HOW DO THEY EFFECT THE BODY? ‘Oils just ain’t oils — fats just ain’t fats either’ You need to know the difference! There are good fats — fats that heal. There are bad fats — fats that can send you to an early grave. The bad fats that are found in the modern western diet have been linked to cancer, especially skin, breast, pancreatic and colon cancer. Like sugar and refined carbohydrates, bad fats, cause degenerative disease, such as heart disease, diabetes, hypoglycemia, arthritis and lifestyle conditions such as obesity. Bad fats are indigestible, creating excess cholesterol which is stored in the blood and tissues. Good fats and oils from cold pressed extraction which are grown organicallyare essential to our daily diet for the health of our central nervous system (our brain being 60 per cent fat). Fats protect our vital organs. THE GOOD FATS Monounsaturated fats: These fats lower total LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol. Some foods that contain monounsaturated fats are: ✔ Nuts — almonds, macadamias, walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, pistachios. ✔ Vegetable oils — avocado oil, olive oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil. Polyunsaturated fats: These fats lower total LDL (bad) cholesterol. Foods that are high in polyunsaturated fats include: ✔ Nuts and seeds — walnuts and sunflower seeds. ✔ Vegetable oils — soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, linseed oil, hemp seed oil. ✔ Seafood — salmon, herring, trout, mackerel and fish oil. Omega-3 fatty acids are included in this group. Mind you, the amount of farmed fish on the market today is a worry, not to mention the mercury in most seafood purchased around the world. Wild fish get their omega-3s from aquatic plants. Farmed fish accumulate unhealthy levels of the wrong fatty acids. Farmed fish are routinely dosed with antibiotics, which can cause a myriad of health issues in humans.
THE BAD FATS Saturated fats Saturated fats raise LDL (bad) cholesterol. Foods that are high in saturated fat are: ✓ Animal products — beef, pork, lamb, veal, lard, poultry fat, cream, milk, yellow cheeses and some other dairy products. ✓ Plants — palm oil, palm kernel and cocoa butter. I have not included eggs, butter, white cheeses and coconut oil, although they are saturated fats; I believe them to be safe and healing to the body. Trans fatty acids Trans fatty acids raise LDL (bad) cholesterol and are cancer forming. Some foods contain trans fats as a result of the hydrogenation of liquid oil. They include: ✓ Commercially packaged foods — fried foods, all margarines, shortening, fast foods, packaged snacks, crackers, biscuits, cookies, doughnuts, muffins, pies, cakes, and processed meat products. How to choose:
What I wish to impress upon you is how to use oils and fats and which ones ONLY to use.
Many fats and oils are being marketed as ‘low fat’, ‘low cholesterol’ on the label or container. These fats are supposedly good for your health; don’t believe it, this is misguided information.
Highly processed, hydrogenated, overheated oils and margarines are BAD for you and are extremely rancid. I cannot say how BAD they are! It has been said for example that margarine is only one molecule away from being ‘plastic’! If you must add fat to your bread, soups, or any other foodstuff, use 100% organic cold-pressed olive oil, organic nut butters, or avocado. There are only a few oils stable and safe enough to use in cooking, because of their tendency to become rancid when heated.
Become familiar with the following list of oils as a guide to cooking safely.AT STABLE
ODERATELY STABLE
UNSTABLE
COCONUT, AVOCADO & MACADAMIA are all heat stable
SESAME )
PEANUT )
HAZELNUT ) are all moderately stable
ALMOND )
OLIVE )
HEMP )
CORN )
SUNFLOWER ) unstable when heated
LINSEED ) Organic coconut oil
Although this is a saturated oil which we have been told in the past to avoid, it has since been discovered that coconut oil has many healing benefits. It is good for the heart as it lowers the LDL cholesterol. Coconut oil is also excellent for those suffering from diabetes, as well as preventing and treating thyroid-related ailments. Coconut oil helps to maintain a healthy scalp and hair; and most importantly, it is anti-carcinogenic.
Coconut oil has been shown to assist in the reduction and elimination of tumors; and it does not go rancid when heated to a high temperature. I like to take my coconut oil straight by the spoonful. Taking two tablespoons in a day is very palatable.
I add coconut oil to my smoothies, fruit salad and cashew cream, and raw deserts of course. Coconut oil is now being used in some countries for commercial cooking because of its benefits to general health. Together with organic cold-pressed olive oil, coconut oil needs to be added to your daily intake of nutrients.
Apart from the above benefits of this exceptional oil, it can be used in place of a moisturizer, a hair and scalp conditioner, and for sun protection due to its antioxidant properties. Some oils on the body make your skin burn; it would seem that the oil you place on your body is just as important as the oil you put in your body. Virgin coconut oil when being employed with a gut renewal program, and a weight loss program, is extremely beneficial.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA)
Omega-3 is polyunsaturated oil with components of linolenic acid that convert to EPA/DHA, two long chain fatty acids needed for brain function and essential to mental and cardiovascular health. Linolenic acid protects arteries from damage, reduces triglycerides, and lowers LDL cholesterol. It also inhibits blood clotting, lowers blood pressure, and reduces the risk of heart attack and strokes. Omega-3 is also an anti-inflammatory and is used to prevent osteoarthritis, and is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and autoimmune disease, and in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Cells need omega-3 acids to oxygenate properly. These oils are mainly found in marine animals such as sardines, cod, tuna, mackerel, eel, anchovy, pilchards, cold water trout, and salmon. A healthier and more humane way to get your omega-3 is from algae. Algae — the healthier alternative Flaxseed and hemp oils are often recommended sources of omega-3 for those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. Omega-3 in this form provides a limited conversion to EPA and does not convert at all to DHA when ingested. Vegan sources of omega-3s that do convert to DHA are found in algae extractions. ‘Algae are one of the oldest food sources on the planet and used by the ancient Aztecs and Chinese for its prophylactic properties and does not contribute to the world’s diminishing fish stocks. By comparison, it takes 500kg of fish bodies to make just 1kg of fish oil and manufacturers are now catching fish simply for the oil content, which is decimating global fish stocks and upsetting the entire food chain.’ Ref: Water 4 Investments Ltd Algae-derived compounds prevent cancer cells from spreading, together with a good 80% raw food diet is known to shrink and destroy tumors. We consume too much omega-6 nowadays which includes fast food; too much processed grains, meat and poultry, and hydrogenated, unsaturated fats that destroy the omega-3 active components. Subsequently, the use of supplementation, particularly omega-3 with the ratio of 3 (omega-3) to 1 of omega-3, seems to be necessary. Omega-3 is used not only for the treatment of cancer; it is used also for arthritis (osteo and rheumatoid), heart disease, angina, bile and pancreatic problems, celiac disease, diabetes, chronic fatigue and is also beneficial in lowering elevated triglycerides and cholesterol, decreasing the LDLs. Omega-3 can also help with inflammatory problems, immune disorders, stress, and blood disorders. It is used to support premature babies, obesity, Parkinson’s disease, alcoholism, MS (multiple sclerosis), gall bladder disease, skin disorders.