Necessity may be the mother of invention, but the story of artificial trans fats is one of unintended consequences. In the early 20th century, trans fats offered a solution: stable, solid fats that extended shelf-life and pleased consumers. However, health experts revealed a darker side, urging us to avoid trans fats. Yet, the rise of vegetable oils as a substitute raises questions about their safety.
Reduce Vegetable Oils and Embrace Good Fats…
The concern is that traces of trans fats linger in common foods, while widely used vegetable oils raise alarming health concerns. (See my prior post about the Dangers of Seed Oils.)
What You Can Do:
- Limit: Reduce seed oils like soybean, canola, and sunflower oil.
- Swap: Choose healthier options like olive oil (for low heat), avocado oil (for higher heat), coconut oil (for cooking), butter, or ghee.
- Read Labels: Look for “vegetable oils,” “hydrogenated” words, and named seed oils on labels.
- Dine Out Mindfully: Ask restaurants to substitute unhealthy oils with healthier choices. (I try to remember to take my homemade dressing in these little portable dressing containers!)
- Find Better Options: Use Localfats.com to locate restaurants using healthier oils.
Just do what you can and choose natural fats from avocados, fish, and nuts, and limit processed foods and artificial ingredients.
You got this! One step at a time.
Lisa
