It's time for the Olive Oil vs Canola Oil SMACKDOWN
Anyone else tired of hearing “canola” and “healthy oil” in the same sentence? Yep, me too! Let's cut through the bull today and get to the truth on the fats and oils to strictly avoid, the ones okay for once in a while, and the ones that are actually good for us.
Want more help knowing what to buy and what to avoid? Get my book here!
Olive Oil vs Canola Oil Comparison
Why to AVOID canola oil (or other dangerous vegetable oils like soy, corn, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, or cottonseed, margarine, oleo, shortening, or “cheese product”!)
- These oils are highly processed and industrialized.
- They are too high in omega-6 fatty acids. Our bodies need a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and when this balance is off, it causes weight gain, inflammation, mood disorders, and chronic health problems like heart disease, cancer, and more.
- They are mostly all genetically modified! (Here's a basic GMO definition.)
- “These studies all point in the same direction–that canola oil is definitely not healthy for the cardiovascular system. Like rapeseed oil, its predecessor, canola oil is associated with fibrotic lesions of the heart. It also causes vitamin E deficiency, undesirable changes in the blood platelets and shortened life-span in stroke-prone rats when it was the only oil in the animals’ diet. Furthermore, it seems to retard growth, which is why the FDA does not allow the use of canola oil in infant formula.” (Source)
- Read more here: The Great Con-ola for the entire history of this oil that has only been around for a short time.
Why you SHOULD use olive oil
- If you get quality olive oil, one NOT cut with heart-killer vegetable oils (like most from the store are), and with the best phenol levels, then it'll be loaded with health-building antioxidants — read more about that here.
- The real stuff, with the right phenol levels, also has a smooth, delicious taste!
- (If the phenol level is too high, it’ll taste very bitter; if it’s too low, there will be no health benefits.)
- It's delicious on your salads, in your pesto, or as a dipper for your sourdough bread!
- By the way, here's a book about the olive oil mafia, it reads like a mystery novel: Extra Virginity. It'll make you even more intent on knowing your source.
- Think the olive oil in the U.S. must be labeled correctly? Nope, read more about that at this link.
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Click here for where to get my favorite olive oil that tastes so good!
Eat these too: the “taboo” fats, like butter, ghee, lard, tallow, and coconut oil
You read that right. Pastured butter, ghee, lard, tallow, and coconut oil are SO good for us! These are all traditional fats that were around looooong before chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity were rampant. Even many doctors are finally coming back to this nutritional wisdom. (Have you read What if sex was bad for you? Don’t forget your brain.)
Does the “saturated fat is bad” mentality have a strong hold in your mind? You just don't believe they really could be good for us? PERFECT. You shouldn't blindly follow what anyone tells you, especially not me. I'm no doctor, I'm just a Mom who wanted something better for our kids than what I saw all around me. Do your research. Carve out some time to look over these posts all about healthy fats and how fat and cholesterol are good for you.
Don't forget to take your cod liver oil!
Fish oils are high in the chronic-disease-fighting omega-3 fatty acids (as is eating fish and also healthy animal meats from grassfed cows have a good omega 3:6 ratio), and some also have the very important vitamins A and D and K, but others are highly processed and not safe in my opinion.
Click here to see the brand of CLO that I recommend.
Now you know about olive oil vs canola oil, what about the other oils?
What about oils like peanut oil, avocado oil, or sesame seed oil? According to the WAPF these oils are okay now and then, but not too much due to their higher omega-6 content. Plus the fats mentioned above are so good for us, we don't really need these ones much anyway. I only use them occasionally, for example they're great for making my 5-minute homemade mayo because I think the taste of just olive oil is too strong. Also, some restaurants use peanut oil for frying, so it's nice to be able to eat French fries when we're going out once in a while.
Wonder about avocado oil? So did I. I found this informational post from Jill about avocado oil. And this one from my friend Sarah.
Is flax oil okay? The WAPF says that it's okay in small amounts, but it goes rancid quickly, plus I've always heard enough negative stories about it that I never got on the flax train. Also, see Sarah's post here: Why flax is not a good substitute for cod liver oil.
Did I forget anything?
If you have more questions, ask in the comments and I'll try to help!
Again, click here for where to get my favorite olive oil.
More/Related:
- My posts on healthy fats all in one spot
- The Skinny on Fats from the WAPF
- Is Canola Oil Healthy? More from author Nina Planck on Healthy Cooking Oils
Canola photo, Creative Commons 2.0
jenniepaige says
I have some unprocessed non GMO canola oil that I got from Azure Standard. It looks completely different. Is this good oil since it’s not processed and heated to death?
KitchenKop says
Hi Jennie,
I’m not sure about that one, but my gut says no. If it were me, I’d probably just use up that bottle and then go with the more traditional fats and oils from now on. There’s so many good traditional options, I just don’t need to buy those other kinds. If you’re wondering what to use in certain recipes, let me know and I’ll help you figure out what to use instead. 🙂
Kelly
Paul Davies says
I love the information you take the time to share Kelly but the fact that your website is full of advertising garbage detracts from the intent of your messages. It lends an unprofessional and therefore lacks credibility. I cannot share your site with people I hope to help because they write it off thanks to this factor.
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
Thanks for sharing Paul. I’m happy to say that yours is the first complaint I’ve received in a long time, I think most people understand that I have to have at least some income coming in to justify the looooong hours I spend working on the site, not to mention the constant expensive technical problems. I just finished doing our taxes and seriously if you could see the actual business profit that my return showed you’d think I was an idiot for continuing, but for the moment I feel called to keep going, hoping it will help someone now and then. So that is why I have ads.
Kelly
rsterbal says
https://www.monell.org/news/news_releases/olive_oil_contains_natural_anti_inflammatory_agent
Carol says
The best fries around were always McDonald’s. McD used to use beef tallow in their fryers until that group “Center for Science in the Public Interest” ragged on them about the Saturated fat. They did the same thing about coconut oil and Theater popcorn. That group is junk science.
Melissa says
What about coconut Palm oil? Been trying to figure out what to use in the fryer on occasion Amrit says no lard in instruction manual for fryer. Coconut oils smoke point is 350so tropical traditions said not to use it. And we have peanut allergies in fam
Melissa says
Sorry my post didn’t fully post above
KitchenKop says
Hi Melissa,
I’m not sure about that one, all I know is that once I tried a red palm oil and the taste and smell were TERRIBLE. Why not beef tallow? That and lard are my favorites, I wonder why they say not to use it? Also, the *refined* (no flavor/no smell) coconut oil smoke point is higher.
Kelly
Anna says
I’m lucky to live in Belgium (the land of “french” fries, for those who still think it’s coming from France) where fries are traditionnally cooked in beef tallow, and still are in most “friteries” (how could I say it in english? Basically, it’s a place where you eat fries). Everybody knows here you have to use beef tallow to get the best fries. It would be a shame to use vegetable oils! My grandmother used to do it this way but most people are now using crap oils (desodorised sunflower oil, canola oil, etc) at home, though. Luckily good fries cooked in beef tallow are really easy to find as they are the norm 😉
Melissa says
Not sure why the fryer says no lard or tallow. Doesn’t make a bit of sense to me. Maybe because it’s not liquid and hardens. Im gonna try it anyways. I can just melt it down on the stove if I need to before dumping it in the fryer
Michelle says
Love your breakdown of the fats Kelly!
Cynthia says
Great informative article Kelly! Very easy to understand so I will pass on to my friends & family!
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
Elian, I take it all year (I’m not as consistent as I should be though!), but also take extra vitamin D. However I think everyone is different and you may want to consult with a natural-minded health professional to work with you to know for sure.
Kelly
Elian says
Should cod liver oil be taken all year round, or only in the cold season?
Thanks,
Elian