Introduction to Healthy Oils
Not only are we surrounded by a global economy, but now, most of us have global taste buds. Americans demand international cuisine foods and flavors, and for good reason. Every geographical area of the world has within its flora and fauna, a compendium of foods and culinary treasures that are not only nourishing, but also medicinal. Mixing and matching them can provide our diet with key nutrients that fill in the gaps of any missing ingredients.
One of the areas where we can shift our tastes slightly and make a significant impact on our health is by steering away from the traditional ground crops providing us with corn, soy, safflower and vegetable oils. We can include different oils, ones that have been proven over the years to be associated with wonderful health benefits. Here, you’ll learn about three “Golden Elixirs” – coconut oil, flax seed oil and pumpkin seed oil – from three parts of the world that burst with flavor and simultaneously, make us healthy.
It’s common knowledge that the hydrogenated oils in our American diet have not done us much good, health-wise. They have interfered with essential fat absorption, creating a cascade of inflammation in the body, and have been linked to asthma, heart disease, cancer, prostate issues, neurological disease, and decreased immune system function.
The high level of omega-6 fats to omega-3 fats in our oils has allowed our omega-6/omega-3 ratio to skyrocket 10 to 20:1 instead of the rejuvenating ratio of up to 5:1. It’s time to tip the balance towards health, and experimenting with new recipes and incorporating them into our diet is exactly what we need.
And why not? We love new stimulating and tantillizing dishes that can create a brand new experience in the culinary realm!
You can learn more about cooking with these oils in the á la Oils DVD Series
Article Resources Flax Oil: The Good Fat - The Super Omega Plan for Feeling Great by Victor Contreras, M.D. Health Perspectives. Practical Insights into the World of Natural Healing. 2005 Barlean’s Organic Oils, L.L.C. www.Barleans.com
Pure Virgin Coconut Oil: The Smarter Fat That Helps Promote Weight Loss. www.mercola.com
Research by Dr. Mary Enig. Coconut: In Support of Good Health in the 21st Century. www.coconutoil.com
The Benefits of Coconut Oil by Dr. Raymond Peat. www.coconutoil.com
Virgin Coconut Oil and Diabetes. www.coconutoil.com
Mary Enig Ph.D. on the Effects of Coconut Oil on Serum Cholesterol Levels and HDL’s www.coconutoil.com
Omega-3 & Postpartum Depression (taken from Report 14, Keep Hope Alive). Health Perspectives, Practical Insights into the World of Natural Healing. 2005 Barlean’s Organic Oils, L.L.C. www.Barleans.com
Preventing Osteoporosis - When Calcium Gets Stored in All the Wrong Places: A New Approach to Preventing Osteoporosis with Organic Flax Seed Oil. Health Perspectives. Practical Insights into the World of Natural Healing. 2005 Barlean’s Organic Oils, L.L.C. www.Barleans.com
Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Children's's Behavior: Promising Evidence for a Nutritional Cure. Health Perspectives. Practical Insights into the World of Natural Healing. 2005 Barlean’s Organic Oils, L.L.C. www.Barleans.com
Flax Oil and Mood Disorders I. Health Perspectives. Practical Insights into the World of Natural Healing. 2005 Barlean’s Organic Oils, LLC. www.Barleans.com
Essential Fats. FAQ's. www.tropicaltraditions.com
Pumpkin Seed Oil. http://livesuperfoods.com
The Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds by Jason Earls. http://health.learninginfo.org