Pass on the Polyunsaturated Fats

If your doctor told you to substitute saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats, get a second opinion. Research indicates that most polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) harm, not help, your cardiovascular and overall health. Here’s why:

1. PUFAs hurt the heart. Despite the heart-healthy hype, the high omega-6 content in most PUFAs increases heart attacks. This review of randomized controlled trials found that heightened consumption of omega-6 oils bumped up the rate of coronary heart disease and cardiac arrest.

2. PUFAs go bad. Polyunsaturated fats are the least stable form of fatty acid, which means they become rancid when exposed to heat (including the heat used to process these oils). Manufacturers hide the tell-tale rancid smell by “deodorizing” their products before they go in the bottle.

3. Rancid fats wreak havoc on your health. Rancidity creates free radical molecules that harm cell membranes, mess with genetic material and damage arterial walls. Research links free radical damage to heart disease (as well as cancer, premature aging and Alzheimer’s disease). Steer clear of them at every meal by sticking to whole foods. Avoid all processed foods and fast food as they are loaded with refined grains and PUFA oils, the two top sources of free radicals.

4. Dodge the PUFA bullet and eat healthy oils. At home, toss out the polyunsaturated oils such as corn, safflower, soy, and cottonseed. Canola has fewer omega-6′s to worry about, but it’s still rancid, so chuck that out too. Use heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil for salad dressings. It has tremendous heart-healing qualities. Use coconut or sesame oil for cooking, as they can handle the heat (and the coconut oil is fantastic for heart health). More on these oils coming shortly.

Check out our delicious heart-healing recipes here.

One of our favorite ways to increase olive oil consumption is this dynamite Zucchini Dip. It’s the best recipe to pull out of the box when summer squash start to take over the garden!