Interest in these more traditional fats is part of the back-to-the-land movement that’s behind the growth of farmer’s markets and the increasing consumer demand for grass-fed dairy products and pasture-raised meats, the report’s authors note. And it’s not just nostalgia behind this fat trend: Nutrition science is also beginning to turn the idea that all fat is bad for you on its head. 4 Alternative Oils That Belong In Every Kitchen Olive oil remains one of the healthiest oils you can drizzle over a plate of veggies, but if you’re interested in branching out, here are 6 other healthy varieties of cooking oil now gaining traction in the culinary world:
Ghee. Also known as “Indian clarified butter” or “drawn butter,” ghee is butter that’s been melted over a low temperature to boil away all the water content and skim off the milk fats. What remains is a nutty, intensely flavored fat that withstands higher cooking temperatures than butter. The process of creating ghee concentrates the linoleic acid—a healthy cancer-fighter that also prevents atherosclerosis (hardening of the heart’s arteries)—found in the butter.Rice bran oil. Made from the inner husks and germ of rice, rice bran oil is quickly becoming the “go-to oil for fried food,” the report found, particularly in high-end and ethnic restaurants. It tolerates a much higher cooking heat than canola or peanut oil, and like both of those, it’s trans fat free. Animal studies have shown that rice bran oil can lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels. Lard & schmaltz. Rendered chicken, pork, or goose fat may have been wrongly demonized for years. The main fat in lard—oleic acid—is a monounsaturated fat linked to decreased risk of depression, says Drew Ramsey, MD, coauthor of The Happiness Diet. Those same monounsaturated fats, which make up 45 percent of the fat in lard, are responsible for lowering LDL levels while leaving HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels alone. Lard and schmaltz also tolerate high cooking temperatures and are often recommended for frying.
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Duck fat. Like lard, duck fat is high in monounsaturated fats, which make up 50 percent of its total fat content, with saturated fat making up just 14 percent (less than butter). Most of that fat is healthy linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid that keeps cells healthy, boosts calcium absorption, and aids in kidney function. Though it’s still used mostly in high-end restaurants, it’s showing up on specialty food store shelves and even some bigger retailers, such as Williams Sonoma. Like ghee, it has an intense flavor, so it’s not a great all-purpose fat (plus, it’s super-pricey).Coconut oil. This oil’s high saturated fat content has earned it an (unfairly) bad reputation. “But there are a lot of health benefits that go beyond just what kind of fat it is,” says Trevor Holly Cates, ND, a naturopathic physician and a board member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. For instance, coconut oil is high in lauric acid, a nutrient our bodies need to help our immune systems. One of the only other major dietary sources for lauric acid is breast milk. Nut & seed oils. Rounding out the report’s trendy fats are nut and seed oils, such as walnut, avocado, pecan, and pumpkin seed oils, which are showing up in regular grocery stores and fast-food restaurants alike. Each different nut or seed oil has its own unique chemical makeup, but most of them, with the exception of avocado oil, have high levels of polyunsaturated fats compared to the healthier monounsaturated fats. They’re good for salad dressings, but they do go rancid quickly and shouldn’t be used for cooking.
