We are told to avoid vegetable oil's yet a french diet is high in it?

jordanblakejpgr
jordanblakejpgr Posts: 19 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Hi there,

We are told to avoid vegetable oils because of the trans fats, yet the French diet from what I have read is high in them...

However in France they have one of the lower stroke and heart attack rates in Europe.

Just interested to see what people make of this?

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    jordanblakejpgr wrote: »
    Hi there,

    We are told to avoid vegetable oils because of the trans fats, yet the French diet from what I have read is high in them...

    However in France they have one of the lower stroke and heart attack rates in Europe.

    Just interested to see what people make of this?

    Are we??
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    __TMac__ wrote: »
    1) Vegetable oils do not contain trans fats.

    2) The French use a lot of olive oil, which is not a vegetable oil.

    3) Do not take any more advice from this person. ;)

    This...

    Also, the French use a lot of butter...which is obviously not a vegetable oil...

    I don't think the French are so much into canola oil, rapseed oil, or corn oil...
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Not to mention that red wine contains glorious antioxidants.

    Enjoy your vegetable oils, OP. Hardly anything has trans fats in it any more.
  • Rocbola
    Rocbola Posts: 1,998 Member
    The French are active and eat a lot of fresh produce. They are healthy in spite of the oil, not because of it.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Rocbola wrote: »
    The French are active and eat a lot of fresh produce. They are healthy in spite of the oil, not because of it.

    Given that fat is an essential macronutrient and helps us absorb nutrients from fresh produce, I'm unsure how you can conclude that they're healthy in spite of the oil.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited September 2017
    What's the evidence that the French use high level of vegetable oil (whatever that is supposed to be in this context)? I thought the "French paradox" was that they use lots of butter and sat fat in general.

    And no, I don't think the French diet is particularly high in trans fats. The US food industry is largely eliminating it too; it shouldn't be that tough to avoid.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    Rocbola wrote: »
    The French are active and eat a lot of fresh produce. They are healthy in spite of the oil, not because of it.

    Given that fat is an essential macronutrient and helps us absorb nutrients from fresh produce, I'm unsure how you can conclude that they're healthy in spite of the oil.

    Yes, I was wondering this myself....
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    Avoid partially hydrogenated oils. These contain transfats. If the label uses the term "hydrogenated oil" the oil may be partially or fully hydrogenated so it is best to avoid it. Fully hydrogenated oil is turned into a form of saturated fat that may not have the same effects on heart health as other saturated fats but a label reading "hydrogenated oil" is no guarantee of full hydrogenation.

    For a good explanation, see http://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/food/article/hydrogenated-oils

  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    HeidiCooksSupper wrote: »
    Avoid partially hydrogenated oils. These contain transfats. If the label uses the term "hydrogenated oil" the oil may be partially or fully hydrogenated so it is best to avoid it. Fully hydrogenated oil is turned into a form of saturated fat that may not have the same effects on heart health as other saturated fats but a label reading "hydrogenated oil" is no guarantee of full hydrogenation.

    For a good explanation, see http://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/food/article/hydrogenated-oils

    This ^^

    Other than partially hydrogenated, I've always heard vegetable oils were healthier than animal fats.
  • ZoneFive
    ZoneFive Posts: 570 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    extra_medium wrote: »
    The fact that they ride around on bikes with a baguette under one arm is the main reason they have lower heart attack and stroke rates.

    Interestingly, you can get the same effect by riding around on a horse with a cinnamon bun on your head.

    Neato. What's the calorie burn for 60 minutes?
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