It's storytime: It had been a grueling two years of living the vegan life. Sure, it was cool and all, but the thought of indulging in the meats had been gnawing at me. So, when I decided to bulk up, I knew it was time to bring back the meats. And there was only one thing that came to mind: fried chicken baby. Oh, how I missed the crisp, golden skin, and juicy chicken meat that oozed with flavour. So, I made my way to KFC after hitting the gym, and ordered my go-to, the megabox, and it was heavenly.
But as I walked to the tube station, my stomach started to ache. At first, I ignored it, thinking it was just the chicken settling in. But then, I started to feel lightheaded and woozy. Panic set in as I struggled to keep myself from collapsing. When my train arrived, I stumbled onto it and had to sit down immediately. I thought I was going to die... ok I didn't really think i was going to die or almost collapse but I did feel terrible.
As I sat there with my head in my hands, I realised that the KFC had poisoned me. My love for fried chicken had led me down a path of betrayal and near death. I vowed to never eat that garbage again, and I've kept my word. But what exactly had almost killed me?
It could have been the cheap meat they use, but I had a hunch that it was something else. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was the oil! I listen to a lot of health podcasts and oil was getting a lot of stick around 2019.
You see, refined and processed vegetable oils like canola oil and safflower oil are often used for frying and cooking because they're cheap and have a long shelf life. But here's the thing: these oils are also loaded with harmful trans fats, which can clog your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. And heart disease is the chronic illness that kills the most people out here. It was the oil that had almost killed me, and it was enough to make me swear off fried chicken forever. Well, unless it's homemade by me, honestly air fryers are a game changer.
Anyway that experience lead me to doing some oil research and i'm sharing the gist of my findings below.
COOKING OILS THAT WILL TRY AND KILL YOU
- Soybean oil
- Corn oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Canola oil
- Rapeseed oil
- Sunflower oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Safflower oil
- Rice bran oil
Healthy Cooking Oils
Ghee
Type of Fat: Saturated
Temperature: High heat cooking
Best Uses: As a replacement for butter in many recipes. Ghee is also a cooking oil you can make at home
How to Store: A cool dark place for 3 months, in the fridge for up to a year.
Coconut Oil
Type of Fat: Saturated
Temperature: High heat cooking
Best Uses: Butter replacement, gluten-free baking, elixirs and hot drinks, homemade body care
How to Store: A cool dark place
Avocado Oil
Type of Fat: Monounsaturated
Temperature: High heat cooking
Best Uses: Sautéing, stir-fries, dips, sauces and dressings
How to Store: A cool dark place
Olive Oil
Type of Fat: Monounsaturated
Temperature: Low to medium heat cooking
Best Uses: Light sautéing, dips, sauces and dressings
How to Store: A cool dark place
Special mention to the below also which are also cool.
- Sesame oil
- Hemp oil
- Walnut oil
- Flax oil
Best Practices for Healthy Cooking Oils
Keep these tips in mind when choosing healthy cooking oils.
- Buy oils in small bottles to keep them fresh for as long as possible
- Buy oils sold in glass where possible instead of plastic
- Purchase organic oils
- Always store oils in a cool, dark place
- Buy cold-pressed, unrefined oils where possible (avoid the refined oils at all costs, they also killed me)
- Keep all polyunsaturated oils in the fridge
Always remember, you were born to be the hero of your story.
Free you outlaw.