Oils aint Oils

OK, I know that's been said before. I think even I have said it before. It bears repeating, for the sake of our health.

Let's make this clear - there are only three oils or fats that are suitable for human consumption:

Olive oil - cold pressed, virgin. As you know, Olive oil has been used for centuries by Mediterranean people, with great success. In spite of having high fat diets, they suffer few heart attackst The oil they use is unrefined and this is the key: use only green olive oil or extra virgin and make sure it's in a dark bottle, to avoid oxidation which occurs when oil is exposed to light.

Coconut oil - home made, organic. The next issue will have more on this oil from Dr Raymond Peat. This oil is good for most everything form our skin to our health. Dr Peat recommends 30ml to be taken daily, to maintain good health. And,

Butter - unsalted, preferably organic. This fat contains the valuable A and D vitamins, which are vital for the proper absorption of calcium and efficient functioning of the thyroid gland, [remember my article on the cholesterol myth?] The fatty acids in butter are valuable to the immune system and the lipids in butter protect gastrointestinal health. These fatty acids are burned for quick energy, rather than stored as fat. Even those who condemn dairy can eat butter. The notion that butter causes weight gain is a sad misconception.

Every other oil is toxic for humans and not suitable for consumption. Too strong? No. Although there are oils that are/would be good for us, it is difficult to know which to trust how is it safe to use. A couple of examples are Sesame oil and Flaxseed oil. Sesame oil is good for us but has limited uses. Great flavour though when used in marinades. Flaxseed oil is a great source of essential omega fats but gets rancid too quickly and, rancid flaxseed oil is - you guessed it, toxic.