Earth Elixir

Edible oils are used in salad dressings, sauces, baking, cooking, and frying food. The best oils are cold-pressed and chemical free.

Heat can change the chemical structure of oil making it become an unhealthy trans-fat. Saturated fats are more stable for cooking but are not healthy. The exception is coconut oil which is a vegetable saturated fat and it is healthy for you.

Heating oil to very high temperartures is not recommended because it makes it difficult for the body to process and may turn carcinogenic.

Deep frying foods isn’t that healthy to begin with, but if you are going to fry food once in a while use oil like grape seed oil, rice bran or coconut oil that can stand the high heat and maintain stability without turning rancid or into trans-fats.

Hydrogenated oils: Hydrogenation is an industrial artificial process that turns liquid oil into a semi-solid.  

Margarine: Made from hydrogenated oils and partially hydrogenated oils that make it spreadable for convenience sake. Margarine is a new food and it was coloured yellow at first with dye to distinguish it from butter. only buy non-hydrogenated margarines and vegetable spreads.

Hydrogenated oils and trans-fats destroy healthy cells to the point where exercise and diet change cannot repair it.  Always avoid hydrogenated oil because these fats raise cholesterol, cause serious cardiovascular disease, obesity, and are carcinogenic. The body does not know how to process these artificial oils because the chemical structure has changed and it turns toxic in the body permanently destroying cells.

There have been tests done where people have put out butter and margarine and ants, bugs and animals do not touch the margarine and eat the butter instead.

Animal Saturated Fats: beef, pork, lamb, poultry,

Eating alot of animal saturated fats like lard, chicken and beef fat leads to cardiovascular disease, obesity, bad cholesterol, and cancer.

Dairy saturated Fats: yogurt, butter, cheese, milk

There are lots of dairy saturated fats low-fat varieties available today, but these foods should still be moderated. Many people don’t have the enzymes to break down the lactose in dairy products.

Yogourt: Don’t be fooled by yogourt that contain sugar, gelatin and thickeners. Strain plain yogourt and add your own fruit, for a healthier choice.

Butter: Butter blended with 50% olive oil is a healthier choice than hydrogenated margarines.

Milk: There are many varieties of milk; the milk with the highest saturated fat content is whole cow’s milk and cream. Seed and nut milks like almond milk are a better choice. Coconut water and milk are very healthy choices too.

Vegetable Saturated Fats: coconut

Coconut oil is a healthier saturated fat because it is a vegetable source.  Coconut oil promotes lean muscle mass, weight loss, lowers cholesterol and is antiviral, antibacterial and good for you inside and out. Coconuts are a whole perfect food with so many uses. Use coconut milk, water, sugar,  pulp meat and oil in cooking and bodycare.

Healthy Edible Oils

These vegetable oils reduce blood cholesterol levels and improve ratios of LDL (low density lipids) and HDL (high density lipids) cholesterols which reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. These oils are rich in essential fatty acids.

Essential fatty acids also known as Vitamin F are Linoleic, Linolenic and Arachidonic acids. They are important for the maintenance and lubrication of our cells, tissues and entire body. Fats also transport fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, and keep our skin soft, supple and youthful looking.

Vegetable polyunsaturated:   grape seed oil, soybean, corn, safflower, sesame, sunflower, cottonseed, peanut oil, rice bran.

Corn and soy oils have been genetically modified and now have an allergy alert rating.

Too much polyunsaturated fats are unhealthy.

 Peanut oil has an allergy alert. It is not a nut, nuts grow on trees, and it is from the pea family.

Sesame oil should be hexane free and there are raw and roasted varieties. Raw sesame is used for massage.

Vegetable monounsaturated fats: olive oil, canola oil, almond oil

Olive oil can stand a little heat for light sautéing but should never be used for high heat frying. Olive oil should be used uncooked and added to cooked foods after they are cooked or in salads as salad dressing to get the most health benefits and the same goes for most oils.

Canola (rapeseed) oil is popular, but being relatively new, it has been genetically modified and altered.

Essential fatty acids also known as Vitamin F are Linoleic, Linolenic acids and Arachidonic acids. They are important for the maintenance and lubrication of our cells, tissues and entire body. Fats also transport fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, and keep our skin soft, supple and youthful looking.

healthy oils: hemp, grapeseed, walnut, avocado, coconut, olive oil, flaxseed, brazil nut oil, rice bran

not so healthy: palm, cottonseed, vegetable, corn, canola, safflower, sunflower