The Best Oils For Heart Health
As a fat, oils not only provide taste and texture but they also contain fatty acids that are key to several body processes, such as the production of hormones and absorption of vitamins and minerals. They also have health properties, like helping to lower cholesterol and blood pressure for a healthier heart. But those health benefits depend on the kind of oil you use.
So…ummmmmm…with all the different types of oil out there, how are you supposed to choose?
Say no more!
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
Monounsaturated fats help reduce the risk of heart disease, and extra virgin olive oil, or EVOO, contains the highest percentage of them among cooking oils, as well as the most antioxidants.1EVOO can get pretty expensive. Well, you’ll be glad to hear that pricier EVOO doesn’t confer more health benefits than the cheaper stuff. So make your decision based on taste, not price. But who are we kidding here? You have no other option but to do that because you can’t afford to drop $30 on a bottle of EVOO anyway, you broke motherfucker!
AVOCADO OIL
Much like EVOO, avocado oil can get pricey, as it’s unrefined and rich in monounsaturated fats. Added to that is its high smoke point, making it better than EVOO for actual cooking with instead of just drizzling on top of salads and shit. But that’s, like, only if your culinary skills extend to you knowing how to turn a stove on!
CANOLA OIL
Canola oil has the lowest amount of “bad” saturated fat among cooking oils and is not only a good source of monounsaturated fat but omega-3 fatty acids as well, which have a host of benefits beyond just heart health. Its high smoke point makes it ideal for frying, grilling, and baking.2Canola oil has a lot in common with some aborted babies, as it’s also derived from rapeseed *rim shot*
SAFFLOWER OIL
Safflower oil is high in omega-6 fatty acids, which don’t enjoy the same reputation as omega-3s but are just as beneficial for the heart and circulation. With one of the highest smoke points, this oil is excellent for deep frying all your favorite fried foods that you can then try to justify as being healthy though they’re still not.
COCONUT OIL
Depending on what day of the week it is, coconut oil, because of its high saturated fat content, might either be good for you or the worst thing you could possibly put in your body since that random guy you hooked up with a few hours ago. The research is all over the place! To play it safe, use it sparingly, preferably for baking with.
PEANUT OIL
Behind coconut oil at 92 percent saturated fat comes peanut oil at 18 percent. However, its 49 percent monounsaturated fat content makes it a healthy oil without much debate. Due to the oil’s nutty flavor because it’s…ummmmmm…made from nuts, it should only be used when making shit that should taste like nuts!
SESAME OIL
Sesame oil has a pretty equal mix of polyunsaturated fat (46 percent) and monounsaturated fat (40 percent). And with its nutty flavor, it’s a good alternative to peanut oil if you have a nut allergy.3From the rumors I’ve heard about you and your glory hole exploits, I’m hard-pressed to believe that you’re allergic to nuts of any kind, but whatever!
FLAXSEED OIL
Rich in omega-3s but possessing a low smoke point, flaxseed oil should only be used for salads and drizzling over hummus and other shit rather than for cooking with, not much of which you do anyway and is why this post was pretty much a waste of both of our time!
Those are some of the best oils for heart health.
After looking at them, you’re probably thinking to yourself where’s corn oil?
Good question!
Although popular, corn oil isn’t that great of an option because while it contains phytosterols that have heart health benefits, it’s highly refined and high in omega-6 fatty acids, which are inflammatory and people already get waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy more than enough of via the standard American diet.
So that’s why it’s not on the list!!!
Glossary: dietary fat, hormones
