Which oils to use ?

[Mayank]

Hi Guys !
I have recently switched to fully plant based diet. I was already a vegetarian so didn't had to give up much and so far it's been really great. I have been using rice bran oil, soyabean oil and mustard oil to cook food. In almost all the Indian dishes there is some or the other oil. I want to know are these oils good or I should use some other oils ?
Thanks in advance

 

[Nekodaiden]

Just so long as you realize that no oils isolated from the plant they are extracted from are a whole food, even though the ones from plants are plant based. Generally, cooking with them either denatures them or destroys them, making them an anti-nutrient to various degrees depending on the type of oil and the amount of heat applied. If you adding them cold to already cooked food or to salads, they add a calorie load you may not be after (especially if you are looking to lose weight), and while they are not nearly as bad as animal fat, they still can clog your blood and lead to medical problems if they are used in excess and for too long.

 

[Veganite]

Welcome to the forum, Mayank.

Don't listen to me or to doctor Esselstyn. I suggest researching for yourself. Find the truth!

The truth is oil is not a whole food. Oil does not have health benefits whatsoever. Doctor Esselstyn does not recommend the so called "good oils" even in moderation. Fresh pressed and/or 100% pure, it doesn't matter, as all oil is 100% pure fat, and 120 empty calories per tablespoon, and they are not good for you in my humble opinion, despite how good it makes things taste.

 

[Forest Nymph]

For cooking: olive or canola oil.

For body care: coconut oil...I hate the flavor for cooking (plus it has a saturated fat content I only think is good for candy bars or special recipes) ...but its a miracle for body care. I wash my face in it (wet face, light coconut oil, wipe with wet warm cloth). I make toothpaste from it (close to equal parts baking soda and coconut oil, and a generous splash of mint or cinnamon oil). I use it on my arms, chest or legs sometimes plain as a moisturizer.


I think oil-free cooking is a luxury like going raw. As a student I find it ridiculous to try to get enough calories sometimes without oil. I'm doing well right now because I'm working for the summer but there was about a week in the winter I felt near starving because I had no oil, no peanut butter, no nuts and certainly no avacado and I was literally dreaming about food. YMMV.

 

[Consistency]

There is superior oils for body care like apricot kernel oil or almond oil since many of us are allergic to coconut.

Mayank,

My suggestion is to use oil that works for you and use a spoon to learn how much oil you need daily to prevent weight gain.

Real olive oil works for me without issues because my genes are Italian while it may not work for others. I can't tolerate coconut oil and sesame oil while many others with different genes can tolerate it without any digestive and/or acne issues.