Hey there!

You know how some days you feel like you’re sailing smooth, but on others, it’s as if your body’s on a roller coaster you didn’t sign up for?

Well, what if I told you that something as simple as the oil you use in your kitchen can influence those wild rides?

Today we're going to dive deep into the world of oils and how they support our hormonal - and overall - health by looking at:

• The one nutrient in oils that is essential for hormone production.
• Different types of fats and how they support our health.

So, grab some tea and let's get to this!

A Nutritional Breakdown of Oils

The main nutrient that we get from oils is fat.

Fats - specifically, cholesterol - are the raw material that the body uses to make:

• sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone).
• adrenal hormones (cortisol, adrenaline, DHEA and more).

So, without sufficient amounts of healthy fat in the diet, hormone production suffers.

In addition, oils also contain fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E and K.

So, when oil is extracted from a nut or seed that has these vitamins, they stay in the oil (as long as the extraction method didn't use high temperatures that killed the vitamins...more on that in another email!).

Types of Fats and Their Benefits

All types of fat contribute to our health in some way or another.

Now, I know that you might be questioning my sanity at this point because we've been taught that there are good fats and bad fats.

But a lot of that has to do with how the oil was processed (more on that later).

For now, let's review the 4 main types of fat and the role they play in our well-being:

1. Cholesterol

Even though cholesterol is often demonized, it’s actually very important for our health.

In fact, cholesterol is so important that the liver produces 80 – 90% of it!

What's even more interesting is that liver is able to adjust its production based on how much natural cholesterol we get from food.

Some common sources: cholesterol is mainly found in animal-derived products. So, if you use lard or ghee, there is some cholesterol.

2. Essential Fatty Acids (EFA)

The term “essential” in “essential fatty acids” comes from the fact that our bodies can’t make them.

This means when we are eating for hormone balance, we have to include foods that contain these fatty acids.

The two main EFAs that can strongly impact hormone health are:

• omega-3 fatty acids.
• omega-6 fatty acids.

Omega-3s are generally referred to as anti-inflammatory while omega-6s are generally referred to as pro-inflammatory.

But, as we'll see in my next email, this black and white labeling isn't truly accurate (stay tuned for the next email!).

Some common sources of omega 3s: flaxseed oil, pumpkin seed oil and nut oils (such as walnut oil).

Some common sources of omega 6s: sunflower, sesame, safflower, corn and cottonseed oils.

3. Saturated Fat

These are the easiest fats for the body to break down. Because of this factor, they can be helpful for anyone with digestive or gut health issues.

In addition, saturated fats play a role in:

• bone health.
• liver health.
• brain function.
• immune function.
• regulating cholesterol levels.

Some common sources: coconut, palm, palm kernel

4. Mononsaturated Fat

These fats may help with common hormonal imbalance symptoms like brain health and difficulty focusing.

They also play a role in:

• brain function.
• regulating blood pressure.
• regulating cholesterol levels.

Some common sources: olive oil, sesame oil, flaxseed oil, avocado oil, sesame oil, macadamia nut oil and sunflower oil

5. Trans Fat

Trans fats (aka hydrogenated fat) is linked to endocrine disruption, obesity, cognitive decline and chronic illnesses.

There’s simply nothing good about it.

Although small amounts of trans fat occurs naturally in some meats, most of the trans fats that damages our health is from processed food.

Some common sources: highly processed and refined foods.

A Very Important Point to Be Aware Of

Oils contain a variety of fats.

So, when people tells you "eat olive oil because it's high in monounsaturated fat..."

Remember that it still has other types of fats too.

That is the nature of most things in nature: they give us a rainbow of benefits. It's just that the specific amounts of each type of fat will vary from one oil to another.

What Next?

That's it for today's email.

✨ Stay tuned for next Saturday's email where I'm going to help you get clear on what's really going on with seed oils/omega-6s and why some people consider them public enemy #1 for our health.

Until then, have a lovely weekend!

Germaine Satia - Health Coach, CYT-200