Saturated (SFA) and monounsaturated (MFA) fats are the body's preferred fuel source. Another important benefit of long-chain saturated fatty acid (LCSFA), and to a lesser degree MFA, is that they are stable at high temperatures and therefore safer cooking fats.
5 cooking fats you should be using
With this in mind, here is a list of the cooking fats that you should be including if you are on your goal of increasing your health. Not just because it's safe to cook with them, but because they taste great.
Ghee
Ghee is clarified butter and is popular in Indian cuisine. Because the solids have been removed from the milk, it is very low in lactose and almost entirely fat, mostly saturated.
Use ghee to brown meat and sauté garlic and onions for soups or stews, to fry your eggs is a good option. One tablespoon of ghee contains 8 g of SFA, 3.7 g of MFA fat and 0.5 g of PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids).
Coconut oil
Along with ghee, coconut oil is one of the best cooking fats because it is almost completely saturated. In fact, coconut oil is over 90% saturated fat.
Besides being a great source of fuel for the body, coconut oil has some unique properties. It is a special type of saturated fat called medium chain triglyceride (MCT).
Unlike other fats, MCTs do not require bile acids for digestion. This means that they are easily absorbed in the upper part of the small intestine. Coconut oil is also rich in lauric acid, a fatty acid found in breast milk that is antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral. Coconut oil has 4 g of SFA, 0.3 g of MFA, and
Lard
No self-respecting French chef would run out of lard. Lard is derived from the visceral fat deposit surrounding the kidney and loin, and is considered the highest-grade lard because it has little pork flavor.
That is why it is prized in baking, where it is used to make croissants and other non-paleo delicacies. Lard is an incredibly versatile fat.
You can use it to roast vegetables, for example. Unlike olive oil, vegetables roasted in lard are not soggy or greasy. They stay crisp and almost dry, with a wonderful flavor.
This surprises people because they think that lard is "greasy." It's not that greasy actually. One tablespoon of lard has approximately 6g of MFA, 5g of SFA, and 1.6g of PUFA.
Duck fat
If you've never had duck fat fried or roasted potatoes, you haven't had French fries. Literally. Duck fat was what people in Europe used to make the original French fries before industrial seed oils came along.
Once you taste the potatoes, or any vegetables, roasted or fried in duck fat, you will know why. One tablespoon of duck fat has 6g of MFA, 4g of LCSFA, and 1.6g of PUFA.
Butter
Butter or shortening has a lower smoke point than the fats listed above, making it less suitable for high heat cooking. However, it is an excellent fat to use on fish or meat in the oven, or in stews or foods simmered at lower temperatures.
Butter makes everything better. One tablespoon of butter contains 7.2 g of SFA, 2.9 g of MFA and 0.4 g of PUFA.
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