A few simple dietary swaps can have mega benefits to your health and fitness levels, as nutritionist Kelly Richardson explains…
Diet schmiet. Health foods and diet fads come and go, but there are a few staples that should be kitchen essentials to maintain a healthy base to your meals. Nutritionist Kelly Richardson MSc BSc has teamed up with Steve ‘Commando’ Willis to launch the Get Commando Fit – a 12 week online health and fitness program consisting of daily nutritious meal plans, recipes, shopping lists, strength of mind motivation lessons and weekly workout plans that educate people rather than simply tell them what to do. Along with a team of stellar experts, Kelly and Steve developed the nutrition and food plan for GetCommandoFit, a completely unique whole foods approach offering plenty of good quality protein, fats, carbohydrates, using foods as close to their most natural state and clean eating at its best. And most importantly, the food tastes great!
Here’s a taste of Kelly’s great advice to get you started – a simple guide to what oils to swap and get the best start to a healthier eating plan….
Swap: Canola Oil
Instead, try: Rice Bran Oil
“Often touted as ‘heart healthy’, as it contains monounsaturated fat and will even come with the Heart foundations tick of approval, the real story behind this seed oil is that to get it from field to bottle it needs to be deodorised and bleached and highly processed before it can be shelf worthy,” explains Kelly. “A much better choice for frying would be Rice Bran Oil – this can be used for shallow or deep frying.”
Swap: Margarine and Spreads
Instead, try: Real Butter
“Butter imitation spreads contain refined vegetable oils and will contain a lot of unhealthy chemicals and additives to make it taste and look like butter,” explains Kelly. “Margarine can also contain dangerous Trans-fats, which should always be avoided. A much healthier and natural option would be good old fashioned butter, choose organic is it is within your budget.”
Swap: Sunflower Oil
Instead, try: Ghee
“Sunflower oil is very high in polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) but contains very little omega-3 (a polyunsaturated fat),” explains Kelly. “Due to its high PUFA it’s particularly unstable and very prone to oxidising, which is damaging to our cells when we consume it. The problem with Sunflower Oil is it often used for commercial cooking and therefore it’s difficult to avoid. For home cooking, why not give ghee a try? It’s found in the Indian section in most supermarkets and it has a lovely creamy nutty flavour and it is also very heat stable.”
Swap: Light Olive Oil
Instead, try: Extra Virgin Olive Oil
“When Light Olive Oil is made it is stripped of its colour and taste so that the smoke point (the temperature that the oil can safely be heated at) is higher,” explains Kelly. “It is essentially refined and it is marketed to consumers looking for a less calorific option. The truth is that the calories are exactly the same. A much healthier and natural option would be Extra Virgin Olive oil, which has a beautiful taste and smell – a perfect addition to salads.”
Swap: Peanut Oil
Instead, try: Virgin Coconut Oil
“Peanut oil is often used in restaurants and as a suggested oil in a lot of Asian dishes,” Kelly explains. “It does have a high smoke point, however the oil can be prone to rancidity, which is dangerous when you consume it. Instead, choose a fantastic stable oil that is also anti-fungal, anti-viral and antibacterial – Virgin Coconut Oil. It will add a delicious subtle taste to your dishes and can be found in the Asian section in most supermarkets.”
Swap: Soybean Oil
Instead, try: Salmon, Mackerel, Walnut or Flaxseed Oil
“Soybean is often touted as a ‘healthy’ oil option as it contains a little (very little) amount of Omega-3, an essential fatty acid that is very good for you,” explains Kelly. “The problem with this highly processed oil is that it contains a large amount of Omega-6, and too much causes inflammation within the body. A much better choice for Omega-3 fatty acids would be salmon, mackerel, walnuts or flaxseed oil.”
More Healthy Oils and Fats Substitutes…
Healthy fats and oils should be included in your daily diet. Try substituting some of the baddies for these goodies – avocado, raw nuts and seeds, full fat dairy, coconut oil and coconut products, almond butter, ghee, extra virgin olive oil, egg yolks and olives.
About GetCommandoFit and Kelly
Steve ‘Commando’ Willis, Kelly Richardson and other experts have just launched the Get Commando Fit initiative – a 12 week online health and fitness program consisting of daily nutritious meal plans, recipes, shopping lists, strength of mind motivation lessons and weekly workout plans.
Which oils have you replaced and what do you use now? Tell us in the comments section below!
