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Many of us don't realize how much and which cooking oils we consume on a daily basis. If you eat any "processed" food ("product") then you are consuming some form of cooking oils. So, let's take a look at the types of oils that you may be consuming, and the effects on your overall Health, and Wellness. In particular let's look at how these oils/fats may be altering your predisposition to dementia, and Alzheimer's.
First, let's get a few facts straight. You must always remember what I teach and preach in all my seminars. The food industry uses marketing as a tool to convince us of certain things. As Stephen Leacock once said; "Advertising may be described as the science of arresting the human intelligence long enough to get money from it." A case in point is canola oil. Canola is a name coined by the Western Canadian Oilseed Crushers Association. "Canola" is a specific edible type of "rapeseed" which was developed in the 1970's. In January of 1985 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted canola oil GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status for human foods. Canola is also used in animal feed products.
But is canola oil good for you? I can tell you that it is a cheap oil to produce, and therefore has a larger margin of profits for canola oil producers. Let's just take a little closer look at this question.
Researchers at Temple University have been studying the effects of canola oil on a number of different body functions, and their findings are very interesting relative to our rising concerns regarding cognitive function, and Alzheimer's. These researchers found that not only did chronic consumption of canola oil cause memory impairments, but also interfered with the transmission of nerve impulses in the brains of test animals. An added detriment to our overall Health and Wellness was that this oil actually caused an increase in overall body weight.
Another research study published in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology looked at the relationship between consumption of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and cognitive function. These findings were equally as informative and interesting. What these researchers found was that consumption of EVOO reduced the causative affects of cognitive decline, and Alzheimer's.
So, the moral of this story is; Don't believe everything you hear on the radio, or see in a television advertisement. Secondly, recognize that good healthy fats (oils) are necessary for overall Health and Wellness, and as we have seen with these two studies, maintaining brain health and cognitive function.
Remember also what I teach my patients, and I drill into every Cleanse Class, is that olive oil is a great oil to use if you are not heating it. The smoke point of olive oil is relative low. This means olive oil will break down and burn at high heats, making it "unhealthy". If you are going to use an oil to cook with use coconut oil. This oil has a much higher smoke point, and will not break down the way that olive oil will. Therefore you will not create unhealthy "free radicals" by heating coconut oil as you will with heating olive oil. Just remember that olive oil is great for cold use only. If you are heating oil to cook with use coconut oil!