The "Healthy" Oils Controversy

There is quite a controversy among experts in the field of health about whether or not cold-pressed, unheated oils are healthy.

Most of us now know that canola oil, or rapeseed oil (from the rapeseed plant), is unhealthy for us.

But what about those "good" oils?

Extra virgin olive oil is the first one that typically comes to mind.

Proponents say that because it is cold-pressed, and from the first pressing, it contains valuable nutrients and is healthy for us. Lots and lots of gourmet raw recipes are loaded with it.

There are also the pure sunflower, sesame seed, and safflower oils that are recommended and touted as the best and healthiest to use.

It's true that when a person is trying to become more healthy and get away from the SAD (Standard American Diet) of canned, processed, deep-fried, loaded with fats and sugars - anything is better! That's why so many new raw fooders make those elaborate raw dishes that are substitutes for the cooked version.

And nearly all of them require a good amount of oil.

However, there are other experts who maintain that fat is fat, and no oil is healthy for us in that form. First of all, it is a highly refined product, which is something we are trying to get away from in the SAD.

Also it is 100% fat! Dr. Doug Graham, author of several books, including "The 80/10/10 Diet", recommends taking the oil in the whole food, not separated out. When the oil is extracted, it's missing all the fiber, the nutrients, all the good things that we are intended to get from the whole food.

The Rave Diet also recommends taking no oil. Mike Anderson, author of "The Rave Diet" book, says, "There are other problems with vegetables oils, however.

These oils contain high levels of saturated fat, which is essentially "cholesterol in disguise" because it stimulates your liver to make more cholesterol than your body needs and ends up clogging arteries.

In fact, adding any oil to your food will raise your cholesterol level, even more than eating cholesterol itself."

It only makes sense it is healthiest to eat the whole food - have the whole avocado, or olive, or sunflower, or sesame seed. And much tastier than drinking a cup of oil!

Phyllis Towse