June 20, 2016

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vegetable oil
The most commonly used oil is vegetable oil, but is it good for you? | Public Domain Image
Using the wrong type of cooking oil can actually be making you gain weight. The most commonly used oil is vegetable oil, but is it good for you? I understand that it can be frustrating to decide which is the best cooking oil to use. One minute you are told to use peanut oil, then that olive oil is not all that it is cracked up to be. This post will try and clear most (if not all) of this up for you.

Many manufacturing companies falsely represent their oils. They tell you that their oil is healthy and will help you lower your cholesterol levels, while improving your blood pressure and more. In reality you are being misled by these companies.

The problem with vegetable oils is that the oil needs to be extracted, and this can only be done by using a chemical process, not a natural one. These oils are ones such as corn oil, sunflower, oil, canola oil and soy bean oil.

This technology is fairly new, so decades ago people just did not eat this type of oil at all. Which is also the reason why obesity was not such a huge concern then as it is now.

Vegetable oil is used in so many products including almost every single processed food out there on the market. Adding too much vegetable oil to your diet can lead to many health problems including weight gain, inflammation, heart disease, high cholesterol levels and more.

The problem with vegetable oil is that it contains huge amounts of Omega 6 oils. It is important to understand that the ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 oils should be kept at 1:1. Adding vegetable oils and processed foods throws this off completely. It is not unheard of for people to have ratios as high as 25:1.

vegetable oil
Avoiding vegetable oil as much as possible can be a huge boost to your health. | Public Domain Image
The biggest side effect of this bad balance of oils is gaining weight. While our body does require fat to repair our cells, it does not require such high levels. When too much fat is available the excess is simply stored as additional fat.

This excess storage leads to problems such as clogged arteries and has been indirectly linked to some cancers.

So what can you do to combat this?

The easiest thing for you to do is to avoid using vegetable oil whenever possible. In fact try not to use it all. Unfortunately this is not as easy as it might sound. As I mentioned before, vegetable oil can be found in pretty much every type of processed food.

While avoiding vegetable oil as much as possible can be a huge boost to your health, there are other choices you have when it comes to cooking with oils. These are oils which are normally pressed, as opposed to extracted, even filtered oils are usually a better choice.

The healthiest oils available today include:

  • Ghee
  • Palm oil
  • Butter
  • Coconut oil
  • Olive oil
  • Avocado oil

Try these oils out in different ways. Use butter or ghee for frying eggs and onions. Coconut oil is great for roasting vegetables. Try them out and see which ones you like the most.

Whether you are trying to lose weight or just eat in a healthier manner, it is important to pay attention to the types of food you are including in your diet. Try to stay away from processed foods as much as possible. Get into the habit of reading food labels to see what type of oil the product contains. Remember you are making lifestyle changes and not just on a ‘diet’.

By avoiding vegetable oils and replacing it with a better alternative you will be doing your entire family a service. You will all stay healthier and slimmer and be happier for it.

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[one_third] Healthy Eating Worksheet [/one_third]
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This Healthy Eating Worksheet will walk you through the process of creating a healthy eating plan. All you need to do is print it out, set aside some time to complete it, and then fill it out. Then you can create your plan, knowing that you have addressed potential obstacles and came up with some creative ways to handle them.

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About the Author

Carma Spence has been experimenting in the kitchen since she was four years old and loves trying out new recipe ideas. She is the author of Bonkers for Bundt Cakes and Your Perfect Pie, as well as author and contributor to several more non-food-related books. With Carma's Cookery, she is taking her passion for empowering people and blending it with her passion for cooking, gift-giving and entertaining.

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