Make it your mission to read (and understand) food labels. Photo: Getty Images

Partially hydrogenated oil is a diet no-no. And many companies are replacing this trans fat with palm oil. They say it's a healthier option. But is it? Not exactly, says FitSugar.

On food labels, you might see this ingredient listed as palm-fruit oil (from the fruit of the palm tree) or kernel oil (from the palm seed inside the fruit). Palm kernel oil is the worst of the two, with 86-percent saturated fat (50 percent of the fat in palm-fruit oil is saturated), but FitSugar says both of these oils should be limited. To protect your arteries and heart, look for foods made with canola or olive oils instead.

Another reason to stray from palm oil: Production of the stuff is leading to deforestation, which is driving orangutans toward extinction.

There's also coconut oil -- but is it any better for your body?

Healthy or not healthy? It's a pretty easy question to answer when you're comparing apples to, say, a candy bar. But when you take a look at coconuts, the answer just isn't so clear. Several years ago I worked with a Registered Dietitian who wrote a piece about the benefits of coconut oil. I ended up 86ing the article because I just wasn't convinced that her conclusions were sound nutritional advice. Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid which is said to benefit your immune system. But coconut oil is also crazy high in saturated fat. The RD swore by her stance, but I wasn't convinced. I'm still not. Do the benefits of coconut oil outweigh the negatives?

Fitsugar just ran an article with some further explanation about coconut oil. It has a long shelf life and high smoke point which makes it a good choice for many restaurants and bakeries (particularly those that have had to switch from trans fats). But coconut oil is 90% saturated fat; 60% of which is a form of lauric acid and is metabolized quicker than most saturated fats.

So, the debate continues. As for me, I'd prefer to boost my immunity through fruits and veggies and avoid the unnecessary saturated fat.

Source

Many acne sufferers meticulously care for their skin with a variety of products to keep their complexion as clear as possible. But did you know washing and styling your hair each day can trigger acne? I sure didn't. As a teenager, I slathered acne medicine on my breakouts, never thinking chemicals in hair products could be part of the problem.

According to this skin expert, the most common acne-causing, pore-clogging ingredients in hair products are isopropyl myristate, coconut oil/other natural oils, silicone derivatives and petrolatum. Acne-prone individuals should steer clear of those ingredients and reach for oil-free or noncomedogenic choices.

Don't forget to wash your face after rinsing conditioner out of your hair, and try washing styling gunk out of your gorgeous locks before bed. At a minimum, pull your hair back before hitting the pillow to keep the hair products away from your face. Change your pillowcase often, and avoid applying hair products before exercise. Dripping sweat will deliver those chemicals right to your face!

Source

Do you wish there were a miracle cure for split ends, besides cutting them off? Yeah, me too. There's a rumor out there that mineral oil (also called Jasmine Hair Oil, baby oil or paraffinum liquidm) can help rid you of split ends. But is it true? Is it really that easy?

My favourite beauty experts, the Beauty Brains, have weighed in on using mineral oil for your hair. Their verdict? While there's nothing wrong with using mineral oil on your hair, you'll probably see more benefits from using Coconut Oil, which can actually penetrate the cortex of the hair.

Or, if using oil on your hair doesn't sound too appealing, try some of these great tips.

Source

Reader Fash sent us a question asking to know more about something she's heard a lot of lately: Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. I'll admit I haven't heard anything on this particular product before, beyond having heard that regular coconut oil was bad news because it was often hydrogenated, which means it's a source of trans fats. But looking into it, I found the EVCO is different from refined coconut oils, and actually retains a bit of the coconut essence to it. Some believe it to be the healthiest fat out there, promoting weight loss and thyroid function, but here's another point of view:

Virgin Coconut oil contains saturated fat. The saturated fat in coconut oil is no less harmful for your cardiovascular health than other saturated fats -- a fact that has been re-enforced by the American Heart Association, FDA and WHO numerous times. That's not to say that virgin coconut oil is bad for you -- the message here is that like other healthy fats, you need to practice moderation when it comes to coconut oil. Moreover, don't believe people who claim to be selling extra virgin coconut oil -- there's no such thing. Unrefined coconut oil is merely virgin coconut oil.

So what do you think about EVCO? Another form of snake oil or the world's miracle fat?

Source

Spend a little time in the cooking oil section of your grocery aisle and you'll quickly realize you need a reference guide. Canola oil, vegetable oil, corn oil, olive oil, sesame oil, and so on for shelf after shelf. I just want to saute my vegetables and maybe stir-fry some chicken -- but what do I use? Then there are the options: virgin, extra virgin, expeller expressed, organic. And at my food co-op, they're all telling me not to use anything but coconut oil. What's a girl -- a girl who's trying to make better friends with her kitchen, stove top, and cooking utensils -- to do?

I turned to my friend the Internet, and here is what I found -- a clearly written, printable list of various cooking oils and their specific uses. Not only that, this article tells you whether the oil is an omega-3 or omega-6, important because most of us are getting far too many omega-6 oils in our diets, as well as the health benefits of each one.

So now I'm off to make stir-fry for dinner, and I know I can use coconut oil, canola oil, or even the sesame oil I bought last week. It makes me wish every one of life's little questions could be organized into a neat little printable list, you know?

Source

Our weekly feature, Recipe Rehab, takes a recipe -- sometimes basic, sometimes decadent and sometimes just plain unhealthy -- and turns it into a scrumptious and healthy dish, pumped up with nutrition. Sometimes all it takes is a few alterations to cook a dish that would make even your nutritionist proud.

Everyone loves a good brownie, but probably not the guilt that comes with eating them. With just a few substitutions and additions, you can make a brownie that everyone will love ... 100% guilt-free!

Ingredients (adapted from original recipe)

• 1/4 c. unrefined coconut oil and 1/4 c. raw almond butter
• 2 (1 oz.) squares organic unsweetened chocolate
• 2/3 c. sucanat (pure evaporated cane juice)
• 2 eggs, preferably organic, well beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup flour, preferably sprouted or whole grain
• 1/4 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 c. grated zucchini (optional way to sneak in veggies!)

Directions

1) Melt coconut oil and chocolate together in a large saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. You may need to add up to 1/4 c. water gradually to get the consistency you like.

2) Pour into a greased 8-inch square pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

3) Enjoy your guilt-free brownies!