Week 3: Unprocessed Kitchen Series

 

 

Welcome to our third week of the 14 Weeks to an Unprocessed Kitchen.

Have you already started your unprocessed journey or are you new to this? 
This is a great place to start by taking 14 weeks to getting yourself on track for healthy living. 

You can find Week 1's post HERE
You can find Week 2's post HERE

This week I'd like to touch base on another commonly used staple in your kitchen cupboard. That's oils.

Not all oils are created equal. So I'd like to touch base on the common oils used in any kitchen and point out the ones you should be using and the ones that are not good for you to use.. Let's begin...

Vegetable Oil

Most vegetable oil products are not healthy for you. This type of oil is similar to junk food because it is processed. During the production stage, most of its nutrients are extracted which leaves only the oil, so when you go to consume it, your eating pure processed fat. Vegetable oil contains a good amount of saturated fat, which stimulates the liver to produce more cholesterol. Hidden inside most if not all Vegetable oil is G.M.O ingredients. Genetically Modified corn.

Canola Oil

 Some have said that Canola oil is heart healthy and good for you.. The answer to that is no it's not! Canola Oil is high in monounsaturates which is anything but healthy. Just like vegetable oil.. Canola is most likely G.M.O corn, and is highly processed and refined. The end result of all of this refining and processing are oils that are highly inflammatory in your body when you ingest them, damaging your cell membranes, contributing to heart disease, weight gain, and other degenerative diseases.

The high heat processing of canola oil strips any good qualities the oil may have had in it's virgin state and on top of that they process this oil using caustic refining, and bleaching while using questionable chemicals.

 Sunflower Oil

Sunflower seed oil is commonly used in frying, fast-food prep and packaged and processed foods. It is so common I am certain that if a food comes in a package, you'll find sunflower seed oil in the ingredient list.

Sunflower seed oil is very high in omega-6 fatty acids. In some cases, the omega-6 content is as high as 70 percent! It exacerbates the inflammation in your body and puts you at risk for disease.

Grapeseed Oil

Grapeseed oil comes from the seeds of grapes. It is extremely high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fat. This oil is over 70% Omega-6 which is really high. This oil is processed like the ones above using high tech machines and chemicals. It is a healthier alternative of the oils above since it contains lots of Vitamin E, it's non-hydrogenated, and has 0 trans fat. It does have no cholesterol and very little saturated fat. Even with these benefits, our bodies aren't designed to consume much or if any Poly-Unsaturated Fatty Acid (PUMA) which this oil is very high in. I'd avoid this oil if at all possible.

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Now that we've discussed some oils to avoid in your kitchen.. Let's talk about a few oils you should always have in your kitchen...

Organic Extra Virgin- Cold Pressed Coconut Oil

This is the oil I purchase and love. It's the perfect cooking oil and use it for baking, sauteing, and cooking. It's non hydrogenated, contains no trans-ft, and is cholesterol free. It is not refined, nor bleached or deodorized. I also use coconut oil instead of shortening since shortening is not good for you at all. 

Virgin Coconut Oil can only be achieved by using fresh coconut meat or what is called non-copra. Chemicals and high heating are not used in further refining, since the natural, pure coconut oil is very stable with a shelf life of several years.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil


 This is another oil that is always in my kitchen. I use this in baking, stovetop cooking and oven cooking. Extra-virgin olive oil is extracted from olives using only pressure, a process known as cold pressing. Extra-virgin olive oil has just 1% acid. It’s the oil that comes from the first pressing of the olives, and is considered the finest, having the freshest, fruitiest flavor.

Extra virgin olive oil is fairly nutritious.  Olive oil is very high in monounsaturated fats and contains a modest amount of vitamins E and K. True extra virgin olive oil is loaded with antioxidants, some of which have powerful health benefits.

Avocado Oil


 Avocado oil, derived from the avocado fruit, boasts unique healthy properties. Avocado oil is high in Vitamin E and unsaturated fats and contains more protein than any other fruit and more potassium than a banana. Avocado oil offers a variety of nutritional and medicinal benefits. Avocado oil improves blood vessel integrity, prevents cancer, promotes faster healing and better skin quality, moisturizes hair and skin, and lowers blood pressure. This should be an oil you use in your cooking and healthy skin products..

This week was all about unhealthy and healthy oils to have in your kitchen. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and read this week's post. Please stop by for Week 4 of 14 Weeks to an Unprocessed Kitchen next Monday.. Until then...