4 Paleo-Friendly Cooking Oils And 1 Cooking Fat

It can get somewhat confusing with such a flurry of different cooking oils and fats on the market.

So, what are the best paleo-friendly cooking oils and fats? Ideally, the best options are unrefined fats and oils with the saturated and unsaturated fatty acids present. For example, Olive Oil or Avacado Oil.

Research published by Harvard Medical School outlines that these fats increase your body’s absorption of vitamins, energize, and promote the growth of cell membranes.

Paleo-Friendly Cooking Oils and Fats

If you are looking for the best paleo-friendly cooking fats and oils, here are some of the best options.

What Cooking Oils Can You Use On The Paleo Diet

Avocado‌ ‌Oil‌

Derived from creamy or oily avocados, while at the same time having efficiency in bodybuilding nutrients and fatty acids, avocado oil ideally boasts high levels of monounsaturated fats, which are suitable for paleo cooking methods.

As such, Avocado oil assists in maintaining the required levels of fat in your Paleolithic meals boosts your nutrient intake, balances cholesterol, and absorbs antioxidants when utilized in the preparation of paleo meals.

Avocado oil holds a very high smoke point which is ideal for preparing paleo diets and multi-purpose. You can use it as a dressing or top-up in your paleo meal, sautéing vegetables and meat, frying, grilling, roasting, and even searing. 

Olive‌ ‌Oil‌

This type of paleo cooking oil is derived from mature olives. Olive oil comes in two type’s namely regular olive and extra virgin olive oil. It is characterized by phenolic nutrients which help maintain your blood pressure while at the same time preserving important polyunsaturated fats.

Olive oil is recommended for preparing paleo meals since both of its variants, regular olive oil and extra virgin olive oil, contain monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. In addition, olive oil brings out a unique flavor and emits an aroma that gives your paleo meal a superb taste when combined with diverse flavors.

Coconut‌ ‌Oil‌

Coconut oil is made from mature coconuts found on coconut palms. It contains high saturated fat content and appears solid at room temperatures. In addition, coconut oil is consistent when using it to prepare minimal heat paleo dishes. You can use the saturated fats found in coconut oil to sauté your greens, frying eggs, and even during paleo baking endeavors. 

Palm‌ ‌Oils‌

For a satisfying paleo meal, you can also utilize palm oil. This type of paleo cooking oil is derived from palm fruits and is unrefined, making it dense in saturated fat. Out of the palm fruits comes various oils, with red palm oil being the best in cooking paleo dishes. As its name suggests, Red palm oil has an appealing red color and a subtle flavor.

Characterized by a high smoke point, palm oil is suited for most cooking methods, including paleo cooking. In addition, its unique flavor blends well with a couple of foods.

Lard‌

Another paleo cooking oil is lard. This type of oil is extracted from pig fat. Lard is mostly dominated by monounsaturated fats, which are beneficial to the heart and the general preparation of paleo meals. Surprisingly, lard contains lower saturated fat levels than butter and assists in maintaining proper amounts of cholesterol. It gives your paleo meals a sweet and balanced flavor.

Lard has a high smoke point essential in searing meat and frying greens, giving your paleo meal a crunchy and mouthwatering taste.

What Are The Best Types Of Fats Found in Paleo-friendly Cooking Oils?

Monounsaturated‌ ‌Fats‌

These fats are most dominant in avocados, nuts, olive oils, and various fatty edible plants. Monounsaturated fats (MUFAS) are highly acclaimed as beneficial, especially in the Mediterranean diets, packed with nuts and olive oil.

At room temperatures, MUFAS maintains a liquid state and only solidifies when refrigerated or in chilled conditions. Their melting point gives them an advantage over polyunsaturated fats, especially when heated. Having a high smoke point and being antioxidants, monounsaturated fats are highly recommended to prepare paleo dishes.

Saturated‌ ‌Fats‌

Saturated fats tend to be limited when it comes to plant-based oils. There is an exception to every rule, which is coconut oil. In animal cooking, fats such as tallow and lard can be high in saturated fats. Saturated fats are also suitable for paleo cooking since they are unlikely susceptible to overheating.

Saturated fat should be kept to a minimum. The recommended intake is 20 grams per day for a woman and 30 grams per day for a man.

What‌ Is The Difference Between ‘‌Good‌’ ‌And ‘‌Bad’‌ ‌Cooking‌ ‌Oil‌?

  • Oxidative‌ ‌Stability‌ – This is simply an oil’s capacity to deter oxidation when cooking hence hindering the formation of unhealthy substances which cause swelling, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and heart diseases.
  • Double bonds – The stability of fats when heated depends on the number of bonds it contains. This is why polyunsaturated fats are not suitable for cooking because they hold a minimum of dual double bonds. On the other hand, monounsaturated and saturated fats have a single or no bond making them stable when exposed to heat hence giving your paleo meals the precise cook.

Therefore, to prepare a good paleo meal, it is important to use oils with high oxidative capacities, highly dependent on their chemical composition in antioxidants and smoke points.

Conclusion

In the end, when looking for paleo-friendly cooking oils, the best options are the unrefined fats and oils containing unsaturated and saturated fatty acids. However, you should note the different oil smoke points before you use them, but with paleo-friendly oils, you can easily roast and fry your food without hesitation.

References Used In This Article

  1. Olive oil intake and risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in the PREDIMED Study
  2. Cholesterol vehicle in experimental atherosclerosis 24: avocado oil
  3. Health Effects of Coconut Oil-A Narrative Review of Current Evidence
  4. Systematic review of palm oil consumption and the risk of cardiovascular disease

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