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Heart Healthy oils

Heart-Healthy Cooking: Oils 101

Keep this primer as a ready reference

By | 5/31/12 6:00 a.m.
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Confused about which oils are heart-healthy and which aren’t? If so, you’re not alone. Keep this cooking-with-oils primer with your favorite recipes or hang inside a cupboard door as a ready reference.

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Heart-healthy fats are derived primarily from plant oils, so the following cooking primer relates to oils only. But, like fats, not all oils are created equal. A single oil cannot be used for all your cooking. Instead, fill your pantry with a variety, says Melissa Ohlson, MS, RD, LD, a registered dietitian with Cleveland Clinic’s Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation Program.

Know the smoke point

Because of their chemical makeup, some oils are better suited for lower-heat cooking than others. This is important because heating oil above its smoke point — the temperature at which the oil begins to smoke — produces toxic fumes and harmful free radicals (the stuff we’re trying to prevent in the first place). A good rule of thumb: The more refined the oil, the higher its smoke point.

High smoke point
Best suited for searing, browning and deep frying (although the latter is not a recommended practice where heart health is concerned).

Oil % Mono % Poly % Sat Nutrition Notes
Almond 65 28 7 Distinctive nutty flavor
Avocado 65 18 17 Sweet aroma
Hazelnut 82 11 7 Bold, strong flavor
Palm 38 10 52 High in saturated fat. Not recommended
Sunflower 79 7 14 Seek out high-oleic versions, which are higher in monounsaturated fat
“Light” olive/refined olive 78 8 14 The more refined the olive oil, the better its all-purpose cooking use. “Light” refers to color

 

Medium-high smoke point
Best suited for baking, oven cooking or stir frying.

Oil % Mono % Poly % Sat Nutrition Notes
Canola 62 31 7 Contains low levels of omega-3
Grapeseed 17 73 10 High in omega-6
Macadamia nut 84 3 13 Bold flavor
Extra virgin olive 78 8 14 Best-pick oil
Peanut 48 34 18 Great for stir frying

 

Medium smoke point
Best suited for light sautéing, sauces and low-heat baking.

Oil % Mono % Poly % Sat Nutrition Notes
Corn 25 62 13 High in omega-6. High-oleic (monounsaturated fat) versions coming soon
Hemp 15 75 10 Good source of omega-3. Keep refrigerated
Pumpkinseed 32 53 15 Contains omega-3
Sesame 41 44 15 Rich, nutty flavor. Keep refrigerated
Soybean 25 60 15 High in omega-6
Walnut 24 67 9 Good source of omega-3
Coconut 6 2 92 High in saturated fat. Use in moderation

 

No-heat oils*
Best used for dressings, dips or marinades.

Oil % Mono % Poly % Sat Nutrition Notes
Flaxseed 65 28 7 Excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid,
a form of omega-3
Wheat Germ 65 18 17 Rich in omega-6. Keep refrigerated

*Toasted sesame, extra virgin olive and walnut oils also work well.

Portion control

Choosing the right fat and the right cooking method for that fat are important, but so is proper portion control. Too much of a good thing may not be healthy, so always make sure you include healthy unsaturated fats as a part of a diet rich in plant foods — fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains — and low in animal fats.

For an appointment with Cleveland Clinic’s Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation program, please call 800.890.2467. Or try Cleveland Clinic’s remote Nutrition Counseling service. Happy cooking!

 

Fats at a glance

Remember the following strategies when it comes to cooking with fats:

Saturated fats – Bottom line: the fewer the better. Less than 7 percent of your daily fat calories should come from saturated fats. Eliminate whole and 2 percent dairy, and limit red meat and other animal protein at meals (reduce frequency, portion size or both).

Trans fats – Eliminate from your diet by avoiding foods that contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. (Read the ingredient list!) Shortening and stick margarine contain trans fat.

Monounsaturated fats – Ramp up your intake of olives, avocados and nuts, and use olive and canola oils for most of your cooking and baking, respectively.

Polyunsaturated fats – You’re likely already getting enough omega-6, so focus on increasing your intake of omega-3 foods such as salmon and walnuts.

Tags: cooking, diet, heart health
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  • Wes

    Please reference where saturated fat, specifically lauric acid, in coconut oil has a negative effect on heart health. Harvard epidemiological research (lipids, 2010 Micha and Mozaffarian) actually shows a favorable impact of lauric acid on lipid profiles. Further, there seems to be no benefit of replacing saturated fat in the diet with carbohydrate; perhaps because all excess
    carbohydrate will be hapatically synthesized in to palmitate (saturated fat/butter fat), the only fatty acid directly synthesized in animals..

    • Health Hub Team

      Thank you for your questions/comments regarding coconut oil and saturated fats. In recent years, coconut oil has seen a boon in popularity, with many touting it’s health benefits (including and beyond cardiovascular health). Coconut oil is made up of about 90% saturated fat — 50% of which is indeed lauric acid. A few very small trials have indicated coconut oil may not have a detrimental effect on cholesterol and cardiovascular health. However, until larger, randomized controlled trials are conducted, we cannot recommend people substitute their current saturated fat food sources (or mono and polyunsaturated fats) with coconut oil. However, coconut oil can be included in small amounts in a heart healthy diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and unsaturated fats. Please keep in mind that one food product or dietary nutrient source is not going to be the key to optimal cardiovascular health: the overall diet and the foods/nutrients that make this up will have the greatest overall affect on cardiovascular health outcomes. At this point at the Cleveland Clinic we do not espouse coconut oil as a substitute for saturated, mono or polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats have been extensively studied are the current best known sources of substitution for saturated fats in the diet.
       
      That leads to your second question: carbohydrates as a substitute for saturated fats. About a decade ago and longer, we used to recommend carbohydrates as a substitute for saturated fats. While this does result in a reduction in LDL cholesterol, as the OmniHeart Trial showed, substituting lean protein (both from plant and animal sources) and unsaturated fats has the greatest overall positive impact on reducing LDL, raising HDL, lowering triglycerides, and lowering systolic and diastolic blood pressure.  
       
      I wish you the very best in your heart health endeavors. — Melissa Ohlson, MS, RD, LD

      • Wes

        Thank you for your response. My point was essentially what you stated in your reply… Too often patients are told to reduce the fat content of their diet, particularly saturated fat, which is a good idea, however they need to be accompanied by recommendations of what foods would be suitable replacements; for example, a patient is told to reduce saturated fat in his or her diet, so they select low fat ice cream loaded with extra sugar and sodium. In the end, it is unlikely that they minimized their cardiometabolic disease risk, or ameliorated it in anyway; perhaps even caused more harm.

  • Guitar Jungle

    According to Doctor Caldwell Esselstyn of the Celeveland Clinic, who studied heart disease causes for many years; no oil is acceptable as far as heart disease goes. Why the disrepancy in your report?

    • The_Beating_Edge_Team

      The diet recommended in the Section of Preventive Cardiology is similar to the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes, fruits, vegetables,  whole grains, legumes, fish and small amounts of mono and poly-unsaturated fats.  http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/prevention/askdietician/ask10_01.aspx .  This type of diet is also recommended by the American Heart Association http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyDietGoals/Healthy-Diet-Goals_UCM_310436_SubHomePage.jsp .  Dr. Esselstyn ‘s diet is very low in fat and originally focused on patients with existing heart disease.  Most healthy people aiming to lower their overall risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) do well on a Mediterranean dietary approach.  We are happy to support patients who choose the Esselstyn diet type, however, each patients individual nutrition needs vary, therefore we encourage patients to discuss dietary options with both their doctor and registered dietitian to ensure they are meeting their nutrition needs and controlling their risk factors for CVD.

  • ayesha

    Something is wrong with this report. Please kindly verify your source and check again the coconut oil. http://www.livestrong.com/article/399804-is-coconut-oil-high-in-saturated-fat/ – check this and other health articles.

    • The_Beating_Edge_Team

      The source is from the Coconut Research Center

  • http://netahealth.org/ LiLLiPinay

    I just found this report. It would be nice if you had this chart as a downloadable pdf so people don’t have to print the entire web page.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1461785574 Tami Wilson

    Why no mention of rice bran oil? It has a high smoke point. And is becoming more widely available.

    • The_Beating_Edge_Team

      I checked with our Preventive Cardiology Nutrition Team – they thanked you for making them aware and said: For the time being there is little known about rice bran oil to recommend its
      use, especially when none of our dietitians have personally used it. However when more
      is known or comes out we will surely assess and update. betsyRN

  • prpty

    Why did Dr. Oz choose palm oil as one of his 2012 miracle favorites and Beating Edge does not recommend?

    • The_Beating_Edge_Team

      Dear prpty – thanks for your question. I found the article you are discussing at http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/why-you-should-give-red-palm-oil-try. It is important to first note that Dr. Oz is referring to Red Palm Fruit Oil – not the more commonly used Palm Kernel Oil. I asked our Preventive Cardiology dietitian Kate and she replied: it is not that we do not recommend this type of oil, but it is not a common enough oil to be found at the average store, nor does it appear to have enough conclusive evidence based research to support all its benefits that we would highly endorse it. Therefore, it would be fine to use in moderation as part of an overall heart healthy diet. betsyRN

  • Guest

    Not all saturated fats are created equal and only medium chain fats
    are good for you. People in the tropics primarily in Polynesia use
    coconut oil and have no signs of coronary heart disease–2 separate
    studies done in 1930s and 1981 . “Where were all the clogged arteries
    and heart attacks from eating all of this “evil” saturated fat?
    Obviously, coconut oil was doing nothing to harm the health of these
    islanders.” source:
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/dr-mercola/coconut-oil-benefits_b_821453.html

    These are the things you get from ingestion of medium chain
    triglycerides also known as coconut oil:
    They resemble carbohydrate more than they do fat.
    They are water soluble and don’t require bile to break them down (no
    risk of forming gall stones).
    Because they down quickly, they are used as an immediate source of
    energy by the liver.

    Selling point:
    “In the 1980s MCTs became a popular source of energy for people
    engaged in high-level sports such as bikers or marathoners. High
    carbohydrate diets had been popular for providing quick energy, but
    carbs also stimulate insulin, which causes your body to deposit fat.
    MCTs provide quick energy as well, but since they are a fat and not a
    carb, they don’t stimulate insulin, and you don’t have the problem
    with weight gain. MCTs do stimulate thermogenesis, which is the
    process where your body produces heat by increased burning of fat.
    This is a good thing for people who are trying to lose fat.

    People who suffer from epileptic seizures have been shown to benefit
    from a diet high in MCTs. They also tend to lower blood sugar
    slightly, and this is beneficial for diabetics. They have been shown
    to be antioxidants and have anticoagulative effects, which can help
    with heart disease.”. Source http://thirdplanetfood.com/tidbits/?p=392

    Both Harvard Health Publication (2011) and PubMed (2004) shows that
    coconut oils lower LDL and increase HDL cholesterol levels. These are
    fairly new research done. How long have we been told to stay with
    unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats? People in areas of the world
    who use only if not mostly palm oil.

    Folks do your own research. You can listen to people–doesn’t matter what they do or who they are. In this day in age, take responsibility. Google and google some more until you find what you need.

  • http://twitter.com/WhiteSpir1t MobeDick

    Not all saturated fats are created equal and only medium chain saturated fats
    are better for your cardiovascular health. People in the tropics primarily in Polynesia use
    coconut oil and have no signs of coronary heart disease–2 separate
    studies done in 1930s and 1981 . “Where were all the clogged arteries
    and heart attacks from eating all of this “evil” saturated fat?
    Obviously, coconut oil was doing nothing to harm the health of these
    islanders.” source:
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/dr-mercola/coconut-oil-benefits_b_821453.html

    Lauric acid “strengthens the immune system and is also found in human breast milk. Caprylic acid and capric acid are also present, contributing to coconut oil’s antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial properties.” “The health benefits are vast. Bruce Fife, ND, CN, author of “The Coconut Oil Miracle” has said “(Coconut oil) increases absorption of some of the B vitamins, the fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E, K, beta-carotene, and some amino acids. Research has shown it can be useful in the treatment and prevention of obesity. A lot of research is current being done in this area. Studies show it may be helpful in preventing liver disease, kidney disease, Crohn’s disease, cancer and many infectious illnesses, such as the flu, herpes, bladder infections, and candida, to mention just a few.” source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/85285-coconut-oil-omega3/

    These are the things you get from ingestion of medium chain
    triglycerides also known as coconut oil:
    They resemble carbohydrate more than they do fat.
    They are water soluble and don’t require bile to break them down (no
    risk of forming gall stones).
    Because they down quickly, they are used as an immediate source of
    energy by the liver.

    Selling point:
    “In the 1980s MCTs became a popular source of energy for people
    engaged in high-level sports such as bikers or marathoners. High
    carbohydrate diets had been popular for providing quick energy, but
    carbs also stimulate insulin, which causes your body to deposit fat.
    MCTs provide quick energy as well, but since they are a fat and not a
    carb, they don’t stimulate insulin, and you don’t have the problem
    with weight gain. MCTs do stimulate thermogenesis, which is the
    process where your body produces heat by increased burning of fat.
    This is a good thing for people who are trying to lose fat.

    People who suffer from epileptic seizures have been shown to benefit
    from a diet high in MCTs. They also tend to lower blood sugar
    slightly, and this is beneficial for diabetics. They have been shown
    to be antioxidants and have anticoagulative effects, which can help
    with heart disease.”. Source http://thirdplanetfood.com/tidbits/?p=392

    Both Harvard Health Publication (2011) and PubMed (2004) shows that
    coconut oils lower LDL and increase HDL cholesterol levels. These are
    fairly new research done. How long have we been told to stay with
    unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats? People in areas of the world
    who use only if not mostly palm oil.

    Folks do your own research. You can listen to people–doesn’t matter what they do or who they are. In this day in age, take responsibility. Google and google some more until you find what you need.

  • http://twitter.com/WhiteSpir1t MobeDick

    Not all saturated fats are created equal and only medium chain fats
    are good for you. People in the tropics primarily in Polynesia use
    coconut oil and have no signs of coronary heart disease–2 separate
    studies done in 1930s and 1981 . “Where were all the clogged arteries
    and heart attacks from eating all of this “evil” saturated fat?
    Obviously, coconut oil was doing nothing to harm the health of these
    islanders.” source:
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/dr-mercola/coconut-oil-benefits_b_821453.html

    These are the things you get from ingestion of medium chain
    triglycerides also known as coconut oil:
    They resemble carbohydrate more than they do fat.
    They are water soluble and don’t require bile to break them down (no
    risk of forming gall stones).
    Because they down quickly, they are used as an immediate source of
    energy by the liver.

    Selling point:
    “In the 1980s MCTs became a popular source of energy for people
    engaged in high-level sports such as bikers or marathoners. High
    carbohydrate diets had been popular for providing quick energy, but
    carbs also stimulate insulin, which causes your body to deposit fat.
    MCTs provide quick energy as well, but since they are a fat and not a
    carb, they don’t stimulate insulin, and you don’t have the problem
    with weight gain. MCTs do stimulate thermogenesis, which is the
    process where your body produces heat by increased burning of fat.
    This is a good thing for people who are trying to lose fat.

    People who suffer from epileptic seizures have been shown to benefit
    from a diet high in MCTs. They also tend to lower blood sugar
    slightly, and this is beneficial for diabetics. They have been shown
    to be antioxidants and have anticoagulative effects, which can help
    with heart disease.”. Source http://thirdplanetfood.com/tidbits/?p=392

    “Coconut oil increases your metabolism.

    Not only does coconut oil convert to energy quicker in your
    body, it increases your metabolism, which promotes weight loss. Because it
    boosts your metabolism, it helps your body burn fat more effectively.

    Coconut oil may triple your calorie burn. Since coconut oil
    is a MCT, it is converted to energy so quickly that it creates a lot of heat.
    In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, MCT’s burn
    three times more calories for six hours after a meal than LCT’s.

    The February 15, 2005 issue of Woman’s World magazine stated
    that coconut oil is the “underground high-metabolism secret.”

    This is great
    news for people who have thyroid problems, since coconut oil improves sluggish
    thyroids by stimulating the production of extra thyroid hormones. Most other
    common oils, like vegetable (soy) and corn have been shown to inhibit thyroid
    function.” Source: http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/health_food/fruits/reasons_you_should_be_using_coconut_oil.html

    Both Harvard Health Publication (2011) and PubMed (2004) shows that
    coconut oils lower LDL and increase HDL cholesterol levels. These are
    fairly new research done. How long have we been told to stay with
    unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats?

    Folks do your own research. Google and google some more until you
    find what you need.

  • pavi

    Where is rice barn oil? no where in picture

  • http://www.facebook.com/bboop Leigh Combes Phillips

    I was surprised to see coconut oil “not recommended” when there has been a lot of new information suggesting that that is incorrect and it is actually very good for you. Who are we to believe? It is very confusing

    • http://www.facebook.com/loretta.hanes Loretta Hanes

      Leigh, go to the westonaprice.org website to get the correct and up to date info on nutrition! We’ll all be dead and in the ground before “registered dietitians” think we have enough proof! Notice too, that they are recommending GMO oils: canola, soy, corn

  • kim

    there are No health cooking oil…get a clue!

  • Recycle_Yer_Oil

    Which is the best Used Cooking Oil for Japanesse food. I have been trying to create my own fried rice for many a year, but it never turns out right. I hear sesame seed oil is the way to go, but it just never seems to work out.

    • The_Beating_Edge_Team

      I asked the dietitians and they suggested trying peanut oil.