These 2 Tips Are a Great Start to Restocking with Healthier Options
Do you know what unhealthy oils & fats are hiding in your kitchen? Without even knowing it, you are likely consuming nutrient-poor fats and oils, which have steadily and stealthily made their way into your pantry and packaged foods. The average American consumes 5–10 tablespoons of refined synthetic vegetable oil per day, usually unknowingly! YUCK!
You'll be surprised where you will find these refined oils and fats. From oat milk, tortilla chips, margarine and mayonnaise to fast food breads, pizza crust and rice bowls. Are any of these in your pantry or fridge? It may be time to remove and replace them with practical, healthier options.
Isn’t fat bad? Actually, no. Fat is good for you and required for many bodily functions. Even our brains are 60% fat, which makes knowing our fats and oils critically important. These hidden refined oils contain high amounts of nutrient-poor omega-6 fats, which can increase inflammation in the body, leading to
insatiable cravings
weight gain
dysregulated blood sugar levels
fatigue
brain fog
neuroinflammation which can present as anxiety, and more
Omega-6 fats in excess and in disproportion to other omegas, can be very harmful. If you're dealing with any of these signs or symptoms, one of the simplest changes you can make is to replace these refined oils with nourishing real food fat that your body knows how to digest and utilize properly.
Our modern dietary habits are sending our health into a downward tailspin. It's time to adopt a practical and sustainable real food lifestyle. Start by taking these two steps and click the link below for more support
1) Remove and replace unhealthy cooking oils and fats
2) Examine unhealthy fats as ingredients in packaged goods and restock with your choice of good, better, best options.
Want to learn more about healthy vs unhealthy fats and how to incorporate them into a real food lifestyle? Want to sign up for an in-home pantry purge, grocery tour, workshop or personalized nutrition plan?
Tip #1 - Clean out refined cooking oils & fats from your pantry
Oils and fats range from very fragile to very stable, depending on their profile and the antioxidants they contain. Some are better for high heat cooking, others for sautéing, and others for finishing, such as a dressing. Get rid of cooking oils and fats in your pantry such as refined, non-organic canola, safflower, sunflower, soybean, corn, margarine, and generic vegetable oil. If you plan to keep any of these types of oils - make sure they are dark-bottled oils, organic, unrefined/unfiltered and cold-pressed or expeller-pressed. Avoid purchasing refined vegetable oils or clear plastic-bottled oils, shelved under bright lights in grocery stores, as they easily go rancid. Replace refined oils with butter, ghee, coconut oil, duck fat, tallow or rendered fat / lard for higher heat cooking, and olive oil, avocado oil or butter for finishing or low heat cooking. And, of course, make sure to store your oils in a cool area.
Tip #2 - Restock packaged goods containing refined oils
You'll be surprised where you will find these refined vegetable oils and fats. Review packaged products, looking for anything in the ingredients that says "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" as these are trans fat, which cause free radical damage to our cells. If a product has trans fat, it is best to get rid of it immediately - this is not a use-it-now item, this is a lose-it-now item. Look for alternatives, preferably whole food options, or choose a packaged product that excludes these unhealthy fats, like the ones below.
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There are plenty of good, better, best options out there, if you know what to look for. Below are tips to get you started. Scroll through the images for reference.
Condiments: Good, Better, Best Options
Most traditional brands of condiments such as dressing, mayonnaise and ketchup all have soybean oil, trans fat and added sugar. Yikes - unhealthy fats & extra sugar! Check out these brands as good, better, best options: Annie's, Primal Kitchen, Tessemae's, Chosen Foods, Sir Kensington's.
Nut Butters: Good, Better, Best Options
You would think a nut butter would be just that - the nut. Most traditional brands also include hydrogenated oils, and some even include added sugar. There are plenty of alternatives that include just nuts, or a variety of nuts & seeds (ideally organic), and salt. Check out these brands as good, better, best options: Wild Friends, Adams 100% Natural, Kirkland Organic, NuttZo, Georgia Grinders.
Chips & Crackers: well, they're not health foods, but you can always find a better choice or make your own!
Well, they're not health foods; but you can always find a better choice or make your own! Most traditional brands have GMO corn & canola oils, along with other "badditives". Replace traditional chips & crackers with those made, for example, using coconut oil, chia seeds and sea salt, made from cassava or almond flour. Some good, better, best options: Simple Mills, Siete, Late July. The best option is to make your own - hello sweet potato chips! Thinly slice 1-2 sweet potatoes, drizzle with avocado oil, sprinkle with sea salt, pepper and any other favorite spice. Cook for about 30 minutes at 400.
Challenge yourself to do better
Restocking my pantry and fridge was enlightening, to say the least. It is not an easy task to take on, but once you get started, over time, you'll find you add so much good, that it crowds out the bad. These tips are just a start. Challenge yourself to replace 3 items you use regularly with a good, better, best option. Leave a comment below about what you plan to replace and how you plan to restock. Can't wait to hear!
Need help with what you plan to replace and how to restock? Click below to schedule time with me.
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