Oil is not a health food via Dr. Fuhrman (2024)

FAQs

Does Dr. Fuhrman recommend olive oil? ›

Dr. Fuhrman talks about oils in our diet, how to get healthy fats but to definitely avoid any oil at all cost. Olive oil is explained, as it is in fact less harmful than animal fat, but still harmful and not as healthy as nuts and seeds.

The oils which should be avoided for cooking are oils like soybean, corn, canola, sunflower, and safflower. These oils have unstable fats and will decimate the nutritional properties of your food. Oh, and they'll give you a big fat health risk in the meantime.

You need a small amount of fat in your diet for healthy functioning. Oils and fats supply calories and essential fats and help your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K. The type of fat is just as important for health as the total amount of fat consumed.

All dairy, as well as eggs, are included on a very limited basis. "No more than 8 ounces for women, 10 ounces for men, per week," reads one of Dr. Fuhrman's "detox" instructions.

And whether you call it a whole-food, plant-based diet, WFPB, or a “Forks Over Knives” diet, Esselstyn is adamant: “No oil.” Consuming oil, he asserts — even extra virgin olive oil — damages the endothelial cells regulating blood flow. You want healthy, happy endothelial cells? Give up oil, Esselstyn believes.

Extra virgin olive oil is the least processed form of olive oil. Due to this, it retains its natural antioxidants and vitamins, which are often lost during processing. This makes it a more healthful oil than regular olive oil but also makes it a little more expensive.

Although your overall diet is what's most important for your health, it's best to prioritize healthy fats, such as olive oil, avocado oil, and sesame oil, and limit less healthy cooking oils, such as soybean, corn, and canola oil.

Sources of Oils

Many foods supply oils, like nuts, olives, some fish, and avocados. Most oils are high in monounsaturated fats or polyunsaturated fats, which are healthy fats, and low in saturated fats.

Eating food without oil can make one lose weight, feel exhausted and unwell because they are missing out on important nutrients required by the body, which is fat.

Is too much olive oil bad for your heart? ›

While there is some truth to this (olive oil does appear to cause relatively less damage than saturated animal fats), it is important to note that 'less damage' is still damage. The scientific evidence clearly shows that olive oil plays a role both in damaging blood vessels as well as forming atherosclerotic plaques.

Canola oil is one of the ideal types of oil for a healthy heart. Healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats may help lower your risk for heart disease. Choose heart-healthy oils like olive oil, canola, corn, olive, peanut, and sunflower oils. Usually, refined oil is good for health.

If your goal is to impact your cardiovascular or gut health, it's important to look specifically for extra virgin olive oil, also known as EVOO, as opposed to refined olive oil. “The process of refining involves high heat, high pressure, and chemicals which can compromise the quality,” explains Megan Hilbert, RDN.

Diabetes: Olive oil might lower blood sugar. People with diabetes should check their blood sugar when using olive oil. Surgery: Olive oil might affect blood sugar. Using olive oil might affect blood sugar control during and after surgery.

When drinking olive oil for health benefits, you should always choose extra virgin olive oil. This high-quality olive oil contains higher amounts of healthy fats and antioxidants when compared to refined olive oils and thus will provide the most health benefits.