by Assunta Ng
Northwest Asia Weekly
Last Sunday, my friend invited us and his family to dinner at a beachfront restaurant. A bread basket and a thick triangular plate of butter were on our table. I thought, “Wow, butter,” and my mouth was drooling.
There is something magical about fresh butter bread. It’s irresistible. Haven’t had butter in months and don’t know how much I missed it that I put a thick smack of butter on top of the dough and didn’t spread it.
This year, I purposely left out the butter in the kitchen because eating it every day is really unhealthy. It has too many calories. If you consume it regularly, it can line the walls of your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease.
As I wrote in a 2020 blog, butter is a natural fat derived from milk that is better than hydro-generated vegetable oils like corn and granola oil, which means that it is converted and processed at room temperature to solid.
You have many options for replacing butter with healthy oils at home. what is mine?
We eat healthy fats to maintain a healthy brain because 60% of our brain is made up of fat. This year marks a record year for our purchase of six fats for cooking, food and cosmetic use. Cosmetics you ask? I will explain later.
Almonds and Peanut Butter
My mom used peanut oil when we were kids. She doesn’t know anything. I do not have either.
Following Mom, I cooked with peanut oil 40 years ago. However, study after study has found that peanut oil is not as healthy as my current choice. I even dumped the leftover peanut butter in the trash a few months ago.
While we don’t have a peanut butter allergy, many people, especially kids, do. I revisited my habit of occasionally scooping peanut butter into my mouth. Since the pandemic, I’ve revisited every one of my habits.
I picked up the “Peanuts” controversies and researched them. Peanuts are not actually nuts, they are legumes. According to Dr. Eric Berg on YouTube, their shells readily absorb pesticides. A mycotoxin easily grows on peanuts, he said. The question is, how do we know if the peanuts we eat from the jar are free of toxins?
Peanuts are made up of lectins, which are toxins, said Dr. Steve Gandri, author of the Longevity Paradox. If you want to eat peanuts, you can use a pressure cooker to kill the lectin, Gundry says.
What is a good substitute for peanut butter? My friend suggested using almond butter. It’s rich in protein, fiber, and other sources of nutrients. It aids in the digestive process and contains antioxidants and healthy cholesterol. You don’t have to worry about this fat gaining weight because it is associated with greater satiety and therefore reduces our urge to overeat.
However, for those who need to gain weight, you can rely on almond butter. It helped my friend’s husband regain his weight after a stroke. Almond fat is amazing.
It’s not that I don’t know the benefits of almond butter. Ten years ago, I did try it. But the taste is so weird that I never finish my jar. Recently, I decided to try again.
surprise! The taste has improved and now, my husband and I both love it. So I restarted my “scooping” habit with almond butter instead of peanut butter to satisfy my taste buds.
sesame oil
A few months ago, I accidentally bought a bottle of sesame oil. It is cheap compared to olive oil. Some studies have found that it can burn fat. It is rich in antioxidants and omega fats. That’s not why I bought it. I start craving it when I haven’t eaten in a while. Only this time, I discovered how much I love the scent of sesame oil. Refreshing! Just put two drops in the palm of your hand and smell it. Since it smells so nourishing, I decided to rub it on my hands and face. Sesame oil is better than my hand sanitizer and much cheaper. It absorbs quickly. I use it as a massage oil on my face and it smoothes out gently. What a great discovery! I now massage my face once a week with this vegetable oil instead of the chemical-laden commercial creams.
Recently, I dipped seafood in sesame oil. My boiled shrimp was delicious without the addition of soy.
olive oil
At my house, I have two types of olive oil. One is light olive oil for cooking, as extra virgin olive oil is not suitable for high heat cooking. However, extra virgin is great for bread, eggs and bananas. Some say that if you add extra virgin to sweet potatoes, they taste like french fries. However, it will be healthier.
The benefits of extra virgin olive oil are numerous. It has anti-inflammatory properties, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, and reduces the risk of diabetes. For many overage Europeans in their 90s and 100s, this could be a longevity factor.
To consume more olive oil, I cook the veggies in bone broth first, then pour extra virgin olive oil over it after cooking.
avocado
We also cook with avocado oil. But a better way is to eat more avocados. Luckily for us, we love avocados and never get tired of them. We mix avocado with salad 3 times a week. In addition to its anti-inflammatory properties, this oil is great for hair and eyes. It is also high in potassium. We boil eggs in avocado oil in the morning, along with meat and vegetables.
coconut oil
When my mother had Alzheimer’s, friends suggested I feed her two scoops of coconut oil at breakfast. By the time I got advice, it was too late. If it’s good for people with Alzheimer’s, it’s also good for people with dementia. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the fats in coconut oil can reverse memory loss in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
I don’t use coconut oil because I don’t like the fact that it increases my bad cholesterol after a year. Coconut oil also improves hair shine and skin. But I don’t like to use it on my skin as it makes the skin oily and the hair greasy. My husband eats coconut oil for breakfast every morning. He can afford all the calories because he needs to gain weight.
So choose fats that complement your diet and enhance your health. Which oils are right for your taste buds? Which oil is right for your budget? You are the boss. Research different kinds of oils. Experimenting with food is always fun, especially when you find something you like.
Assunta can reach assunta@nwasianweekly.com.
