COOKINGOILS TO THRIVE Oils are NOT a food group but they provide essential nutrients, such as fatty acids and Vitamin E. Therefore, oils are included in recommendations for what to eat; however, only small amounts of oils are recommended. About oils: ▶ Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature. ▶ Some commonly eaten oils include the following: canola oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, walnut oil, and sesame oil. ▶ Some foods are naturally high in oils, like nuts, olives, some fish, and avocados. ▶ Most oils are high in monounsaturated fats (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fats (PUFA). Most of the fats you eat should be MUFAs or PUFAs. ▶ The MUFAs and PUFAs found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils do not raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in the blood. How are OILS different from SOLID FATS? ▶ Solid fats are fats that are solid at room temperature, like butter and shortening. ▶ Solid fats can come from animal foods and can be made from vegetable oils through a process called hydrogenation. ▶ Examples of solid fats include the following: butter, milk fat, beef fat (tallow, suet), chicken fat, pork fat (lard), stick margarine, shortening, and partially hydrogenated oil. ▶ Solid fats contain more saturated fats and/or trans fats than oils. Saturated fats and trans fats tend to raise LDL cholesterol levels in the blood, which can increase the risk for heart disease. Tips: ▶ Eat fewer foods that are high in solid fats to help lower the risk for heart disease. ▶ Switch from solid fats to oils when preparing food. For example, instead of cooking with butter try using olive oil or canola oil. www.thrive.psu.edu.