All About Oils: A Part of the Almost Effortless Series

Almost Effortless is an Azoki blog series offering up simple ways to improve your health without significantly altering your lifestyle and habits.   Our recommendations should leave you feeling clean, lean, a tad more energetic, and perhaps a bit happier.  We think they’re worth a try.  

It’s sad but very true: simple everyday choices that we only vaguely consider can profoundly impact our bodies and our health.  Take, for example, our choice of cooking oil.  Ok, you might not have thought much about your cooking oil but you might want to. Until I knew better, I used to use whatever looked nice or was on sale.  Maybe you’re like I was, or maybe you use whatever your mother used.  Or, perhaps you thought a little bit about oil last week when you were in the supermarket and you happened to notice that a competing brand was on sale.  If yes, what did you think about?  The colour of the oil?  The kind:  soybean, corn, or peanut?  Or perhaps it was canola. Obviously, you noticed the price.  And, indeed, we all should.  But what if I were to tell you that we can dramatically alter not only  the quality of our food but also our health and well-being by changing the way we choose and use our cooking oil? 

Yes, I’m going to suggest  that you take the quality of the oil you use up a notch.  And, yes, it might cost a little more.  But before you get annoyed and close this post, let’s ask ourselves just how much our health or our family’s health means to us.  How much would we be willing to pay for an improvement in our health?   That’s a significant question.  In fact, it is the central question of this blog series.   Almost Effortless means that the tips we provide won’t much change the taste or texture of your food, how much exercise you have to do, or really what you have to do at all.  But you might have to spend a tiny bit more.   And, yes, I spend a lot more now on my cooking oil than I used to, but I made a very mindful choice.   I’m trying to improve my health.  More specifically, I’m trying to reduce the inflammation in my body  because inflammation is a key driver of autoimmune illnesses. And, importantly, the cooking oil we use can significantly impact inflammation.   

How?  Well, most cooking oils - and often the least expensive cooking oils - are seed oils.  Prime examples are corn, canola, sunflower, and soybean oil, all of which are also known as PUFA- (polyunsaturated fatty acid) rich oils.  Yes, polyunsaturated oils are often celebrated as healthy oils because they are a lovely alternative to saturated oils and because they contain significant amounts of linoleic acid and other omega-6 essential fatty acids, which are critical to the structure of our cellular membranes.  These omega-6 oils are inexpensive, mild tasting, have reasonable smoke points, and offer us a bountiful supply of an ‘essential’  fatty acid.  (Essential means that because our bodies cannot make them we must take them in through diet.)   However, you can get too much of a good thing.  And, boy, have we gotten too much of omega-6 fatty acids.  According to the American Society for Nutrition, the consumption of PUFA oils has increased 1000-fold  since 1960. The same article suggests that these seed oils are now the most widely consumed cooking oil in homes and restaurants in the world.   

According to another research article examining these two types of oils, the optimal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is somewhere between one and four.  In other words,  we should probably be having about equal amounts of the two types of oil,  or maybe a touch more omega-6 than omega-3.   Amazingly, however, it seems we, globally, ingest somewhere between 14 and 25  times more omega-6 than omega-3 oils - with the majority of the omega-6 acids being linoleic acids.  That’s not good. This tremendous oversupply of omega-6 fatty acids has been associated with an explosion of chronic inflammatory  illnesses.      

In another review paper published in the journal Nutrients, researchers remind us that ‘excessive intake’ of omega-6, and especially linoleic acid, leads both to the formation of oxidised metabolites - or OXLAMs, and to impairment in mitochondrial function, which has implication for cell metabolism and energy levels.  OXLAMs, specifically, have been associated with such unpleasant chronic illnesses as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.  This same article suggests, thankfully, that dietary reduction of omega-6 oils will help mitigate the incidence of these diseases.  However, the half life of OXLAMS is about two (2) years, so their consequence can linger for quite some time.  So we should clean ourselves and our cooking oil up . . . 

Here are a few suggestions of how to do that:

Prioritize Omega-3 Rich Oils.  To counterbalance the dominance of omega-6 fatty acids, incorporate oils rich in omega-3 into your diet. Flaxseed oil, chia seed oil, and hemp seed oil are excellent sources of omega-3 and offer potent anti-inflammatory benefits.

Embrace the Mediterranean Magic. Much of the research on healthy oils celebrates the Mediterranean diet, which advocates the use of extra virgin olive oil. Interestinately, this heart healthy oil is neither an omega-3 nor an omega-6 oil.  It’s an omega 9 oil and its many monounsaturated fats and antioxidants promote an overall well-being.  Indeed, this week, one of the products we are LOVING is olive oil imported by Aroma di Olio here in the UAE.  See below. 

Harness the Healing Powers of Coconut Oil. Coconut oil, celebrated for its medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), provides a sustainable energy source and is ideal for cooking at higher temperatures, making it a practical and healthful choice.

Reintroduce Ghee and Grass-Fed Butter.  Ghee and butter from grass-fed sources are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins, offering a delectable way to support a balanced omega ratio.

Consume Omega-6 Oils More Mindfully.   While reducing omega-6 intake is crucial, certain seed oils like sesame and walnut oil contain valuable nutrients. By using them sparingly, we can enjoy their flavours while minimising the potential risks of excessive linoleic acid consumption.

Yes, it’s sad that healthier fats and oils are a bit more expensive.  Still, knowing that what you’re putting in your body is clean and nourishing should add back a bit of joy.   So, enjoy your olive oil.  

To you in good health, 

Sarah