Education Lesson - Why No Oil?

When I cook at home (which is 99% of the time), I do not use oil in my cooking. There are a number of reasons why.

First off, most people do not realize that ONE tablespoon of oil has 120 calories and 14 grams of fat. Fat is one of the macronutrients (the other two are protein and carbohydrates). Carbohydrates and proteins contain 4 calories per gram; whereas, fat contains 9 calories per gram. Over double! Therefore, ingesting even small amounts of oil makes you fat. If you are trying to lose weight, eating 30% of your calories from fat (which is the standard American definition of "low-fat") is not going to reap benefits. You have to keep your fat intake down to 10% of your total caloric intake -- coming from whole plant foods (veggies, fruits, whole grains, and legumes). In fact, ALL people need to keep their fat intake to between 10-15%.

The second thing I learned about oil is that it is a highly processed plant food. Most of the nutrients and fiber are stripped out of it, leaving practically no value. It is a misnomer that people in the Mediterranean are healthier because they use a lot of olive oil. They are healthier because their diets are significantly higher in low-fat, whole plant foods. Oil does not equal a healthy food. :-(

Next, being a Type 2 diabetic, I have been instructed NOT to have oil in my diet. Eating a low-fat, whole foods plant-based diet is what got me off all of my medication in less than three months.
Here is a great video by Jane Esselstyn who will explain in a simple-to-understand fashion.
https://youtu.be/MonwPt4LIN0

Finally, if you have high cholesterol or any history of cardiac issues, pay attention to why Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr. says not to include oil in your diet:

"NO OIL! Not even olive oil, which goes against a lot of other advice out there about so-called good fats. The reality is that oils are extremely low in terms of nutritive value. They contain no fiber, no minerals and are 100% fat calories. Both the mono unsaturated and saturated fat contained in oils is harmful to the endothelium, the innermost lining of the artery, and that injury is the gateway to vascular disease. It doesn’t matter whether it’s olive oil, corn oil, coconut oil, canola oil, or any other kind. Avoid ALL oil."

I will write a post on nuts, seeds and avocado (the higher-fat whole plant foods) in a future post!