Do you have fond memories of cherry pie made with Crisco? Did you cook with Wesson Oil? Is it OK to dip your artichoke in butter? Isn’t coconut oil bad for you?
Most of us grew up thinking fats weren’t safe. They clog our arteries and kill us, right? Make no mistake, heart disease is real, but the problem is more nuanced than whether or not we eat fat.
Still, we have questions: Do some fats raise cholesterol, and is that always a bad thing? Which fats are good for health and which are not? What is the best oil to cook with?
Before answering those questions, let’s cover some basics.
Some Facts About Fats
All fats are made up of lipid molecules called triglycerides.
Triglycerides consist of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms.
They can be natural or engineered.
Fats may be refined or unrefined.
Some fats raise cholesterol and some help lower it.
If liquid at room temperature, they are “oils”.
If solid at room temperature, they are “fats”.
And for simplicity, unless specifically discussing a particular oil, I will generically use the word “fat” throughout this article.
Now, let’s dive in to answering those questions!
Is Cholesterol the Enemy?
Cholesterol has often been viewed as highly problematic because of its association with heart disease. But cholesterol itself isn’t bad. Quite the opposite, this waxy substance is required by your cells, brain and nervous system. Your liver can (and will) manufacture the cholesterol you need, and you can also get some from foods like eggs, liver, meat and dairy. You absolutely need cholesterol to thrive. It feeds your brain and helps you make hormones, bile acids and vitamin D.
It’s common to think that heart disease is caused by high cholesterol, even though that myth has been debunked. Heart disease is complex, and cholesterol, a natural component of human biology, never was the cause.
In the case of heart attack, inflammation damages the lining of blood vessels—actually it creates small ulcers. The body, in an attempt to repair the damage, uses cholesterol to heal the ruptures caused by inflammation. When these coverings (plaques) break off, a heart attack can occur. Cholesterol is a component in this scenario, but not the origin.
Stress, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, unhealthy fats, high cholesterol and smoking can also all play a role in heart disease. Doctors are often most concerned about “bad cholesterol,” like high triglycerides and high LDL, or low density lipoprotein.
Healthy dietary fat doesn’t typically lead to high triglycerides, though triglycerides can easily rise from eating too many refined grains and too much sugar. And some dietary fats can raise your LDL while others can help lower it. We will get into cholesterol in future articles., but for now you can take a deeper dive into the myths around diet, cholesterol and heart disease, with this excellent article by Chris Kresser.
Know Your F-A-T ABCs
There are three main categories of fats: saturated fats, unsaturated fats, and trans fats. These are worth understanding so you can choose the best fats and oils for your health. According to the Nutrition Therapy Association, target ranges for fats in our diet are:
30% saturated
60% monounsaturated
10% polyunsaturated
These percentages are very bioindividual. A small percentage of the population can’t tolerate saturated fats, so always ask your doctor before increasing saturated fats in your diet. Also, there’s a great primer on the chemistry of these fats by Khan Academy on YouTube.
Note that all dietary fats are mixtures of fatty acids, so we talk about them according to the predominant fatty acid category. For example, duck fat is about 50% monounsaturated fat, 30% saturated fat, and 20% polyunsaturated fat. So it will be categorized as a monounsaturated fat.
Saturated Fats Are Not the Bad Guys
Saturated fats have gotten a bad rap over the last several decades, despite there being no evidence of heart disease in our ancestors who consumed them. Saturated fats from pastured and grass-fed animals are healthy and safe for most people, as part of a balanced diet. Of course, always talk with your doctor before making big changes in your fat intake as a small minority of people have a type of high cholesterol that prohibits saturated fats in the diet.
Because saturated fats have molecules with fairly straight structures, they pack together tightly, making them denser and more solid. (Kind of like when you’re standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the subway.) They are called “saturated” because the molecules have loads of hydrogen atoms. This tidbit, the hydrogen part, is worth noting and will come in handy when we get to the other fats.
Examples:
Beef or Lamb Tallow
Dairy products (cream, whole milk, butter, cheese)
Coconut Oil
Palm Kernel Oil
Cocoa Butter
Pros of Saturated Fats:
They are stable and don’t oxidize easily.
They are long-lasting.
They are great for high-temperature cooking.
The easiest fat for the body to break down and convert to energy
Have safely been part of our diets for countless generations
Full of natural antioxidants
Contain Vitamin E and beta-carotene (which converts to vitamin A)
They are a surprising source of omega-3 (grass-fed 5x higher than grain-fed animal fats).
They are a source of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid - a healthy form of trans fat that boosts metabolism).
Cons of Saturated Fats:
Saturated fats from conventionally-raised animals or plants may contribute to inflammation and heart disease.
Saturated fats from conventionally-raised animals or plants often contain chemicals, hormones, and solvents.
High consumption of saturated fats can cause imbalances in the microbiome (gut bacteria.)
As you can see, there’s more good than bad here.
Saturated fats are natural sources of energy for us. Fatty acids feed our organs, cell membranes, and are a nutrient-dense macronutrient. Maybe it’s time to take the lid off (literally) and use this health-giving superfood.
Unsaturated Fats: Meet the MUFAs and PUFAs
Unsaturated fats have molecules with little “bends” in them, so they are more loosely packed. They aren’t “shoulder to shoulder” like saturated fats, so their molecules have more elbow room. This makes them liquid at room temperature.
There are two main types of unsaturated fat: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
Monounsaturated Fats (sometimes called “MUFAs”)
The “mono” in monounsaturated just means molecules have chains of carbon atoms with one double bond lacking hydrogen. Without diving into a bunch of chemistry, just think of a molecule with a little bend in it.
MUFAs are famously good for us. The mainstay of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil, is a MUFA. You can also find healthy MUFAs in animal fats and some nut oils.
MUFA Pros:
They can reduce “bad” cholesterol.
They are loaded with antioxidants.
MUFAs can help lower blood pressure.
They can improve insulin sensitivity.
MUFA Cons:
They are unstable and oxidize easily, causing inflammation.
They are not long-lasting.
MUFAs are not for cooking at high heat.
Some are healthy and some are not—so it can be confusing.
Healthy MUFAs:
To be a “healthy” MUFA, plant sources should be organic, and have minimal processing. Animal sources should be hormone-free, pasture-raised or grass-fed. Healthy MUFAs, that meet these conditions, include:
Poultry fats
Lard (lots of saturated fat too)
Almond Oil
Hazelnut Oil
Avocado Oil
Unhealthy MUFAs:
Some MUFAs are unfit for consumption, as they can be hybridized, heavily processed, and laden with chemicals. Examples of these unhealthy oils include:
Safflower Oil, High Oleic
Sunflower Oil, High Oleic
Canola Oil
Peanut Oil
Rice Bran Oil
Be on the lookout for unhealthy MUFAs in packaged chicken broth, salad dressings, sauces, deli food and buffets.
When choosing MUFAs, quality plant-based oils will come in tins or dark colored glass bottles. If they don’t, give them a pass.
Keep lard, poultry fats and nut oils in the fridge once opened. Olive oil and avocado can be stored in the cupboard away from light and heat. And according to the California Olive Oil Council, it is best to use olive oil once it is open within 6 months. Check “use by” dates on oils before you purchase them. If they smell “off,” be sure to toss them.
The Mixed-Bag Polyunsaturates: Meet the PUFAs
The “poly” in polyunsaturated indicates molecules that have chains of carbon atoms with two or more double bonds lacking hydrogen. These molecules will have 2 or more “bends.” And they will be liquid oils at room temperature.
Although polyunsaturated fats are thought to be universally good for you, think again, as PUFAs vary widely.
Some PUFAs are “essential” fatty acids, meaning we must consume them. Health-giving omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are required by our bodies, and while we need both, most of us don’t get enough omega-3. Omega-3s feed our brain, lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, and can help reduce pain and fight inflammation.
Examples of Healthy PUFAs:
Fish Oil
Algae Oil as supplement
Sesame Oil (sparingly)
Walnut Oil
Flaxseed Oil
Pumpkin Seed Oil
But PUFAs are like shiny coins with two very different sides, as many of these oils are just plain dangerous. Industrial seed oils have been linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, asthma, autoimmune disease, weight gain, Alzheimer’s and chronic inflammation.
They ratchet up omega-6 levels in the diet, are often genetically-modified, loaded with pesticides, processed with chemicals and go rancid easily.
Examples of Unhealthy PUFAs:
Corn Oil
Cottonseed Oil
Soybean Oil
Safflower Oil, High Linoleic
Sunflower Oil, High Linoleic
Grapeseed Oil
Wheat Germ Oil
You will often find these types of PUFAs for sale in clear plastic bottles. Also, any kind of packaged snacks, muffins, chips, sauces, dips, salad dressings, sauces or frozen foods are bound to be loaded with unhealthy PUFAs.
Most Americans consume way too much omega-6 oil. This creates inflammation and has been linked to heart disease and cancer. So try to keep your ratio of omega-6:omega-3 between 1:1 and 4:1. Try to eat 2 servings of fatty fish a week while reducing your omega-6 intake to get the most out of both PUFA and MUFA oils.
The “Phantom” Fats
Trans fats get their origin from the same fats used to make candles and soap.
Yup. That’s right.
Back in the late 1800’s, Proctor & Gamble discovered that they could chemically alter inedible cottonseed oil by adding hydrogen atoms and make it look edible. And viola! Artificial lard!
In 1911,“Crisco” was heavily marketed to America as a “lighter, fluffier, cleaner, healthier” alternative to lard. No one really knew if it was safe or not, but it stuck around for decades.
By the 1950s, Big Food turned again to cheap vegetable oils. By “partially hydrogenating” oils like corn and soy, food manufacturers were able to create something unnatural that tasted and acted like real fat. Doughnuts, cupcakes, crackers…. anything that came in a package could last longer and increase profits. In the 1960’s, the media and hype against traditional saturated fats, like lard, opened the door for these new-fangled pseudo-fats.
By the 1970s, partially-hydrogenated trans fats became the backbone of Big Food. In the 1980’s, a full 8% of all calories consumed by Americans were trans fats (though some estimates point to numbers as high as 22%).
It took 90 years for incriminating research on trans fats to emerge. By 2004 when the FDA ruled that trans fats were unhealthy, these fats were well-entrenched in the food supply. Virtually all crackers, cookies, or chips had a healthy dose of trans fat.
And we probably wouldn’t have heard much about trans fats were it not for a guy named Stephen Joseph. He personally sued Kraft Foods in 2003 because the new FDA rules wouldn’t go into effect for 3 years. He wanted to spotlight the trans fats in Oreo cookies to spare kids 3 more years of exposure and bring trans fats into public view. Almost overnight, it worked.
Why Trans Fats are Scary Weird
Hydrogenating oils is a process that removes four naturally occurring fatty acids and replaces them with dozens of unnatural ones. We now know that these engineered oils have unnatural effects on cell membranes, which can lead to various health problems. Trans fats:
Cause inflammation
Calcify cells and affect blood calcium levels
Are linked to heart disease
Raise LDL (bad) cholesterol
Damage the lining of your arteries
So read your labels, but beware! In the US, manufacturers can label their product as “free” of trans fats, as long as there are fewer than .5 grams per serving. Even some vegetable oils still have trans fats, but it won’t say so on any label. Certainly, if you see the word, “hydrogenated,” keep shopping. Your very best bets are to make your own baked goods, or buy them from a trusted source.
Partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, trans fats, can still be found in:
Packaged snack foods
Packaged baked goods
Fried foods (fast food and restaurants)
Coffee creamers and substitutes
Margarine
Vegetable shortenings
Potato chips, corn chips, crackers
Commercially made pies (sweet and savory)
Pizza crust
Canned frosting
Something Worse than Trans Fats
Once it finally became clear that trans fats were out, food industry giants went back to the drawing board. How were they going to make solid fats out of oils now?
Chemists brewed up a new process called interesterification. We need to look at a bit of chemistry to understand just how unnatural this process is.
As described in her book, The Big Fat Surprise, Nina Teicholtz explains that triglycerides in fat look a bit like pitchforks. Imagine swapping the tines on the pitchforks around. That’s interesterification. When we mess with the natural composition of things, and then eat them, what will that do to us?
Vegetable oils were thrust back into the food supply, despite evidence associating consumption of them with cancer, gallstones, depression, inflammation and even increased violence and suicide.
When heated, vegetable oils produce aldehyde and formaldehyde, stuff that interferes with DNA. And even worse, these oils oxidize, and form a hardened shellac-like gunk in fryers, on counter tops and even restaurant workers’ uniforms. There is evidence linking these by-products to lung and other cancers, atherosclerosis and Alzheimers.
Once again, humans became lab rats for the edible oil industry.
My grandmother used to say, “Just don’t monkey around with your insides and you’ll be fine.” But these engineered fats and highly-processed vegetable oils do just that. They simply are not fit for human consumption and have catastrophic effects on our health.
Where Do We Go From Here?
To be clear, I’m not promoting a high-fat diet here. Increasing fats in the diet is not carte blanche to go crazy.
Your microbiome, the health-promoting bacteria that reside in your gut, need all the macronutrients, so don’t forget healthy carbs and high quality protein! If you go high on fats AND sweets or carbs, it’s a recipe for insulin resistance and weight gain.
It’s all about balance and nutrition is very bioindividual.
As you move forward with making healthier fat and oil selections, below is a chart of commonly used fats and oils for your reference:
You can also get creative with your cooking and baking as you explore various types of fats and oils.
Recently, I was delighted when I made this grain-free berry cobbler and swapped out some of the palm oil with leaf lard,. It was heavenly, with a delicate, buttery but crunchy topping. Good to know we can get healthy macronutrients with dessert. Yum!
And now that you’ve built up your lipid lexicon, next week, we will look into how fats are processed and what to look for when buying various types of fats and oils.
In the meantime, see my article:
This article is for educational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice.
About the Author
Pamela Grant is a licensed acupuncturist, Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) , Certified AIP Coach and Certified Sheng Zhen Teacher living in Santa Barbara California. She specializes in autoimmune Hashimoto’s, and believes in a nutrient-dense, whole foods, evidence-based approach to total wellbeing. She is passionate about helping clients understand their own bodies so they can make informed choices. In addition to working with private clients, Pamela leads weekly online education groups for those who wish to learn more: The Thyroid Masterclass, Know Your Nutrition, and Mindful Movement. If you are interested in Pamela’s weekly classes, you can email her to get on her mailing list. Pamela’s other passions include meditation, qigong, playing in the kitchen, combing through piles of nutrition books, and hanging out with her wonderful husband Craig.