THE REASON:
The consumption of hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils (also called trans fatty acids) is a cause of diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.
THE WORST:
Canola oil. Why? It’s a genetically engineered Rapeseed Oil. It contains erucic acid, which is an extremely toxic monounsaturated fat. In the food industry, canola oil has been modified to contain a small percentage of erucic acid, but it is still highly toxic for human consumption. Canola Oil is so toxic that not even insects eat it and it doesn’t require pesticides.
THE INEXCUSABLE:
Hydrogenated Oil is used in the food industry for the sole purpose of prolonging the shelf life of processed foods or to put it bluntly, to maximize profits. Hydrogenated oils are referred to as the Silent Killer.
Margarine is made from vegetable oil infused with hydrogen gas. Cheap oils like canola, soybean and cottonseed are not solid at room temperature. That’s where the brilliant invention of hydrogenation comes in. Its purpose is to bombard the oil with hydrogen atoms until it changes its molecular structure.
THE SCARY:
If you go into your pantry right now and pull out a prepackaged product, any product, there is a 90% chance that it will have Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated Oils listed as one of its ingredients.
THE FACTS:
Researchers at the Harvard University School of Public Health estimate that artificial trans fats cause 50,000 premature heart-attack deaths every year.
Many European countries have either banned hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils altogether or have instituted future dates for elimination of their use in foods. A few U.S. states have banned hydrogenated oils from restaurants and public places as well.
THE NAKED CHOICE:
We recommend not using oil at all for everyone –including coconut and olive oil– especially for people who have heart disease, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. For a healthy person, we recommend the avoidance of all saturated fats (animal-derived foods meats, dairy, butter, spreads) including oils entirely.
(Top photo courtesy of kismilhok/flickr)
Why is it important to eat “oil-free”?
November 11, 2014
Great article! I really appreciate the content you share in Naked Food Magazine! THANK YOU for the awesome insightful info, recipes and “food for thought”. Back in May, I made the decision to change careers and focus on building a fitness & nutrition business so I can teach my X-fellow corporate stressed out colleagues how to get healthier and thrive. So instead of me climbing the corporate ladder, I resigned from my high-tech management role and became a fitness coach.
Back in January after the doctor insisted I go onto cholesterol medications because of my HIGH LDL levels, I decided to adopt a clean eating methodology. I eliminated >95% of processed foods in my household, added 30 minutes of daily exercise and in 8 months I lost 30 pounds, lowered my cholesterol levels by 40 points, lowered my Body Fat percentage by 8%, was taken off of my cholesterol medications and no longer need my estrogen creams (HRT) because my body is assimilating enough plant based estrogen to “turn the clock hands back in time”.
My recent annual hormone test results surprised my doctor (blew her mind) because my hormone levels have increased greatly in a short amount of time and I no longer need the hormone treatments to eliminate my hot flashes and other menopausal effects. My sex drive has increased, my energy levels have increased, and my digestion has greatly improved!
So essentially, I’m medication free because of adopting a plant based diet and I eat dense nutrient rich superfoods within my daily eating plan. There’s something to be said about eating healthy and exercising daily when our own medical results come back with major improvements. It also feels good to see a smile and surprised look on a doctor’s face after an annual check up :-D
September 12, 2012
I wish my friends saw this, they use oil for everything ughh