I follow these people because they are a wealth of information, not because I HAVE to do EVERYTHING they tell me to do. I incorporate what I can and ditch the rest. For example, I read a post by the Food Babe the other day about toxins in tea (like, the tea you drink). She posted the top culprits, and while my favorite Blueberry Green Tea did NOT make that list, it was still on the list. I went to Sprouts and perused the teas that she listed as 100% safe and decided that they all looked 100% disgusting. They had names like "Herbal Warrior" and "Smooth Move Anti-Constipation Tea". I decided to keep drinking my favorite Blueberry Green Tea...every day. Bam. You can't win em' all.
So, I am going to take you through a food detox and I'm going to give you baby steps that you can handle. In fact, Step 1 is SO EASY, you won't even know you did it!
Step 1. This week, throw out all of your Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Vegetable Oil and Crisco and replace with Grapeseed Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Coconut Oil.
If you are using Canola Oil, Corn Oil, a mixed "Vegetable Oil" or (God forbid) Crisco...THROW IT OUT NOW! Don't use it up, don't worry about wasting what's left in the bottle. Your health depends on it. Read this if you don't believe me: Stop Using Canola Oil Immediately.
What should I be using instead?
Extra Virgin Olive Oil--use on salads and for all other cold applications. Look for the "Certified Extra Virgin" symbol and the "NON GMO Project Verified" symbol on the back. My favorite is California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Coconut Oil--use for frying and sauteing and instead of Crisco or other oils in baking. Because it has a high flash point, it can be used for very high heat applications. Virgin is best, but I, personally, have an aversion to the smell of extra virgin coconut oil, so I use Refined Coconut Oil (remember...you can't win 'em all). We make amazingly yummy stovetop popcorn with Coconut Oil and Sea Salt. I purchase whatever brand is on sale at Sprouts. The Coconut Oil phenomenon has caught on so widely, that Costco even carries a ginormous tub of it at a very reasonable price. If you have not learned about the health benefits of Coconut Oil, read this short article by Dr. Axe: 40 Coconut Oil Uses and Cures. Here's a short list of the benefits of Coconut Oil that he mentions in the article:
- Balance Hormones
- Kill Candida
- Improve Digestion
- Moisturize Skin
- Reduce Cellulite
- Decrease Wrinkles and Age Spots
- Balance Blood Sugar and Improve Energy
- Improve Alzheimer’s
- Increase HDL and Lower LDL Cholesterol
- Burn Fat
Grapeseed Oil--This natural oil can replace your canola oil teaspoon for teaspoon. It is from grapeseeds...like it says (unlike Canola Oil, which is NOT from a Canola...whatever that is...see article above) which lend it it's green color. It has a delicate flavor, a high flash point, is loaded with Vitamin E, and can be used in ALL applications (frying, salad, baking, roasting veggies, etc...). I use Pompeian and get it when it's on sale at Sprouts (Pompeian Grapeseed Oil) in the largest container possible, because I use a lot of it.
Purchase your liquid oils in dark (preferably glass) containers and store in a cool place. You can see in the picture above that I buy large containers of Olive & Grapeseed Oils and then put them in smaller, prettier, easier-to-use containers that stay on the countertop for easy access. You can also see in the picture the bunnies and wreath that I set out for Spring. Have you decorated for the Season yet? If not, set out something pretty and throw out all your oil!
