Four Heart-Healthy Cooking Oils That Are Great for Your Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, and Overall Health!

In 2016, I had a big birthday party, and all of my close family and friends came from near and far to be there--except my daddy! Although I wanted him to be there, I put my selfish ways aside because he just had a stent inserted in one of the major arteries leading to his heart. During the weeks leading up to his surgery, he kept complaining of constant heartburn and acid reflux. I suggested that he drink cayenne pepper water to relieve it. Although cayenne pepper is great for acid reflux and heartburn, it didn't work. It turned out that one of the major arteries leading to his heart was 90% clogged!! Ninety percent! My daddy was literally on his way to a potential heart attack or stroke. Something needed to change, and it was definitely the way he ate and what he cooked with.


After his surgery, I drove home to visit him. I looked in his cabinet, and I saw Crisco cooking oil! Crisco oil is a vegetable oil (but it's not made from vegetables, like many other vegetable oils...go figure)!  I was raised on Crisco oil and lard (yes, y'all...lard)! Crisco oil and many other vegetable oils such as corn, cottonseed, safflower, sunflower, rice and soy contain a lot of pesticides and have been genetically modified. It has been shown that it also contains trans fats (which are not good for your heart). So, you end up eating a lot of toxins, which causes inflammation in your body.  And that's what my dad was using when cooking his food. I threw it out. He started fussing (LOL), but I assured him that I would replace those oils with healthier ones. And I did. I get it though...that's all he knew, and that's all I knew growing up. When you're set in your ways, you don't want to gravitate to the unfamiliar. However, in the next few paragraphs below, I'll discuss four heart-healthy cooking oils that you will want to start using!


Olive  Oil
Olive oil is really good for heart health. It's loaded with antioxidants (it contains vitamin E and phenolic compounds, which help reduce the formation of damaging free radicals and inflammation in your body). Studies have shown that olive oil also helps prevent high blood pressure and reduces the risk of Alzheimer's disease.  Although olive oil is a very healthy oil to consume, don’t cook with olive oil at high temperatures because it changes its form once it’s heated beyond a certain temperature and becomes very toxic for the human body.  That's why I typically only use olive oil on salads. It's not meant to use for high heat cooking.  I typically don't cook with it, to be on the safe side. Check out this link on more information of why not to cook olive oils at high temperatures here. Grape seed and avocado oils are high heat cooking oils and are better for things such as frying. Click here to purchase a bottle of olive oil for your kitchen!

Grape seed Oil
Grape seed oil is actually my favorite cooking oil. I use it for cooking  sautéed vegetables and stir fry dishes. Grape seed oil is actually extracted from the seeds of grapes, typically wine grapes. Grapes are known to have anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antibacterial properties. Some benefits of cooking with grape seed oil is that it has powerful antioxidants, which include flavonoids and linoleic acid. These substances protect blood vessels, which can prevent high blood pressure. Grape seed oil also has high levels of vitamin E, which strengthens the immune system. Studies have also shown that grape seed oil can delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease (which runs in my family). Click here to purchase grape seed oil!

Avocado Oil
Avocado oil is the most expensive of the four oils, but it is very good for your heart! It is high in monounsaturated fat (the good fat--the fat that promotes healthy cholesterol levels), and it decreases inflammation in the body (common results of chronic inflammation in the body are diseases such as diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's and heart disease). Avocado oil also contains "chlorophyll," which has cancer-fighting and detoxifying properties. The down side? The price of avocado oil (on average) is about $10-$12 a bottle, give or take...BUT-- I look at this way...it may be pricey, but you might be saving yourself from a lifetime of medication. Click here to purchase avocado oil!

Sesame Oil
Like the other plant-based oils mentioned above, sesame oil is also high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which can greatly reduce your risk of coronary heart disease. Sesame seeds also contain a whole lot of vitamins, magnesium, iron, calcium, copper, and zinc...all good for your health! Sesame oil lowers blood pressure, and lowers your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. It can also reduce arthritis pain and swelling of joints. Click here to purchase sesame oil for the kitchen!

Let me just say, I went to the doctor about three weeks ago. My last blood pressure reading was 117/76. Not bad, considering I'm out of my 30's and I'm not on any medications! I think I might be on to something here! :-) Well, that's it for me....Treena V is signing off. If you have any questions or comments, leave me a comment below, or email me at theveganworldtraveler@gmail.com. Until next time...stay healthy my friends!


Signed,


The Vegan World Traveler