Recommending a book about seed oils...

Susan Louise · ‎03-14-2010

Dark Calories: How Vegetable Oils Destroy Our Health and How We Can Get It Back - Catherine Shanahan MD

gtx · ‎08-15-2010

@Susan Louise Thanks. I want to read it.

YanksFan · ‎08-13-2013

Thank you. I've been looking for a book on this subject.

amyb · ‎04-05-2010

Interesting....I'd be interested in hearing what this doctor breaks down about this. I used to only use Canola and Olive oils. Thinking I was doing the best.

But since about 4 yrs ago, after following Flav City/Bobby Parish, (I do realize he's just another internet influencer...but seemed he'd done his research on this, and other things) he explained these other oils are highly processed, inflammatory...so I stopped. I've since only used (single source when I can find it, from Italy) olive oil and organic avocado oils (for things I used to use Canola for...like salad dressings, some frying.)

Occasionally you'll hear someone say Avocado oil isn't as "healthy as they say" but I don't trust the random sources I've seen say that, (like random YouTube ads espousing some health advice.) By all other, more reliable accounts I've seen, it still seems to be a healthy oil.

I also watch out now for cottonseed, soybean oils, canola in crackers and things like that, and I try not to buy anything with that in it, things I used to eat. I'm trying to buy very little processed foods lately, and have lost 6 lbs eating a more balanced, whole food diet.

Bit of a rant I went on there, but I just like to share info I find helpful. @Susan Louise Thanks for recommending that book...I'm in the middle of some other books now but would like to eventually look into that one. Expecially, since, no matter the side anyone is on...seems like it's about to become part of a national "conversation." I'm glad...time we look into the things allowed in the US food industry not allowed in Europe...imo.

Susan Louise · ‎03-14-2010

@amyb wrote:
Interesting....I'd be interested in hearing what this doctor breaks down about this. I used to only use Canola and Olive oils. Thinking I was doing the best.

But since about 4 yrs ago, after following Flav City/Bobby Parish, (I do realize he's just another internet influencer...but seemed he'd done his research on this, and other things) he explained these other oils are highly processed, inflammatory...so I stopped. I've since only used (single source when I can find it, from Italy) olive oil and organic avocado oils (for things I used to use Canola for...like salad dressings, some frying.)

Occasionally you'll hear someone say Avocado oil isn't as "healthy as they say" but I don't trust the random sources I've seen that, and by all other accounts still seems to be ok by more reliable sources.

I also watch out now for cottonseed, soybean oils, canola in crackers and things like that, and I try not to buy anything with that in it, things I used to eat. I'm trying to buy very little processed foods lately, and have lost 6 lbs eating more balanced, whole food diet.

Bit of a rant I went on there, but I just like to share info I find helpful. @Susan Louise Thanks for recommending that book...I'm in the middle of some other books now but would like to eventually look into that one. Expecially, since, no matter the side anyone is on...seems like it's about to become part of a national "conversation." I'm glad...time we look into the things allowed in the US food industry not allowed in Europe...imo.

@amyb Sad to say, canola oil is one of the bad seed oils. The only fats we use now for cooking are butter, beef tallo, & bacon fat I store in containers in the fridge. I love the added flavor to scrambled eggs.

It is a shame folks don't watch videos on youtube about the history of seed oils, how they are manufactured and how we came to ingesting them in the 1st place. It's quite horrifying.

It's just one more thing DH & I are P'Od about...so much inflammation we would never have had if we didn't ingest the garbage. I used to buy mainly canola oil before we changed our lifestyle back in 2018. It was usually the cheapest and I would buy the generic/store brand to save even more money...oy.

If folks check the labels on all their processed foods they buy, no less than 90-95% have some form/type of seed oils.

While on the subject of oils...folks need to be mindful of olive oils too. There is a lot of info about how so many are not pure anymore...especially the blended varieties...fraud issues. There are also a few videos with updated info about this.

amyb · ‎04-05-2010

Yes, I understand there are many not great olive oils, though I'm not super educated on it, my understanding is many are multi-sourced, and some of those sources don't even use olive oil in it. So, I found a single sourced from Italy one at Aldi this year, again, Flav City recommend...but at some point it may go away, as Aldi changes as things are available to them. For now, it's one I've been using. There are others. I use some butter occasionally, I have cholesterol issues I'm on meds for (the hereditary type, (high lipo-protein-a) which dietary changes don't make go down, so I have to mitigate that by trying to eat the best for my cholesterol.) I've never been a huge butter eater, and don't consider it all bad...I just don't use lots of it.

Question...since Avocado is technically a "seed" I'd guess...since it grows from one...does the doc who wrote that book say anything about it, pro or con?

Since I don't think it's a processed oil, I thought it was ok.

Coconut oil, a good one I think is ok too, but I just haven't used it much for cooking. I find olive and avocado oils to have been the easiest, best for me. So curious if that doc had a say on Avocado oil.

Yes, lots of people love their eggs cooked in bacon grease.

Agree those seed oils are in most commercial, non-specialty processed items.

Agree, I wish our foods hadn't been working against us all these years. There is a reason for the obesity and disease rates...this is one of them that could have been avoided. But..$$$$. Hopefully, maybe some things will be changed. The damage may have been done for us older generations, though any good improvements can help at any time.

Judaline · ‎03-10-2010

Canola oil used to be called rapeseed oil. It's been a while since I read this but it said they used to use it in cattle's food but found they always had a lot left so they decided to bottle it and call it canola oil. It's the worst for our bodies. Sadly, while checking out the ingredients at Whole Foods Salad bar (and the hot bar) I saw they use Canola in just about everything. Whole Foods!!!! Is nothing sacred? Who can you count on? Dr. Mercola on his site wrote about Canola and how bad all seed oils are for us. I wouldn't call avocado a seed oil? It's a pit, not a seed. But I'm not sure. And yes, you have to be careful about your evoo. The labels all sound good. They say California is the best but I'm still undecided.