Even a dab of butter, when cooked, is less toxic and easier to digest than other heated oils.

At the end of the day, your body requires fat to function properly. Your job is to eliminate trans fats, reduce saturated fats, and up the ante on unsaturated fats. However, keep in mind that there is no need for extreme behavior – saturated fat and even cholesterol have a place in the human diet – and striking the right balance is key to keeping healthy and slim.

Photo Credit: steffenz

The post The Truth About Good Fats and Bad Fats appeared first on EcoSalon.