Ep. 36| What You Need To Know About Oils and Fatty Acids

Do you pay attention to your fat?

Not your body fat or calories/macros. The KIND of fat you’re eating. Tthat little detail makes all the difference.

Here’s the deal:

If you eat the foods that are normal in our society, your diet is probably causing inflammation in your body (without you realizing).

You know how a tiny paper cut makes your finger red, swollen, and really painful? That’s inflammation. It’s good! It’s temporary and appropriate as your body heals. 

But what if there’s inflammation throughout your body and it’s not short term? That’s when weird signs like GI issues, headaches, achy joints, sinus congestion, allergies, brain fog, exhaustion, low mood, and weight gain start showing up. 

If inflammation makes a tiny paper cut on your finger super painful, imagine what it does when it’s constantly throughout your body. 

Welcome to the world of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids! They’re kind of a big deal. Both are essential - your body doesn’t make them so you NEED to consume both in your diet. But the RATIO really matters. And the norm is for that ratio to not be working in your favor.

If you’re like most people, you probably go out to eat pretty often and eat processed food. It’s convenient, right? You are consuming PLENTY of omega 6’s.

What about the number of fatty fish (salmon, sardines, anchovies, mackerel, herring), walnuts, flax seed, chia seeds, and algae you consume? Omega 3’s aren’t so plentiful in most diets.

When you consume way more omega-6’s compared to omega-3’s that causes inflammation in your body. The norm in our society is a ratio of 10 to 25:1. Ideally we want that to be closer to 1:1. Yikes.

When the ratio is closer to 3:1 that becomes ANTI-inflammatory! That’s when you start to experience really positive changes in your body. Note how just counting calories or macros totally misses this majorly important piece of the puzzle. 

Once you start paying attention to the kind of fats you’re consuming, you can start making small tweaks that make all the difference! What oils are best to cook with? Is canola oil good or bad? How can you improve your ratio if you hate fish? Listen to my this episode and I’ll fill you in on everything you need to know to start making small changes that will have a hugely positive impact on the way you feel physically and mentally. ❤️

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I love to hear from you. You can always reach me at amelia@lifeboost.today.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical, mental health, or professional advice. I am a certified health and life coach, not a licensed medical or mental health professional. Please consult with a healthcare provider before making any changes to your physical or mental health routines. If you are experiencing a crisis, seek help from a qualified professional or contact emergency services.

Connect with me on your favorite social media channel: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn! 

To learn more about my approach and the programs and free resources available to support you, visit my website: www.lifeboost.today

I love to hear from you. You can always reach me at amelia@lifeboost.today.

Transcript

0:01

Hey life booster. This is Dr. Amelia health coach and veterinarian here to help you ditch yo-yo dieting people pleasing and perfectionism by breaking the norm and living a life that energizes you from within today. We are going to talk about. Dietary fat. That is because there is so much to clear up in the world of dietary fat. There's just so much confusing information. There's so much misinformation out there and it can, it's just one of the topics that I feel like makes it really hard for you to be making the best decisions for your body. Even if you are potentially doing some research and you're trying to be making healthy changes. One of the things we're really going to be diving deep into is, oils, specifically vegetable oils. we're also going to be talking about omega threes and omega sixes. I want to be helping you to have clarity so that by the end of the. Podcast episode, you are going to be empowered with knowing the best options for you. You're going to be able to be fighting inflammation and your body. And you're going to know some really simple tweaks that you can make that could have a really huge impact on the way that you're feeling physically and mentally. Now, if you are like me and you like grew up in the nineties and you hopped on to that fat free craze, and just in general, you tend to really avoid fat in general, kind of have that thought that it's higher calorie. And if you have that, it's probably going to lead to weight gain, or. You are really afraid of saturated fat, and you are trying to avoid that. Or if you are experiencing elevations in your cholesterol, so like your LDL, that quote-unquote unhealthy one, then I really encourage you to check out a blog post that I wrote. I wrote a very extensive blog post called everything you need to know about dietary. I did so much research behind that. And it's going to clear everything up for you when it comes to saturated fat, what happened? Like why the fat-free craze happened? Looking at some of the recommendations. Still that even the American heart association is sending out. And just so that you are informed in that. So today we're going to be focusing more on vegetable oils and ways that you can fight inflammation, but I urge you to check out that blog post. You're going to find a lot of really helpful information there. It's probably going to change your perspective around fat. now, if you have been following me for very long, then you may know that I am really big into looking at the type of oil that your food is made of looking at the ingredients, in general, I'm big at looking at the food label. you will never be able to tell if a product is healthy and truly nourishing based just on what you're seeing. Um, the front of the light. Not possible. You have to check the back and actually look at what they're putting in that because the front of the package is always going to say things that are going to make you think that it is a good decision. So if you look at the food label, one thing I always recommend checking are the ingredients, are the ingredients, something that you can recognize. Would you be able to replicate that in a kitchen or are there some ingredients that you have? Absolutely no idea what that is. You don't even know how to pronounce it. The other thing, and when you're specifically looking at the ingredients is the type of oil starting to pay attention to that. That is going to have a really big impact on the way that you feel, because. In general, I really recommend avoiding a lot of the vegetable oils. So what I ideally recommend looking for is extra Virgin olive oil or avocado oil. Those are my two favorites for ingredients, on products. And then also for cooking, which is. Gay or coconut oil that you can check out the blog posts to learn a little bit more about those types of products. Coconut oil is a little bit in a gray area, and you can check out the blog post to get a little bit more information on. But we're really going to be focusing on the other oils. Now in general with fat. I used to avoid that. Of growing up in the nineties and the whole fat-free craze, I really felt like fat-free, everything was the healthy way to go. And I, over time have learned how important healthy fat is to have in your diet. That is going to help you to feel so much more satisfied. It's going to help to balance your blood sugar. So amazing for your brain health, healthy fats do amazing things and they are absolutely not going to make you fat. As long as you are eating a balanced diet and listening to your body, what are healthy fats? So healthy fats would be like fatty fish, nuts and seeds, avocado extra-virgin olive oil. Those are all really great options. Now one thing you'll hear about a lot are the omega threes and omega sixes. And this is a really important concept for you to be aware of. So omega-3 and omega six are both essential fatty acids. So what that means is they're essential because our body can't make it on our own. We need to have those in our diet in order to be getting the amount that we need. Now, what sometimes gets missed is that it's the ratio of omega threes and omega sixes. That is very important. That makes all of the difference. Now you may hear that omega sixes are pro-inflammatory and omega-threes are anti-inflammatory. And it's important to understand that both of these are essential. They're both good when you get them in the right amounts. But the key is the ratio. That's what's important. And that's what makes all of the difference between whether it is pro-inflammatory, whether that's contributing to inflammation in your body, or if it's anti-inflammatory. Now the majority of Americans are getting a ratio that is contributing to inflammation in the body. And that's because our society is chock full of omega sixes. If you are ever eating out, if you eat any kind of packaged food and even potentially the oils that are you are using right now to cook, those are loaded with omega six. On the other hand, omega threes are only in a few sources and very few Americans are getting that consistently enough in their diet to balance out the amount of omega sixes that they're consuming. So sources of omega threes are fatty fish. So that would be salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring. Those are the big ones and then walnuts, flax seeds and chia seeds. and then also algae. So how many of those are you consuming daily within that group? One thing to know is that there are different types of omega omega-threes. So the DHA and EPA are most easily absorbed by your body. And that comes from fatty fish and then also algae. So fatty fish are rich in omega threes because they eat algae. So algae is also a source. However, it's very, very uncommon that people are regularly consuming algae, though. You can get it as a supplement. The other one, it's that plant form of like walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds that comes as ALA and the body has to do another step in order to convert that. So that's not as bioavailable. That's not as easily available. The body has to work a little bit harder to get that as a source of omega. So right now thinking like, are you getting tons of like salmon and anchovies and sardines in your diet all the time? If not, your omega-3 levels are probably quite low. And that is something that I recommend, especially if you are vegan or vegetarian or you hate seafood, I highly recommend making sure that you are taking a high quality omega-3 six. Now with omega sixes, those are everywhere. And, one of the biggest sources are vegetable oils. So the most common oils that are in all the processed food are also really high in omega sixes. So that would be soybean oil is the major one corn oil, sunflower oil. And then canola oil is one that really, we're going to talk about a little bit more, but all of those oils are everywhere. And so you are constantly getting those omega sixes while you're probably not getting many omega-threes at all. So ideally the ratio that is more anti-inflammatory is a ratio. That's more like four to one or three to one. Omega six is to omega threes. Our society, it's much more common that it's like 16 to one. Like it's, you're just getting a huge amount of. Uh, Micah sixes. I encourage you to just start checking out, like, look at the food that you're eating every day. Go check out your pantry and your fridge and look to see how many of those oils are there. And then also look like, are you cooking with canola oil? Like, are you consistently using high quality, extra Virgin olive oil and avocado oil? Or are you using something else that may be, a little bit higher in omega six is. Now for some things like canola oil, if you look at the ratio of omega three to omega six is you're going to notice that it's not that bad. However, that's where the next thing to factor in comes into play. So ratio is. But also how the oil is made. And a lot of these vegetable oils are highly processed. They are bleached and deodorized by using really high heats and chemicals. That strip the oils away of those nice, antioxidants and polyphenols that they used to have and the high heat can actually then damage the omega three. And those when the oils do have omega threes, that is in that ALA form. So that is also the one that's not as easily absorbed. So you're getting a lot of omega sixes on top of these really highly processed products. What I really encourage you to look for is to look for. Unrefined oils, cold pressed unrefined means that it hasn't gone through that really high heat process. And they have just been mechanically pressing it to get the oils out instead of using the chemicals to strip what they need out of the seeds to make the oil. So when it comes to oils, that's why I love extra-virgin olive oil and avocado oil. And you're going to hear and read about the smoke points and that extra Virgin olive oil has a pretty low smoke point. And so that that's damaging it, or that you should never cook with extra Virgin olive oil. I'm at high heats, but there are some pretty good studies. And when you really are looking at the full picture, it's important to also recognize that the extra Virgin olive oil does come with a lot of polyphenols and antioxidants and that, because it's so high in those things that even if some of it is a little bit damaged with higher heat, it still overall ends up being very benefited. And the avocado oil does have a higher smoke point. So that I do think is great. If you're roasting at a higher temperature, but extra Virgin olive oil, a good high quality, extra Virgin olive oil and encourage you. If you have not tasted it before it tastes. It has so much flavor. You'll notice that a high quality, extra Virgin olive oil, it it has like a little bite in the back of your throat. And that's because of the amazing polyphenols. It's a sign that it's a really high quality. And it can be like a little like wine tasting. So olive oils from different areas have different tastes and flavor profiles. You can get mild or bold can be a really whole new fun world to really get into extra-virgin olive oils. You can also find such great flavored extra-virgin olive oils, too. We get some from a company that we love and that it has like truffle or lemon or orange and urban, all of those, it just infuses so much when you add that to a variety of dishes, just such a flavor boost. And it's so simple. Now with avocado oil, if you're doing a research and you're looking into suddenly all the ratios, you're going to find that it's a relatively high ratio of omega six to omega threes in avocado oil. So you're gonna be like, what the heck? I thought that that was like the, one of the best, what are you talking about? So, The thing to note about avocado oil is that, well, it does have a higher ratio. it still has a relatively low amount of omega six is overall. And so that's where you're looking at the big picture, right? And the amount that you are getting of omega six compared to omega-3 and your total diet. And the other thing is that avocado oil is an amazing source of monounsaturated fats. So omega three is an omega sixes are poly and saturated fats and Avocado oil is a really rich source of oleic acid. And that is a mono unsaturated. Fat is also known as omega and omega nine. So where as omega three and omega six are essential fatty acids. Omega nine is a non-essential one, so everybody can make it, but it still is really beneficial. And. Oleic acid or mano saturated fat is also a really nourishing one that you want. It's thought to be really good for your heart. Not can be anti-inflammatory too. So that is why avocado oil and extra-virgin olive oil are my top recommendations. Because when you look at the full picture about all of the whole fat profile and the antioxidants and the Pani polyphenols, everything that you're getting out of, those, those are going to really give you the most bang for your buck. You're going to be really nourishing you and supporting your whole body. Versus if you are consuming a lot of vegetable oils, and I see so many people turning to canola oil, thinking that that is a really nourishing option. I would say canola oil, isn't the worst, but that whole process that it has to go through having those chemicals and high heat. really stripping it of the really nourishing options. And you're going to have much better oils available to you in order to fight inflammation and to be helping your heart, which is ultimately where everything went all wrong. This is looking at heart. There's a lot to clear up when it comes to fat, but I hope that this gives you clarity. What I would recommend today is just starting to look at your food labels. Look at the products that you have in your home that you're using. If you have. Instantly cooking with canola oil. Then I really encourage you to think about swapping it out for avocado or extra Virgin olive oil. Those are really great ways. I recommend checking out the food label on all of the products that you have and your home and starting to next time you go shopping, looking, checking, and seeing, if you can find options that have a more nourishing oil, because you'll even find so, you know, I do love nuts and seeds. That can be a really great source of fat in your diet. The frustrating thing is that just like you're going to find, if you start looking at the labels that added sugars everywhere, you're going to find that the. Vegetable oils that like sunflower safflower, corn, soybean oil, all of those are in everything. And a lot of the times even nuts that should be a nice, healthy fat are then roasted in one of these oils. Contributing to more omega sixes. So that's an easy thing that you can watch for, and not way you can be making sure that you are turning to nuts that are not roasted in that. you can either get raw or just roasted without the oil. That would be the, be the best way to go. And I invite you to really experiment with those fatty fish. so I like breaking the norm and I typically have a giant salad for breakfast because that is what fuels me optimally for a morning of just epic energy and great focus. And it also makes my taste buds really happy. And in addition to lots of roasted veggies, I addressed the greens and extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar. I put ground flaxseed in, if you've never tried that I really liked the texture that adds to a salad when I do that. And I like. Fatty fish. So I often will do anchovies or sardines sometimes salmon as well because especially the anchovies and sardines. They're such a super quick and easy option. They're ready to go. I can just open the little tin and add an amazing dose of omega threes to start my day. So. Start seeing if you can add a little bit more fatty fish in your diet, think about adding an omega-3 supplement. If the thought of that gives you the heebie-jeebies and check out those food labels. And if you're really interested in deep diving and just really understanding the way that the food that you're eating is impacting your body, Then my life was jumpstart program is for you. Let me know if you are interested, you are going to learn so much about the food that you're eating. We're going to clear up all the confusing information out there. I'm going to show you how to feel empowered and in control of your body, by understanding the way that food is impacting you so that you have the choice of how you are fueling your body. And magically, you will start to love the way that you are looking and feeling in your body. It's a really eye opening life-changing experience, and I invite you to join the next round. Okay. Cheers to your inevitable health happiness.