Do You Use Liquid Oils in Your Diet? If So, Read On...
The healthier we become, the more we begin to include healthier food choices in our diet. These include more fruits and vegetables, healthy grains, and nixing the processed foods. We make fresh fruit and veggie juices and smoothies filled with healthy ingredients. We quickly become so proud of our new healthy eating habits!
But what we also sometimes do is begin incorporating liquid oils into our diets because we have become convinced we need these oils to be healthy. Coconut oil, flax seed oil, avocado oil, and other oils are poured liberally into our smoothies and over our salads and/or are taken as supplements.
First of all, let's clear up an important myth. Liquid oils are NOT "health" foods!
Liquid oils are oils that have been extracted from their original whole food source and are now a 100% pure fat product with many of their nutrients stripped. These fats may be healthier fats, but they should be consumed in their original form, for example avocados instead of avocado oil, olives instead of olive oil, nuts and seeds instead of nut and seed oils. The whole spectrum of nutrients in these foods are meant to be assimilated as a synergistic whole and, similar to supplements, from a nutritional standpoint they become far inferior when they have been extracted.
Fatty foods such as avocados, olives, raw nuts, raw seeds, and fatty fish provide protein, essential fatty acids, and trace minerals. They are an important part of a balanced diet when eaten in small quantities and these are the types of fats we should be eating. Liquid fats are not unnecessary.
Healthy salads and fruit smoothies that are naturally under 10% fat quickly become very high fat with the addition of coconut oil, flax seed oil, almond milk, and nuts, with liquid oils being a big culprit.
Too Much Fat
When I sit down with many of my clients, especially vegetarians and vegans, they are dismayed to learn that their "healthy" diet averages a whopping 70% fat. These clients are not feeling the sense of vibrant health they hoped their diet would bring them, and no wonder! Their diet is filled with an array of nut and seed-based butters, cheese, loafs, and crackers, avocado-based dips, and a large quantity of liquid oils. Are the fats healthy fats? Absolutely! But too much fat is too much fat. High fat diets are dense diets. They create a sluggish digestive system and lower our energy quotient. They are also low vibrational foods that contribute to lowering the overall vibrational state of our bodies.
 Example 1 - SaladA simple salad with an array of vegetables and fruits starts off being naturally low in fat (on average under 7%). Add a tablespoon of flaxseeds here, a tablespoon of oil there, a big hunk of avocado, (it is common for some raw foodists to add all three in larger amounts)... and you suddenly arrive at 80% fat. These "harmless sprinklings" shift the fat scale dramatically. A popular blended raw dressing containing 2 tablespoons oil, 1/4 cup pine nuts, and 6 oz. avocado instantly turns a raw salad into 75%+ fat.  Example 2 - Fruit SmoothieA simple smoothie of several fruits in water (or coconut water) with kale or Swiss chard is again under 7% fat. But many people use a base of nut milks, add coconut or flaxseed oils, nuts, and seeds... easily topping the 80% fat mark. |
How & When to Eat Liquid Oils
Am I saying you should completely avoid liquid fats? No, not at all. But do keep your liquid oil purchases to a minimum (unless you are using them for massages, of course!!!). When you use them in your diet, follow these 5 guidelines:
- Consume them in very small quantities (teaspoons, not tablespoons).
- Only purchase unrefined/cold-pressed, and organic if possible.
- Choose fruit, nut, or seed-based oils (olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, walnut oil, flax seed oil, sesame oil).
- Make sure the oil is labeled as non-GMO.
- Completely avoid "vegetable oil" which is a toxic product. Do not be fooled by the healthy name.
When it comes to salad dressings, use no more than 1 teaspoon of olive oil and mix it with lemon juice, your favorite herbs, and perhaps a dash of balsamic vinaigrette. You can even get creative and blend these ingredients with a few raspberries or a fresh fig to make your own fruity vinaigrette! Soon, you'll find that not only do you not need the liquid oils, but you will not even miss them! Learn about how to create healthy and delicious salads and salad dressings.
Get "High" On Life
To learn more about healthy living, healthy eating, and how to transform your mind and body through the power of food, check out the Body Healer Protocol. This powerful cutting-edge program is will help you quickly cleanse your body of accumulated toxins, remove excess weight, and resolve physical, emotional, and psychological imbalances.
RELATED ARTICLES