Pantry Makeover Series: Part 5
It’s the grand finale of my Pantry Makeover Series! It’s been super fun for me to sit down and write this each week and I hope you’ve been able to walk away with some new grocery items, tips, and info to help you on your weight loss and healthy eating journey! To round things out, we’re going to be talking about oils, vinegars, spices, and herbs. Let’s start with oils.
Oils
Ok, so if you’re older than 12 years old, you know fat’s had a bad reputation in the past. But hopefully the “fat is bad” mentality is changing.
The truth is, fats are crucial for health and well-being. They are a great source of energy, help us regulate our core body temperature and insulate our organs, support hormone production, and transport fat-soluble nutrients into our cells. Fats are also the the building blocks for our cell membranes, so they’re basically responsible for our health and well-being (no big deal). If our cell membranes aren’t fluid and able to send and receive signals to and from other cells, we experience disease and ill health. That’s why it’s not only important that we eat enough fat, but it’s also imperative we consume the right types of fat.
So what are the right types of fat?
Well there are two main types of fat: saturated fat and unsaturated fat. Unsaturated fat can be further divided into monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. Each one serves a purpose and is healthful in the right proportions. The only type of fat you want to avoid is trans fat, which comes from hydrogenated oils (look for fully or partially hydrogenated oils in the ingredients list of food products). Trans fats have zero benefit, are detrimental to cell membrane integrity, highly inflammatory, and linked to heart disease. So avoid those like the plague, but otherwise, don’t be afraid of adding fat to your diet!
Here are the main types of fat your body needs:
Saturated fat
Solid at room temperature and lends structure and rigidity to cell walls (we don’t want too much, though, or our cell walls become too rigid).
Better for medium- to high-heat cooking.
Good sources: organic, grass-fed meat and dairy; coconut.
Monounsaturated fat
Liquid at room temperature and solid when chilled.
Best for medium-heat sautéing.
Good sources: olives and cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil; almonds; macadamia nuts; some seeds.
Polyunsaturated fat
Liquid at room temperature and when chilled. Less stable than monounsaturated and saturated fats, so should be used for salad dressings and dipping oil instead of for cooking. Omega-3’s are anti-inflammatory, while omega-6’s are pro-inflammatory, so choose more omega-3-rich foods whenever possible.
Best for drizzling, dipping, and dressing.
Good sources: nuts and seeds, especially walnuts, flaxseed, and chia seeds; cold-water fish; grass-fed meats cooked at low temperatures.
I personally like to keep the following oils on hand:
Olive oil - I use olive oil on top of my salads and in salad dressings, for hummus and pesto recipes, and to dip bread.
Avocado oil - I mainly use avocado oil in my oil sprayer to coat pans prior to cooking or baking.
Coconut oil - For health reasons, I recommend unrefined coconut oil. However, I don’t love the flavor of coconut on everything I cook or bake, so I choose to buy organic refined coconut oil - it’s virtually tasteless and odorless so you can use it for everything!
Sesame oil - I love using sesame oil for stir fries. I just buy a really small bottle and store it in my fridge since it can go rancid quickly.
Ghee - Not really oil, but I love using ghee for cooking at higher temperatures and when I want a buttery flavor. Ghee is especially great for those who are lactose intolerant or are sensitive to whey or casein.
When buying oils, keep in mind these purchasing and storage tips:
Unless you have a large family or do a lot of cooking, it’s a good idea to buy oils in small quantities so they don’t become rancid.
When shopping, look for cold-pressed, unrefined, and unprocessed oils; if available, organic is always best.
Keep all oils away from heat, oxygen, and light to preserve their freshness. Oils are best stored in cool places in opaque containers with tight or vacuum-sealed lids. Avoid purchasing vegetable oils in clear plastic bottles. Dark glass bottles are best!
Tip for storing oils: adding a capsule or two of vitamin E (a powerful antioxidant) to a bottle of oil will increase its shelf life by keeping the oil from going rancid.
Who knew there was so much to learn about fats and oils?? I feel like that could have been a whole post on its own, but it’s time to move on to vinegars, spices and herbs!
Vinegars
I keep my vinegars like I keep my wardrobe: basic. Here are the ones I currently have in my pantry and the ones I recommend:
Balsamic vinegar - I actually have traditional balsamic vinegar and white balsamic vinegar. I use them both for salads and use the traditional one to flavor Brussels sprouts (which I cook on a weekly basis - maybe I will share that recipe later…). You can also find fruit- and herb-infused vinegars, so if you’re fancy like that, feel free to get creative here! Also keep in mind, some balsamic vinegar has a much higher sugar content than others. You’ll find some with an almost syrupy texture, so just be aware of that when you’re purchasing and using it.
Red wine vinegar - I use this for Greek salad dressing but I’m not gonna lie, that’s pretty much it. I tend to just grab the balsamic for most other recipes.
Rice vinegar - I use this along with my sesame oil for stir fries, but again, that’s pretty much it. I just like to have it on hand for when a recipe calls for it :)
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) - Buy ACV with the mother to get the most benefit (Bragg’s is a great brand). ACV is known for a slew of health benefits, but it’s especially good for aiding digestion when taken before meals (mix 1 Tbsp ACV with an ounce of water to aid digestion). I like to mix it with organic pineapple or apple juice for a little morning wellness bevvy. I also use it to make pickled veggies!
Spices & Herbs
Spices and herbs are great sources of phytonutrients and antioxidants. They truly are nutrition powerhouses, so use as many as you want, as much you want, whenever you want!! They add flavor and health benefits to any meal, so get creative and start mixing and matching! If you’re not used to cooking with herbs and spices, you may find this article from The Kitchn to be helpful.
I use these ones most often:
Garlic (fresh and powdered)
Curry powder
Cinnamon
Basil (fresh and ground)
Oregano
Cilantro (fresh)
Onion powder
Thyme
Cayenne pepper
Parsley
Rosemary
Bay leaves
Italian seasoning
Crushed red pepper
Turmeric
And now you have it! A complete sneak peek into my pantry! If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments and I will respond ASAP! And be sure to stay tuned next week for a brand new post on the best essential oils for weight loss :)