The oils in your kitchen play a profound role in nurturing your health and supporting your body’s wellbeing.
Our understanding of dietary fats continues to evolve with new research offering fresh perspectives on which oils truly benefit us. At the forefront of this nutritional conversation is Cate Shanahan, M.D., a board-certified family physician and nutrition expert who has dedicated years to studying how dietary fats influence metabolism and long-term health.
During her appearance on the mindbodygreen podcast, Shanahan shared valuable insights about which oils deserve a place in your pantry and which ones might be worth reconsidering. Here’s how to enhance your culinary choices with oils that truly support your health.
The Best Oils for Your Pantry
When selecting cooking oils, stability and nutrient content make all the difference. Shanahan recommends these top five choices:
- Butter
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Coconut oil
- Peanut oil
- Sesame oil
She also appreciates unrefined avocado oil for its nutritional benefits, though notes that refined versions lose many of their valuable nutrients. Other wholesome options include:
- Avocado oil (unrefined)
- Duck fat
- Ghee
- Lard
- Tallow
- Flax oil (best used cold)
- Walnut oil (best used cold)
- Almond oil
- Macadamia nut oil
These oils earn their place in a health-conscious kitchen because they contain primarily saturated and monounsaturated fats, which remain stable during cooking. They naturally have lower levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which tend to oxidize when exposed to heat.
Why Your Choice of Cooking Oil Matters
The oils you select influence not just the flavor of your food but also your metabolic health, inflammation levels, and overall vitality. Shanahan explains that many refined vegetable oils present concerns due to their high PUFA content and processing methods.
Understanding Refined Seed Oils
- Oxidation sensitivity: The PUFAs in these oils break down readily when exposed to heat, light, and oxygen, creating free radicals that can affect cellular health.
- Processing concerns: Industrial refining subjects these oils to high temperatures, bleaching agents, and metals, which can strip away antioxidants and create unwanted byproducts.
- Metabolic considerations: Some research suggests a potential link between consuming oxidized fats and increased inflammation and insulin resistance.
Shanahan suggests minimizing consumption of these oils:
- Canola (rapeseed) oil
- Corn oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Soybean oil
- Sunflower oil
- Safflower oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Rice bran oil
These oils frequently appear in processed foods, commercial salad dressings, and restaurant meals, highlighting the value of reading ingredient labels and prioritizing whole, unrefined fats when possible.
Selecting the Right Oil for Every Cooking Method
Ideal for High-Heat Cooking
For methods like frying, roasting, or high-temperature sautéing, choose oils that maintain their stability:
- Butter
- Coconut oil
- Ghee
- Peanut oil
- Tallow or lard (from quality sources)
Perfect for Low-Heat Cooking & Dressings
For salad dressings, finishing dishes, or gentle sautéing, opt for these flavorful options:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Unrefined avocado oil
- Sesame oil
Shanahan emphasizes that unrefined, cold-pressed oils retain more of their protective nutrients. Look for these descriptions on labels to identify higher-quality products.
A Balanced Approach
While Shanahan advises against regular consumption of industrial seed oils, she recognizes the reality that even health-conscious individuals will encounter them occasionally. The aim isn’t complete elimination or avoiding favorite foods—it’s about awareness and making thoughtful choices.
When dining out or enjoying processed foods from time to time, there’s no need for worry. Focus instead on using stable, nutrient-rich oils in your home cooking where you have control. These small yet meaningful adjustments in your daily habits can positively influence your long-term health and vitality.
By choosing oils that truly nourish your body, you transform ordinary meals into opportunities for greater wellness.
Ten years ago, I was a 39-year-old guy in Windsor, Canada, slogging through a secure but soul-sapping government job. Divorced, no kids, and bored out of my mind, I was mulling a big life change – midlife crisis or just a longing for something more? I wanted adventure, so I did what a lot of single guys do: I turned to dating apps. No matchmaking agencies for me; I just wanted to chat and see where things went. I made a profile on Plenty of Fish, the OG of dating apps before Tinder and Bumble took over.
That’s how I met her – let’s call her Susan. She ran a tiny supermarket in a dusty Costa Rican beach town. Her profile was all sun-drenched selfies, beach shots, and one of her in a cowboy hat in front of a battered pickup, grinning like she’d just pulled off a heist. She messaged first: quick, funny, flirty, and unfiltered. The kind of woman who’d dance barefoot in the rain and sell you a six-pack at a markup.
I was hooked. We messaged for hours, and I started dreaming of a new life: surfing, sunsets, and a simple, beautiful existence with someone who seemed to be the answer to all my restlessness. But something about Susan made me uneasy. I’d get a knot in my stomach at odd moments – a red flag I ignored.
The Match That Changed Everything
There’s a saying in poker: if you can’t spot the sucker at the table, it’s probably you. In Susan’s game, I was the fish. I didn’t realize it then, but I was just one of many guys in her orbit. IBut was the one with stars in his eyes and a suitcase half-packed before the hand was over.
Our online and phone relationship grew intense. She told me about her life in Costa Rica – her past marriages to addicts, her love for beach town rhythms, her dreams and struggles. Her texts made me feel needed, special, chosen. I started picturing a new life: sun, surf, and a woman who embodied everything I thought I wanted.
After months of this, I quit my job and booked a ticket.
Landing in Paradise (Or So I Thought)
Costa Rica was a shock after Canada’s grey skies. The air was thick and sweet, the colors brighter, the pace slower. I arrived with hope and fantasies. The first days were magic. Susan introduced me to her friends and her supermarket. We drank beer on the beach and watched the sun drop into the ocean. I felt alive for the first time in years.
But then, things shifted. She’d get irritated over nothing, question my memory of conversations, and make jokes at my expense. Tiny cuts that left bruises. If you’ve never been gaslit, it’s like being lost in the jungle with a broken compass. One minute you’re sure of yourself, the next you’re second-guessing everything. She’d say, “You’re too sensitive,” or, “That never happened.” I started to doubt my own memory, my own sanity.
She’d disappear for hours, then return with stories that didn’t add up. If I questioned anything about her explanations, she’d turn it around: “Why don’t you trust me? You’re so insecure.” I started walking on eggshells. I’d read about narcissists and toxic relationships, but never thought I’d end up in one.
There were patterns: love-bombing – she’d shower me with attention and affection, then yank it all away. Ghosting. Subtle requests for money. The sense that we were playing a game, but the rules changed every time. I saw her still on the apps after we’d gotten “serious.” She laughed it off. “Just for fun,” she said. Maybe for her. Not for me. There was triangulation and competition with guys I never knew existed – until they showed up on social media.
Losing Myself
The worst part wasn’t the lies or the gaslighting. I was losing myself. I stopped calling friends and family, stopped doing the things I loved. I was so focused on making it work that I didn’t notice how small my world had become. I felt like a ghost in my own story. I’d wake up at night, heart pounding, sure I’d made the biggest mistake of my life. But I couldn’t leave. I kept thinking it would get better if I just tried harder, loved more, gave more.
It all came to a head when I mentioned the cash I was bringing to Costa Rica. That’s when she singled me out. After months of weakening my self-esteem, she was ready for the kill. What did she want? A car loan. When I hesitated, things got worse.
Hitting Rock Bottom
The fights escalated. The lies grew. I started to feel like I was losing my mind. That’s when I found help from an online therapist – a 70-something woman, expert in love addiction and toxic relationships. She listened, didn’t judge, and explained the cycle: love-bombing, devaluing, control. She told me I wasn’t crazy. I was just the fish at the table, and it was time to cash out.
Leaving wasn’t easy. But I did it. I moved to another beach town and found real friends. It wasn’t my final stop, but it was a reprieve from relationship hell.
What I Learned (The Hard Way)
Dating apps are a jungle where love, lessons, or sucker’s traps await. If it feels too good, beware. Love-bombing is manipulation. Trust your gut, protect yourself, and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you’re feeling abused.
