Food & Fitness

   

Most healthy fats come from plant sources and are liquid at room temperature. Coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and palm oil are an exception to this rule. These three types of oil come are made from plants, but they are significantly higher in saturated fat than other plant-based oils. Coconut oil is actually solid at room temperature. We suggest limiting the amount of these less healthy sources of saturated fat in your diet.

Instead, try to include oils and foods that are high in heart-healthy unsaturated fats. This includes:

• Canola Oil
• Olive Oil
• Corn oil
• Cottonseed oil
• Safflower oil
• Soybean oil
• Sunflower oil
• Walnuts and other nuts
• Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds
• Soft (tub) margarine
• Mayonnaise
• Salad dressings

You may have heard about coconut oil in the news. Several studies are exploring coconut and coconut oil to see if they provide any unknown health benefits, but no conclusions have been made. We still recommend other unsaturated fats over coconut oil because of its high saturated fat content.