Fit Tip & Recipe of the week

I have been researching cooking fats for a while now because I feel like there’s is always confusion on which fats/oils to use and why, so I wanted the answer on my own. after searching many different resources, I’ve concluded a pretty good list from other dietitians and experts in the field. I’ll make it short and sweet and give you a nice overview and key points to use one your own.

First off, know that their are a few types of fats:

    -Polyunsaturated (pretty good for health, but not good for cooking - break down under         high heat)

    -Monounsaturated (great for health, and also good for cooking, mostly lower heats)

    -Saturated (best for high heat cooking, got a bad reputation because they were wrongly         accused of harm, but now scientists have proved many health benefits associated)

    -Trans Fats (bad, AVOID)

Ok now that we got those facts, lets rank our oils that our most common in our kitchens:

  • I Choose Coconut oil and heres why:  It is highly heat resistant because it is high in saturated fats. Also helps you feel fuller for longer and suppress hunger (hormone stuff that can get complicated and scientific). Coconut oil also has powerful health benefits. It is particularly rich in a fatty acid called Lauric Acid, which can improve cholesterol and help kill bacteria and other pathogens. So A+ for Coconut oil! Sometimes I melt a small spoon full of it and stir it into my oatmeal in the morning. Its awesome, kickstarts my metabolism, keeps me full and provides me lots of energy for my busy mornings. (use Virgin Coconut Oil, less processed and better flavor)
  • In spot #2 comes Olive Oil:  It is great for cooking, sautéing, salad dressing, bread dipping, etc. However, it is a little less heat resistant than Coconut oil, more monounsaturated than saturated fats. Make sure to choose quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It has much more nutrients and antioxidants than the refined type. Plus it tastes much better. Also, It can raise HDL (the good) cholesterol and lower the amount of oxidized LDL (the bad) cholesterol circulating in your bloodstream, bonus
  • And coming in 3rd place I choose Butter, yes thats right, real, good old fashioned butter. Butter has also had a bad reputation and for some reason was replaced my margarine which is way worse than butter. Butter contains Vitamins A, E and K2. It is also rich in the fatty acids Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) and Butyrate, both of which have powerful health benefits. (Try to opt for grass fed butter, it will have a lot better nutritional make up. Butter is great cooking in Low heats, but if you want to use it for cooking with higher heats I would use clarified butter, also known as Ghee.  This stuff is great! Butters make up is Saturated: 68%, Monounsaturated: 28%, Polyunsaturated: 4%.
  • last on my great list is Avocado oil! The composition of avocado oil is similar to olive oil. It is primarily monounsaturated, with some saturated and polyunsaturated mixed in. It can be used for many of the same purposes as olive oil. You can cook with it, or use it cold. It is light in flavor too which is nice for certain recipes.

The options that did not make my favorite list but are still good are:

-palm oil (good for cooking) -flaxseed oil (not for cooking) -fish oil (use as a supplement) -nut oils (great for snacking but not for cooking) 

Here is my bad list and should be avoided:

(These oils have been wrongly considered “heart-healthy” by the media and many nutrition professionals in the past few decades. However, new data links these oils with many serious diseases, including heart disease and cancer). They are used in a lot of processed foods because they are cheaper.

  • Soybean Oil
  • Corn Oil
  • Cottonseed Oil
  • Canola Oil
  • Rapeseed Oil
  • Sunflower Oil
  • Sesame Oil
  • Grapeseed Oil
  • Safflower Oil
  • Rice Bran Oil

Recipes:

Here are 4 amazing salad dressings that totally make any salad delicious! I love making my own salad dressings because store bought ones can have a lot of sugar, or not the right kinds of oils that we want. I love having a big fresh salad ready in my fridge for lunches and these are some of my go to dressings:

This salad was fabulous with the basamic dressing (Tuna, spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumbers)

This salad was fabulous with the basamic dressing (Tuna, spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumbers)


Soy Sesame dressing:

Makes 3/4 C

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup good-quality extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ tablespoon tamari sauce (or soy sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons seasoned salt (more or less to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ small white onion, minced
  • 1 small clove garlic, grated on a microplane

Instructions

  1. Whisk together all ingredients.
  2. Store refrigerated up to 1 week.

Mandarin Dressing:

  • 1/4 C balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 C orange juice
  • 1/2 C EVOO 
  • 1 T poppy seeds
  • 1 T dijon mustard
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Whisk together all ingredients.
  2. Store refrigerated up to 1 week.

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

Whisk together:

  • 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (white or dark) 
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp warm water 
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp each minced garlic, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

Whisking continuously, slowly pour in 1/3 C EVOO until emulsified.

Makes 2/3 C. facts/serving (1 Tbsp): 65 cal, 7g fat, 0g protein, 1 g carbs

Chipotle-honey-lime vinaigrette:

in a medium bowl, whisk together:

  • 3 Tbsp lime juice
  • 1 minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce 
  • 1 Tbsp of the adobo sauce
  • 1 1/4 tsp each honey and ground cumin 
  • 1/2 tsp each minced garlic and kosher salt.

Whisking continuously, slowly add 1/3 C EVOO. until emulsified. Stir in 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro. Makes 2/3 C. 

Facts (1 Tbsp): 66 cal, 7g fat, 0g pro, 2g carbs


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