Oil: The Big Debate

One of the biggest debates these days is about oil.

As in culinary oil, not drilling for it.

Is it healthy?

Which kind is best?

Should you swallow a tablespoon of olive oil before bed?

Are there health benefits to adding coconut oil to your coffee?

Oil is a hot topic!

Indeed, oil has been a staple in our cooking for millennia. However, with the evolution of our lifestyles, diets, and scientific understanding, it might be wise to reevaluate our reliance and fondness for this beloved ingredient.

But how? Nearly every recipe starts with sautéing something in two tablespoons of oil! Most of us can't imagine reducing or (egads!) eliminating oil, even when many doctors today suggest we consider a lighter approach to eating. While opinions in lifestyle medicine and the whole food, plant-based arena vary somewhat, experts agree that less is more.

A person in good health who maintains a lean weight shouldn't worry about using little oil. Most doctors I follow agree that added oil offers no real health benefits since you can derive the necessary healthy fats, even Omega-3s, from plant-based foods. Foods like beans, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts and seeds (in moderation) provide all the healthy fat your body requires for optimal health. The exceptions to using oil are tropical oils, like coconut and palm, which are loaded with saturated fat, not unlike animal fats. If you choose to include oil in your meals, consider just how much you've been using, and you may find you can cut back.

Individuals with heart disease should seriously consider the guidance of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., the director of the Esselstyn Heart Disease Program at The Cleveland Clinic and author of the New York Times best-seller Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure. He advises patients that because heart disease begins with the progressive damage to the endothelium (the delicate innermost lining of the artery), it is crucial to avoid all oils, as they are responsible for this damage. Olive oil, corn oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, and palm oil all contribute to endothelial injury.

People diagnosed with pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes should recognize that oils and fats are calorie-dense and contribute to insulin resistance, so minimizing their use is a good idea. Dr. Neal Barnard, the president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, offers his approach in his New York Times bestselling books and scientific publications, as well as in the Food for Life program he developed, which is to help people learn oil-free methods of food preparation, seek lower-fat products, and come to enjoy the lighter tastes of food. A lower-fat approach to eating, including a reduction in calorie-dense oils, can provide a pathway to natural weight loss. As a society, we've become fearful of carbs, yet we should recognize that we get double the calories from fat. Did you know that 1 gram of carbohydrates (about the size of a thimble) contains 4 calories, and 1 gram of fat (any kind of fat, from any source) contains 9 calories. The fat calories in oil add up quickly, contributing to unwanted weight.

When choosing oils, Dr. Greger, founding member and Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and author of the New York Times bestsellers How Not to Die, The How Not to Die Cookbook, How Not to Diet, and How Not to Age, recommends first getting fats from whole foods and then favoring extra-virgin olive oil, which is preferrable to refined vegetable oils, tropical oils, and animal fats.

Get your fats from whole foods, vs. extracted sources, like oils, and you'll benefit from protective factors like fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, which can heal and protect you.

I recently completed a 5-week Food for Life series in my community, which focused on the fundamentals of healthy eating, including a low-fat and oil-free approach. Based on the phone calls, emails, and face-to-face discussions I've had, it's evident that participants are coming to terms with how tasty food can be, even without the oil.

If you're interested in tips on lower-fat or oil-free cooking and baking, reach out to me! And if you'd like to read a good article on the great oil debate from a source I trust, head over to Forks Over Knives.