Choosing the Best Oils

A common confusion for many people is knowing which fats are “good fats” and which are “bad fats.” There seems to be so much conflicting information out there, leaving people unsure of what to do. We recently came across a helpful article on the Mayo Clinic Nutrition-Wise blog entitled, “Is it time for an oil change?” In short, they recommend framing the problem in terms of omega-6 vs. omega-3 fatty acids. As a result, for optimal health lower the amount of omega-6 fatty acids, found in high quantities in such many vegetable oils (such as corn and soybean) and animals raised on omega-6 foods (i.e. grain-fed meat, milk and eggs). Some vegetable oils are low in omega-6’s, such as olive, avocado, flaxseed and canola, and therefore are good choices. Increasing omega-3 fatty acids is also important, and can be obtained from fish, grass-fed meat, and certain oils, like flaxseed.