It isn’t popular, especially when some health gurus can be seen pouring olive oil into their blender, and there is so much conflicting information out there. Paradoxically, my skin became drier and wrinkled – not so good. So let’s look at how oil fits in with this philosophy: Once I understood this (about a year ago), I was done with oil. And if I hadn’t have known, I wouldn’t have noticed. As a person of Spanish, specifically Catalan heritage olive oil was in pretty much every Spanish meal my mom or grandmother cooked for us as children and adults. Hi. Matt: I am not vegan or vegetarian – not even close. What a difference. In fact, last time I wrote about giving up oil for a few weeks, I got emails from several people calling me irresponsible for suggesting that “heart healthy” oils might actually not be so good for us! Have been vegetarian for five years then went vegan for six. I have followed your blog for a few years now since I became vegetarian and recognize that you report honestly on your own personal findings without trying to push your beliefs/findings as “gospel”. I don’t think I’ll go completely oil-free, but I’ll definitely continue using less in my cooking. Coffee is another story, hah! Loved this enlightening read on Oil. I especially need the reminder of ignoring the “all or nothing” message in my brain. I have thought about the oil aspect of healthy eating for a while now and realized there may be natural sources of oils (like citrus fruit skins) in whole foods that we don’t really think of. If we accept your logic that our health problems are largely the result of chronic overnutrition (which I do accept), and we know that “calories in” need to be equal to or greater than “calories burned” to prevent weight loss, then how did you manage to not lose weight when you cut out oil, while training for a marathon? I’ve had the same experience in my health journey in regards to cooking – it hasn’t been fun dropping more and more foods from my menu. https://sites.google.com/site/hgkprintablerecipes/big-list-of-no-oil-salad-dressings My wife was completely on board (get it? I still keep an eye on my fat intake and am still doing great- I haven’t gained back any of the weight and I feel energetic! More importantly, I felt a lot better and had more energy. My dermatologist put me on Accutane and gave me the best food advice ever. I am just beginning this journey, and every new thing I learn helps me to make better decisions. So if we don’t eat those parts are we claiming they are not “food” or are we admitting that not eating the “whole” food is not necessary? I lost weight too. After much experimentation on my part, I find I do best with a nice mix of oil-free meals and a small amount of oil in just a few of my meals. And since that podcast first aired, several more members of our team were inspired to share their stories too. I was in an Italian restaurant recently. How will I eat out at a restaurant? Do you think this is maybe responsible for my weight gain? I just heard about going oil free and found your article. Thanks for sharing, AJ. None of my family members and even myself ever notice the difference. PUBLISHED 5:00 AM ET Jan. 19, 2021 PUBLISHED 5:00 AM EST Jan. 19 ... share this podcast with … I could never do it. It’s easier to make a made-up “chocolate helps you lose weight” story go viral than a “how I removed the last possible tasty thing from my food” angle. We like balsamic vinegar on salads and do not really miss the oil. And you, just because you are not brainwashed by a religion think you are less brainwashed than him. Where are the calories going to come from now? When it comes to healthy eating — leaving ethics completely out of it — here’s what I believe: (Notice that there’s no explicit exclusion of animal products there, by the way. So thanks for pointing that out. drizzle. Thanks Matt! Bah. There is no getting around it: I am hungry pretty much all the time. Keeping beer, wine and coffee 🙂 It is scary now, just like it was when i decided to live oil free! In countries where oil is not used we dont find premature death among athletes / runners. I would recommend everyone look this up, it really is important to eat in a way that keeps us from damaging our own veins, so our blood can flow in an optimal manner. Most fruits Coconut oil, flax oil and olive oil have been a part of my diet for awhile, but something has been telling me that the oils might not be right, despite all the hype about how important they are. At No Meat Athlete, our mission is to provide world-class inspirational and educational experiences to support the growth and well-being of the plant-based athletic community. Stay away from it. I am surprised you did not bring up how fat damages our endothilial cells. The largest contributor to that is processed foods and cold pressed oils. 🙂. The way you made the transition portrays the power of kaizen. As my body evolves, I’m finding raw oils make me sick too. I noticed I was cooking with A LOT of olive oil last summer and have backed off dramatically. Love eating Vegan It is amazing what they come up with in my recipes books. Your site has helped my not only cook for her when she lived at home still, but also pass information along to her. It is easier for me to snack without oil but in their lunches I seem to get stuck sometimes. ? Any “vital nutrients” found in oils are also contained in the whole foods that the oil was made from. but moderation, a balanced diet, portion control, and thoughtfulness are at the heart of a healthy diet. People always ask us, “Where do you get your protein?” the real question is, “How do you avoid over-eating carbs of all kinds?” Keep up the good work, enjoy your blog! Its on and then washed off within seconds, so I’m not sure if the body is absorbing it. Now im completely confused because of the many different views on it. Any guesses? So, thank you for this post. We love the vegan lifestyle and rarely find the need for oil! It’s been a few weeks and I’ve only had tea socially, but it is no longer a part of my morning habit. So again…thank you! Have you ever actually tried a slice of raw turnip? Being a professional athlete is something millions of kids grow up dreaming about, yet so few are lucky enough to achieve. But I’m okay with that. What should I do instead, use water? Great blog topic!! We will be moving to a more oil “light” diet and maybe just maybe we can get to the oil free 🙂, Wow Thank you I eat oil only with pasta and pesto Hum!!! Plus, you’re taking in an excess of only one component of a food. I also have a couple of no-oil mayonnaise recipes. Hi, i am back again, bacause this is the second time i read that someone says that it is hard to give up oil because of their culture, herritage ect. I haven’t lost a pound, which is a good thing! USA Pan makes a nice line of silicone-coated bakeware that I’ve found to be pretty non-stick. We know that 10% of our health is determined by genetics, and 90% is determined by diet and lifestyle. I appreciate your integrity and wholesomeness in this process! I can’t wait to get one. I don’t use oil and have no trouble sauteeing in water or broth. We have 5 kids and love Friday night date night!!! |, Rockford considering rules for potential future hookah lounges. P.S. I started as a vegetarian in the mid-80s and thanks to my introduction to Drs. Oil has been the hardest thing for me to give up. Yes, it is processed but let’s be honest/confrontational – some processing does little harm. coconut oil, or any oil, has high fat content. Look it up and you will see that it is bad mojo for the body. I don’t eat a lot of bread just because I don’t really care for it but it’s not a disaster if I do. (for reference: I’m 100% vegan since 2002). So many of the great, elite vegan athletes and body builder shun oil (Rip Esselstyn, Robert Cheeke, to name a few) and look at them! I’ll. Olive oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil. I am Italian and will use olive oil, a healthy substance, daily, until I die. I don’t usually need to make changes slowly: I went vegan from one day to another more than a year ago, and it was easy for me to stop taking sugar. And I do love all your other writings and your life approach! I’ve loved the actual act of cooking for close to 10 years now. We get to choose. She’ll be a guest on NMA Radio to talk about this soon, so. -and your very amusing post! I don’t expect this to be a popular blog post. But I haven’t yet – there are so many other great chefs out there that I’ve found that are oil-free. I run 5 or 6 days per week, which helps keep the weight down, but it’s not the cure-all. Happy to read it! This blog has good info so it’s only really your loss for perpetuating trolls present means bad site. Many great oil free websites such as straight up food and fat free vegan. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Processed oils contain Omega 6. Well done. I just tried a MC and not too happy. I started wondering why it took 3 or tablespoons of oil to cook a simple skillet meal and started tweaking more and more until it was gone entirely. ), D, Ca++, natural gut hormone bacteria from ?…yogurt is a natural fermented bacterial culture that has supported many generations (I support no religion…but loaves and fishes…apparently fed many…contained gluten plus pesco vegetarian only)…big business, people selling their book, whatever…eat whatever you like that was not touched by a food manufacture (that’s going to sell…lol)…but more importantly…exercise 1-2 hours a day. Thank you so much for this post! It turns out I was probably deficient in Iron, B12, Vitamin K2 and Taurine. This all-encompassing weekly podcast will dive deep into the lives of former coaches, student-athletes, staff, broadcasters, family members and much more. Hello, Matt! I was on that vegan cruise too and brought my three kids. From everything I’ve learned about change, the way to adopt something is gradually, in very small steps. So eat the olive, coconut, flaxseed and avocado rather than their oils which contain no fiber or nutrients. So, do you eat out with your wife?? Please clarify. Thank you for your article. I would agree that people with advanced heart disease may benefit from an Esselstyn/Ornish approach and omit oils and nuts, but I have not seen persuasive evidence that those in good health should avoid it. Thank you for this post! Even after a couple weeks my skin is improving and I move easier with more stamina. Matt, Other than that, most of my restaurant meals have a little oil, as little as I can negotiate. Thanks Matt! I actually met quite a few of them while doing research in Loma Linda (one of the Blue Zones) and many of those studies were whole food plant based. Not long after, he decided to make the additional switch to no oil vegan, mostly for heart health reasons. Now for me, quite honestly, the motivation was hunger vs. how many calories I could eat per day and still lose/maintain weight. I am in the same boat as you. I too have chosen to go go vegan, oil free and gluten free! He points out that olive oil is “between 14%-17% saturated, artery-clogging fat – every bit as aggressive as saturated fat in roast beef.” An interesting article and I’m hoping this is the solution to my problem. In response to the idea that it may be good for “people with advanced heart disease”, I would remind folks that Esselstyn points out that his diet can make you heart attack proof. The discussion continues! But for the past few years, there’s been another “should I or shouldn’t I” conversation in my head — and this time, it’s been about oil. Though the basic formula, as you’ve said, is nutrient dense calories as much as possible. Personal benefit? As for the lack of calories: you should try cronometer.com for a while and see just how easy it is to get the appropriate amount of calories on a vegan diet. I’ve always much preferred raw turnips to cooked turnips. Oil is a oxygenated junk food!. Acrylamide can also be found in starchy foods cooked with certain amino acid combinations. I’m determined to do my first half-marathon in September and this information has helped to reaffirm my conviction and desire. Thank you! So if you have a fish oil bottle sitting in the kitchen for Omega supplementation just think how much of the oil has oxidized and turned rancid. Oil is extremely dense in calories: while vegetables typically have around 100 calories per pound and fruits 300 calories per pound, oil has 4,000 calories per pound. Why would anyone want to create *another* barrier to veganism when most people find it so difficult anyway. My health is still not great, and I had to stop running two years ago, but slowly but surely I hope to get to where I want to be. Don’t do nothing just because you can’t do everything. I have seen references to research that says many of the fats that are abundant in oils are necessary for lots of proper function, like brain function. You really have to get clear on what your goal is, if it’s health and longevity, you can create some huge problems eating low fat / low protein. I’m incrementally decreasing my consumption of olive oil, slowly but surely. 🙂 Grains (including whole grain breads, tortillas, noodles, etc.) Fat from food is necessary, but oil (the extracted fat) is not. I just couldn’t bear to start cooking a meal by sauteing lovely, fragrant onions and garlic … in water. Matt There was a time when going vegetarian seemed extreme. Just a point to those who rightly state that oils are necessary for good health: most whole foods, in balance, contain the perfect amounts of oil needed for robust health. It’s been almost as amazing as when I finally eliminated dairy years ago. I say on occasion because after struggling to increase my HDL and lower my Triglyceride levels on first a vegetarian, then vegan diet I finally achieved a dramatic turn-around by not consuming oil, or products that contained oil. But perhaps more than the information, it was the menu on the ship that changed my tune. I have been using less oil in my recipes and I have to say it’s going better than I thought, so far. Ginny, I agree with you that it’s a mistake to tie “no oil” in with veganism, and to present to someone who is just approaching plant-based diet for the first time the advice that they should also stop eating oil. But few (though there are a few!) I am very confused, does anyone have any input to help me figure out what to eat. 😉, Hi Melissa, Because oil makes food taste really, really good. Thanks for writing this article. Remember, the first warning sign of heart disease is often a heart attack, and sometimes fatal. I am living now in the US, so no more free olive oil 🙁 Maybe it’s a sign. https://sites.google.com/site/hgkprintablerecipes/big-list-of-no-oil-salad-dressings, http://www.healthygirlskitchen.com/2013/09/the-big-list-of-oil-free-salad.html, http://plantpoweredkitchen.com/?s=Three-bean+salad, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8yikz5bOEQ. But after reading this post, I’ll be back on the oil-free wagon as heating the greasy stuff has never inspired as a healthy way of life. So the thought of giving up oil, too, was difficult. Subsequently, my skin became smoother and less wrinkled but my weight rocketed. John McDougall, Joel Fuhrman, Caldwell Esselstyn and some others, I switched to a whole foods plant-based eating style in 2006. Someone else’s comment suggested you give us tips on what changes you made. Nothing burns at the bottom of the pan! Matt, Read Dr. Esselstyn and am oil free for 4 weeks. Except, I wasn’t. I was the Executive Vegan Pastry Chef at a restaurant for many years and I never used oil. Interesting. I did it more for the what happens to any oil (olive, coconut, fish etc.) I’m also pleased that someone with a voice is saying this. A week that began with a painful injury and an excruciating surgery on his left index finger took a better turn on Thursday. I believe coconut is the slowest oil to oxidize. I love your stuff, but this sounds like you are sliding into unwarranted extremism. Thank you, Betty. when exposed to heat or air. I too watched a speech by Dr. Esselstyn (here’s the video if anyone is interested — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8yikz5bOEQ) in which he talked about the consumption of oil for reversing heart disease. On occasion, if the occasion and quality of food is right I will have oil, and you better believe there is only one type of oil for me. Sossage (eeek hadn’t even thought my nickname might offend – hope not). Yes, it took some getting used to, but we’ve been doing it for years now and it IS possible to enjoy the taste of foods with no oil. But it’s one I believe is absolutely critical to the long term health of our movement, and that’s why I’m committed to sharing it. And I got it. I didn’t set out to have that change, it just happened. Each to their own, but really unhelpful not to compare serving with serving, rather than slightly absurd lb to lb comparison! Restaurants are a different matter. Thanks for this post, Joe. 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