Cooking oil swaps may sound like an overwhelming endeavor. In the world of nutrition, it can be very difficult to decipher what is okay to use.
The truth is that there are some oils which have been around since the dawn of time, and others which did not arrive until after the industrial revolution- as in some of the cooking oils we use today were originally used for industrial purposes before making their way into food.
It can also seem difficult to know what to do, because a label in the grocery store may advertise something as healthy, until you flip the product over and read canola oil under the ingredients list.
Organic or not, you should immediately put this product back on the shelf.
You should disregard products with ingredients such as canola oil because despite what the FDA approves, research strongly suggests that the oil you choose to consume can make or break your health.
This post will give you concrete information that ends with you knowing exactly what swaps to make. First we will begin with a discussion on what cooking oils should be avoided.
BAD Cooking Oil
Vegetable Oils
There is no way to get around this one, and I hate to say it because of how often you will find this ingredient in the grocery store, but vegetable oils are just plain BAD. They will wreak havoc on the human body, both due to their instability and the process through which these are often extracted.
The term “vegetable oil” is simply a marketing tactic. Nothing about this has to do with carrots or celery. Basically, this type of oil is derived from a plant, but that is pretty much where the similarities end.
Another term commonly used for vegetable oil is seed oil, because that is more true to the source. Most vegetable oils are sourced from seeds, which is not necessarily a good thing.
Soybean Oil
Soybean oil is among the most common forms of vegetable oil, and is actually the most commonly consumed oil in America. Often this is the majority of what is found in a giant plastic container of vegetable oil, but there is often other cooking oil mixed in such as canola or cottonseed.
Some people think of the world soy and pretty immediately associate it with health. I would take a step back and do some more research on this, especially in regards to soy and estrogen levels. That point aside though, there are some major issues with how soybean oil is sourced.
How Soybean Oil Becomes a Cooking Oil
Let’s start at the beginning for this, which is where soy beans come from. Soy is most often grown through the farming method of monocropping, where the same type of plant is grown in the same plot of soil year after year.
In simple terms, this completely depletes the nutrients in the soil, diminishing any form of nutrition that may be absorbed through the plant being grown.
In fact, a research article from 2021 reveals that there are approximately 2 billion people facing micronutrient deficiencies globally, and a large amount of this can be contributed to the process of monocropping.
If you are curious about the process of monocropping, check out this article here.
So, this is strike one for soybean oil, as there are simply no micronutrients for the body to absorb. This simply wastes energy as the body attempts to process this cooking oil. This is only the beginning.
Look away if you do not want to be horrified by how oil is extracted from vegetables. But, I would recommend learning the process, so that you can be wisely rooted in the truth. I will spare you all the details of preparing and dehulling and go straight to extraction where haxane, a component of gasoline, is used in order to extract the oil.
The problem with this is that while much of this gets released into the environment, residual chemicals will enter the human body upon consumption.
Hexane is known to cause damage to both the nervous and reproductive systems, so this should be alarming that vegetable oils are distributed in such mass consumption.
If you want to read the entire process, you can do so here.
Vegetable oils are also EXTREMELY high in Omega-6 fatty acids. AKA polyunsaturated fatty acids, AKA PUFAs.
The problem with this is that if there are too many PUFAs hitting the body at once, it cannot be digested properly.
Because PUFAs are so unstable, these oils will instead be metabolized into free radicals that essentially live in your body and cause major inflammation throughout your systems.
A better way of putting it is that they become rancid when exposed to heat, stored too long, or upon entering the body.
This study shows what this inflammation does in the body.
It can even be argued that these oils are a large contributor to autoimmune disorders and chronic diseases.
Canola Oil
Canola oils are a BIG NO. Canola oil is derived from rapeseed.
NEWSFLASH!! It is the GENETICALLY MODIFIED VERSION of rapeseed.
Now, the process of extracting canola oil is quite similar to that of soybean oil, as it is a process involving several chemicals.
Once the oil is extracted from the seed, it is washed in sodium hydroxide for twenty minutes. Sodium hydroxide, by the way is a highly corrosive chemical which is a strong irritant whether touched, breathed in, or consumed. If you want a good break down of sodium hydroxide, that can be found here.
Following this wash, canola oil is also BLEACHED in order to make the color nicer to look at. Bleaching food has known correlations with neurological issues and cancer.
Like soybean oil, this cooking oil is also extremely high in PUFAs, making it unstable.
I described these oils because they are the most common, but pretty much any other seed oil on the market can be classified similarly.
These oils are expelled using chemical processes, and are extremely unstable when exposed to any form of heat, including the human body.
Upon entering the body, they become free radicals and cause inflammation throughout.
This can cause a mass amount of health issues including chronic disease, autoimmune disorders, weight gain, fertility issues, thyroid issues, hair loss, etc.
Other common cooking oil to avoid would come in any form of corn, peanut, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, etc.
Now that you have this comprehensive list, I would recommend checking the labels at the grocery store.
Now that you have this wealth of knowledge, you can spot these bad cooking oil from a mile away. You will probably be pretty shocked at the mass amounts of food which contain these dangerous oils.
I once spent 5 minutes looking through all of the Hummus at the grocery store, only to realize that they all contained some form of either canola or soybean oil mixed in with olive oil. It was so frustrating.
I walked out of the store empty-handed, but now, I make my own hummus! It only takes me about 5 minutes, so it is very doable with a busy schedule.
Better Cooking Oil
Now that we have broken down what you cannot eat, I will gladly simplify what is truly healthy!
Here are two oils that still have PUFAs, but are not as bad as nut and seed oils, if properly extracted.
Their main makeup is monounsaturated fats, which you can read all about here: Your Guide to Healthy Fats
-Olive Oil
-Avocado Oil
The reason I recommend using them sparingly is because they still tend to have a higher PUFA content, and can be more unstable in the body than the cooking oil I have listed below.
Honestly, I find that any meals where PUFAs are higher make me feel worse, so I listen to my bio-individuality and choose to not utilize these fats in my dishes for the most part.
I do, however, believe that research shows olive and avocado oil as having some health benefits, so I won’t just wave them off. This is a current controversy in the world of metabolic health, but I personally feel that we do not need to be dogmatic about it, because we are individual bodies.
Learn to listen to your own body, which is intricately designed with innate wisdom, if you choose to seek it out.
There are a few guidelines to go with these oils. Sometimes I am not able to follow these to a tee but I try my best to use these oils as listed below.
-If the cooking oil is liquid, I rarely cook with it.
Liquid=less stable
By exposing healthier liquid cooking oil to heat, it can create less stability upon hitting the metabolic process within the body.
This can lead to inflammation as well, so I tend to be careful when working with olive and avocado oil- even though avocado oil has a higher smoke point, I still treat it as less stable than solid fat sources.
Olive and avocado oil are more likely to loose their stability when exposed to heat.
While they can be heated to some degree, I make the personal choice to only use these when I am make salads or sauces that do not require heat.
This is based on my personal risk tolerance and the research that I have done- which holds many varying opinions in the holistic health sphere.
I would recommend doing your own research and making a decision that works best for you.
One last note on “better” cooking oil: Make sure that any liquid cooking oil you use is cold-pressed, and not expeller pressed.
Cold-pressed avocado and olive oil ensures that chemicals were not involved in their making.
I always recommend organic when possible, but in this case prioritize cold-pressed over organic if you cannot afford both.
Often, I do not even keep these stocked in my pantry because of how much better I feel food tastes with the best cooking oil swaps out there.
Best Cooking Oil
I am happy to say that the mouth watering fats which can often be demonized in the mainstream world, are actually the best form of fat to use in the kitchen.
These fats listed below are the BEST swaps for cooking oil which you can make for your health.
-Coconut Oil
-Ghee
-Animal Fats
-Grass-Fed/Finished Butter
Coconut Oil
I love, love, love coconut oil. Not only does it make everything delicious, but it also has many health benefits, including aiding in the prevention of oxidative stress.
It is antimicrobial and anti-fungal. Plus it simply tastes delicious. It is also stable at higher temperatures.
I love sautéing veggies and cooking eggs with it.
It is best to source coconut oil that is unrefined and cold-pressed.
Ghee
Also known as clarified butter, ghee is another great option for cooking oil.
It tastes delicious and has a high cooking point. Popular in Aryvedic medicine, this superfood aids the stomach in digestion/absorption, and has anti-inflammatory properties. You can read more about it here.
Source ghee that is organic and grass-fed/finished, if you are able.
Animal Fats
Did you know that draining the fat from a sizzling pot of bacon and repurposing it in your eggs is not as bad as you once thought (as long as the bacon has been well-sourced 😉
Not only will animal fats such as lard or tallow, hold amazing bioavailable nutrients, but they are also very stable and can be cooked at high temperatures.
Let’s be honest, they are simply delicious too. You can enjoy your meals, and be completely nourished.
Once again try to source organic if possible, along with grass-fed and grass finished.
Butter
Now to my absolute favorite cooking oil swap that deserves all the glory that everyone secretly wants to give it.
I am not talking about that $1 stick of white butter from the grocery store, I am talking about the queen of all fats- real, raw, grass-fed/finished, yellow butter.
“Raw, unprocessed butterfat from grass-fed cows has a comprehensive fatty acid profile that protects its consumer from developing imbalances such as hardening of the arteries, calcification of organs, glands and joints (arthritis), and cataracts.”
The nutritional therapy association
Not only does it protect us internally, but it also is packed full of essential vitamins and minerals in a cocktail of health ready to consume. It improves brain function, is anti-inflammatory, and does so much more.
It also tastes amazing and has a high cooking point, so it will not go rancid like other oils once consumed.
Summary of Cooking Oil Swaps to Make
Now you are empowered with the amazing knowledge to read labels in the grocery store, and almost immediately know whether or not to put it back on the shelf.
While there are other ingredients to stay away from, the oils are a dead giveaway. The oils which are an absolute no are:
- Canola Oil/Rapeseed Oil
- Corn Oil
- Cottonseed Oil
- Soybean/Vegetable Oil
- Vegetable Shortening
- Partially Hydrogenated Fats/Oils
You will know them when you see them, because you are wisely rooted in your body’s innate wisdom!!
Oils that you do not have to be as wary of but should still consume in moderation are:
- Avocado oil
- Olive oil
The best swaps to make for all of the cooking oil listed above are:
- Coconut Oil
- Ghee
- Animal Fats
- Grass-Fed/Finished Butter
Now, go throw out that vegetable oil, and fill your pantry with what will nourish you body, mind, and soul. You’ve got this!
Pin this for later so you can refer back to it, share it with a friend who is curious to launch their own health journey, and comment below what your favorite cooking oil to use is!
