Fat Is Not Our Enemy – Part 2

In this blog, I will discuss the rest of the oils. First, olive oil is a favorite of mine. This oil if a relatively stable mono-unsaturated fat that keeps well. For storage, it is best to store olive oil in a dark place to stop oxidation. Some people warn against using olive oil because of the 12 percent of saturated fat it contains. Others argue that this is beneficial.

Homemade mayonnaise is tasty and heart healthy. It is healthier that what you can buy in the store because you know exactly goes into it and there is no need for preservatives. You can keep it for up to a week if stored in the refrigerator. The recipe that can be found at this link is different from what I use, but is still a good idea.

Some tips:

• Use cold pressed, organic versions when possible; quantities can be small so won't hit the wallet too hard and this ensures they are as fresh as possible, before being stored in a cool dark place.
• Add assorted nut oils such as walnut and hazelnut for taste won't hit the wallet too hard and this ensures they are as fresh as possible, before being stored in a cool dark place.
• Add assorted nut oils such as walnut and hazelnut for taste.

Always avoid oil. The relative degree of saturation of the fatty acids in a oil will give an indication as to whether an oil is resistant to oxidation, at high or low heat. Saturated and mono-unsaturated fats are those most resistant to heat, reducing the chance of oxidation. This provides another important reason to limit polyunsaturated fats such as seed oils to use in mayonnaise and salad dressings.

After a period when the world fell in love with margarine and told us that saturated fats like butter, lard and coconut oil were bad for our hearts, there is growing evidence that saturated fats and oils (liquid fat) are in fact good for us.

Dietary fat, which is also a constituent of many of the foods you eat, is crucial to the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, particularly vitamins A, D, K and E. It’s the ability of these vitamins to dissolve in fat that allows for their absorption, moving across the cell walls of the small intestine and into the body's general circulation. The vitamins progress through the intestine, into the bloodstream and then to the liver, where they are stored until the body needs them. Without enough fat in your diet, your body cannot effectively absorb these essential fat-soluble vitamins.

Dr. Fred Kummerow analyzed the arteries and blood of patients who had undergone heart bypass operations and found elevated levels of oxidized cholesterols, called oxysterols.

“These cholesterol derivatives are the real culprit in the development of heart disease”, Kummerow said "and frying foods in overused oil or smoking cigarettes can oxidize cholesterol, creating these derivatives.”