Healthy oils at home and when eating out

Some people are cautious when it comes to using oils in cooking or eating. Eating fat at mealtimes conjures up thoughts of high cholesterol and, well, getting fat. The fact that some fats are labeled “bad” adds to the confusion and misunderstanding that all fats are unhealthy.

But that's not the case.

"It's important to consume oils," says Shilpa Bhupathiraju, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and assistant professor of nutrition at Harvard's TH Chan School of Public Health.

Oils and fats contain essential fatty acids — particularly omega 3 and 6 — that are part of the structure of every single cell in the body, says Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. They are the building blocks of hormones, help reduce inflammation, and lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure. Oil also provides flavor and satiety.

The key is knowing the right way. It's easier when you're cooking at home, a little trickier when you're eating out, and you can't control every step of the process. But it's not just about choosing the healthiest oils. They play a role in a healthy diet when they are part of an eating plan that minimizes processed foods, simple carbohydrates and sugars.

Healthy and not so healthy oils

In general, Willett says the healthiest oils are liquid and plant-based. The first thing that comes to mind is olive oil, and for good reason. “It has stood the test of time,” he says. It helps lower blood cholesterol levels and provides antioxidants, and extra virgin is the ideal version as it is the first pressing and least refined.

After that, corn, rapeseed, sunflowers, safflower and soybeans fall into the healthy column. The latter wasn't always considered a healthy choice because it used to be hydrogenated, but now it's in a natural state and a good source, says Willett.

On the unhealthy side, there's lard, butter, palm oil and coconut oil. The similarity is that they are in a semi-solid state and have a high saturated fatty acid content. Eating this fat increases LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Willett says part of the challenge is cultural. Northern European tradition is based on the consumption of animals and animal fats, and these fats, such as butter and lard, come in solid form. Like the Mediterranean diet, the southern European approach is based on vegetable oils, especially olives.

Although saturated fats do not provide any of the health benefits mentioned above, they do not need to be avoided completely, just minimized to 5% of your diet, says Willett. For example, if you typically consume 2,000 calories per day, only 100 should come from saturated fats.

Eating out instead of at home

When you eat at home and use healthy oils, there are fewer concerns about consuming the wrong fats or consuming too much. Whether you're frying, sautéing, or dressing a salad, you have control over all factors. Using too much oil isn't that big of a problem, says Bhupathiraju, because people usually regulate their intake by knowing when something tastes too oily.

Deep frying in general is often a problem, but it's not necessarily unhealthy. It's more about what's being fried. Cheese, a saturated fat, wouldn't be a good choice, but zucchini wouldn't be bad, as Bhupathiraju says.

When it comes to fried foods and eating in general, it's all about what type of oil is used and how. If the oil in deep fryers is not changed regularly, it is heated again and again and trans fats are formed. These can cause inflammation in the body, which can lead to heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and contribute to the breakdown of cell membranes.

The easiest step is to avoid eating all fried foods. But Willett says that's not always necessary. The use of trans fats was banned in 2018, so a restaurant is likely to use a healthier oil. Still, you eat fried foodsoccasionallyis not too harmful.

Focus on eating a healthy diet with good oils

Willett says people get the majority of their calories from two sources - fats and carbohydrates - and "the important thing is that both should be healthy," he says.

When you eat healthy carbohydrates and fats, you don't have to worry about how much of them you eat. "The ratio doesn't make much difference. They're both healthy," he says. The focus is on overall nutrition. A healthy diet can consist mostly of whole grains such as brown rice, oatmeal, wheat berries and quinoa. The less something is ground and powdered, the slower it is released into the body, preventing sudden spikes in blood sugar.

While low-fat diets had some popularity in the 1990s, low-fat products are not healthier. Willett says research has shown that low-carb diets are more effective than low-fat for weight loss and that low-fat diets are no more effective than high-fat for weight loss.

The best approach to good nutrition is the science-backed recommendation of having lots of colors on your plate. Orange, yellow, green and red foods provide various antioxidants and phytochemicals that can protect the body. If you structure your diet this way, you'll likely eat more slowly and consume fewer empty calories, says Bhupathiraju.

“Enjoy fats,” says Willett. "Good olive oil is good for you. It will help you enjoy the salad and make the eating experience and eating vegetables more enjoyable."