Fat - animal vs vegetable

[Beau82]

I've noticed that the majority of my fat comes from animal sources (butter addict here) so I know I need to cut way back on that. If vegetable-based fat is better, would olive oil be ok? I thought I read that it was best avoided but why? It's vegetable based. I really hate the thought of eating margarine, I will just cut out butter completely.

I've been trying to think of more lunch ideas and my two toddlers love pasta so I thought a nice pesto pasta a couple of times per week would be nice but I make it with olive oil.
I'm having such a hard time staying under on fat!

[familymatters]

I *think* because olive oil is a good source of Omega's, that's why it should be avoided. I used vegetable oil or rice bran oil when I was swaying. I have to admit I still had butter now and then, I can't stand margarine!

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[familymatters]

Why not just do a pasta with a normal tomato sauce? Or are you bored of that? Pesto probably wouldn't be the best because you make it with nuts, also something I think should be avoided.

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[maidentomother]

While overall animal fats tend to be bluer than plant fats, it's not quite that simple. I'll give you a run down of fats, from most blue to most pink (IMO):

*MOST BLUE*
Butter/fat from dairy
suet aka beef fat/fat from red meats
fish oil/fatty fish like salmon, anchovies, sardines
coconut oil
extra virgin olive oil
unrefined red palm oil
cocoa butter
avocado oil
most unrefined tree nut oils
peanut oil
refined olive oil
unrefined sunflower oil
poultry fat
sesame seed oil
refined palm oil
refined sunflower oil
refined safflower oil
grapeseed oil
lard/fat from pork or boar
corn oil
soybean oil
cottonseed oil
canola/rapeseed oil
(hydrogenated oils/trans fats of any type - best avoided completely)
*MOST PINK*

Not a complete or 100% accurate (in terms of exact order) list but you get the idea. I shall try to enlarge and refine the list at some point.

[maidentomother]

I personally won't consume anything below refined safflower oil on that list, except in trace amounts, but canola is definitely best for pink. Other than hydrogenated fats, but I didn't include those as IMO no one should consume them in any amount for any reason. So I would certainly not advise a hydrogenated margarine. But there are healthier ones, including organic even, that are trans fat free and quite tasty.

if I want butter, I use a small amount (1/2 Tbsp max) for flavour mixed with a neutral tasting pink oil like refined sunflower, though any of the pinker oils are pretty flavourless innately.

If I want olive oil, I use a small amount of nice EVOO as above for butter, mixed with a larger amount of pink oil.

BUT usually, unless I need more fat to cook/prepare something properly, I don't use any extra pink fat if I want butter/EVOO flavour. I use just a little bit of the real stuff. I prefer to spend the rest of my fat grams on milk, cheese, nuts, and things like crackers, cookies, chips etc made with pink fats.

[Beau82]

Totally agree on hydrogenated fats, I try to stay far away from them.
Butter, red meat and evoo are the biggest culprits on that list for me. I'm going to try and cut as far back on butter as I can. I am eating less than I did with my boys just because I'm no longer having toast and bagels for breakfast everyday like I used to. I used to add it even when I had cream cheese on a bagel . And I use EVOO when cooking anything. I think I have vegetable oil in the cupboard, I'll have to remember to use that more. What about peanut oil? I have a deep fryer filled with it that I use to make french fries sometimes.

Is haddock considered fatty fish? We have that once in a while but really not any more than once or twice a month.

[Beau82]

Why not just do a pasta with a normal tomato sauce? Or are you bored of that? Pesto probably wouldn't be the best because you make it with nuts, also something I think should be avoided.

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Yeah, I was just thinking of something quick to whip up. We do tomato sauce often for dinner b/c my older boys like that but pesto is something only the toddlers and I enjoy so I do it for lunch. It's a seasoning mix (Epicure) that I add to a little water, olive oil and parmesan.

[familymatters]

Im sure that would be OK every once and awhile

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[maidentomother]

Nuts (not nut oils, but actual nuts) are more pink than EVOO I'd say.

Beau, I have the same problem, my favourite fats are the bluest except fish/fish oil as I don't like seafood. Butter, evoo, coconut oil, red meat in that order of most to least consumed. I used crazy amounts that other people would claim was 'too buttery' or too fatty/oily, which doesn't exist to me! I love deep fried foods especially.

Haddock is not a fatty fish, I don't think...it's white, isn't it? But I am not an expert obviously as I don't eat fish myself.

I'll go add peanut oil and poultry fat to the list, both are near the middle.

[Beau82]

Ugh I know. I love butter on everything. Toast, bread, rolls, scones, pasta. And popcorn drizzled with loads of butter. Yum! It's probably for the best that I cut back on it. My husband is always on me about it, haha.
Yes haddock is white. So yeah, it wouldn't be fatty of course. I should have known that.