Fats and Oils: What's the Real Story? | Dr Sarah Berry

Listen to new episodes of ZOE Science & Nutrition each week on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts: bit.ly/ZOE_POD_YT
Podcast videos will be made available here a week later each Monday.
Today we’re talking about fat, a delicious component of our food with a terrible reputation.
Fats have been broadly associated with weight gain and heart disease until recently.
A mountain of new scientific evidence suggests this is wrong and that it's not as simple as ‘all fat is bad’. Indeed, eating more healthy fat might actually reduce heart disease for many people.
In today’s episode, Jonathan speaks to Dr Sarah Berry to learn about what science tells us today, whether it is possible to lose weight on a high-fat diet, what oils we should be cooking with, and the different types of fats.
Dr. Sarah Berry is one of the world's leading experts on human nutrition, who has personally run over 20 randomised clinical trials looking at how humans respond to different fats.
If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.
Timecodes:
00:00 - Intro
02:33 - Episode Start
02:53 - Quickfire round
04:48 - Can fat ever be healthy?
09:04 - Is it possible to put on weight if you’re on a low-fat diet?
11:14 - Food accessibility & bioaccessibility
13:58 - Understanding the caloric data of fats
20:35 - Fats’ relationship with cholesterol
25:26 - Food labels aren't necessarily helpful
29:56 - What are the best oils to cook with?
35:49 - Are there any dangers of cooking with oil?
40:57 - Are eggs safe?
42:18 - Is fish good for you?
46:08 - Summary
50:25 - Goodbyes
50:57 - Outro
Episode transcripts: joinzoe.com/learn/category/nu...
Follow Sarah: / saraheeberry
Follow ZOE on Instagram: / zoe
This podcast was produced by Fascinate Productions.

[@16Elless]

I’m 60+ & was brought up on Lurpak butter & beef dripping etc. Then when my mom was 64 she had a mild stroke & was found to have high cholesterol, which when I got tested I had too - still do. She was put on a low fat/no fat diet which gave her little joy in food. She died 4 years later from cancer. I followed low fat from then till about a year ago, when I started to understand just how much sugar was in this stuff & that sugar not saturated fat is the big problem. Now I have full fat yoghurt etc, have mostly ditched processed food, use EVOO for cooking, (no sunflower oil which we were told for years was healthy!) cut down massively on bread, rice etc, eat some fermented foods & do intermittent fasting. At 5’ tall I’ve gone from 9st 10lbs which was quite overweight to 8st 9lb so much healthier without dieting but just changing what & when I eat. Regarding cholesterol, I think the so called good & bad labels are a bit simplistic & outdated. I think it’s more complex than that & my understanding is that high triglycerides are the bigger issue but that doesn’t get talked about so much. As someone who has raised cholesterol I’ve read that LDL is actually protective in those over 60 though I’m sure statin manufacturers don’t won’t that widely known! I think it would be good to have an expert in cholesterol on a future podcast.

[@bayleahy1734]

I have been buying Flora per active whi h claims to reduce cholesterol through in lauding "a tive plant steroids" Is it true?

[@16Elless]

@@bayleahy1734 I used Flora Pro Activ for many years but my cholesterol didn’t drop much at all but I guess it works for some people. Now I don’t use it because it’s such a manufactured product so basically very processed which I’m trying to reduce to the minimum. Luckily I’m not someone who’s ever put loads of spread on toast or baked potatoes so I really don’t miss it but as with everything it’s personal choice.

[@annemacdonald9596]

Hi Lynda I am also living with high cholesterol - it's been the bain of my life!! I have always felt a low fat diet is not a good option and I try to maintain a healthy lifestyle but that niggle is always there, so I too would welcome a talk from Zoe on the best way to counter raised cholesterol without resorting to statins!!!

[@16Elless]

@@annemacdonald9596 Hi Anne, absolutely. I was put on statins 3 years ago but couldn’t tolerate them so came off them. With all I’ve learnt about statins & actually the importance of cholesterol (who knew?!) in the last year I would never try them again. I follow the work of Dr Aseem Malhotra consultant cardiologist in UK & others who’ve led me to understand that lowering cholesterol is not necessarily a good thing. The other big problem is that Big Pharma pay for medical trials so it’s obviously in their interest to get the results they need to get statins etc into as many of us as possible. I’m glad more doctors in UK seem to be becoming aware of nutrition & lifestyle but it’s a slow process. NHS needs to get on board before the crumbling system collapses altogether. Excuse the rant!

[@andreesmith7051]

What is EVOO?

[@denisefisher9385]

I start the day with home made lemon and ginger tea which I find has stopped my cravings for sweet things, halved portion of food on my plate, hardly any processed foods, home made bread with seeds, eat butter, cream and home cooked food with olive oil, lots more vegetables and drinking minimum 2 litres of water a day. Dropped a dress size, dont get hungry, feel happier, more energy, less inflammation.

[@awizenwoman]

Sweet potatoes are also high in potassium, that also reduces the sugar cravings.

[@angelarawlins3703]

@@awizenwoman I read it depends on how you cook them. Roasted makes higher sugar content than boiling. I’m now a T2 diabetic and need low carb.

[@lynneeady6506]

Thank you will try this

[@maryalexander8018]

Well done!

[@denisefisher9385]

@@lynneeady6506 good luck and be well

[@thomasrobinson4401]

Great information. I'm low carb high fat. I lost 20kgs in 10 months. Maintained my weight for 11 months now. No processed food, no sugar, no grains no seed oils and no food until midday. I'm using avocado oil to cook, olive oil for dressing.

[@m3ade]

I’m high carb and don’t eat after 4pm, essentially the exact opposite other than we both cut out process food and I have lost 14kg in 5 months. Ultimately diets work if people can stick to the because they restrict calories.

[@k8eekatt]

Congratulations!

[@brendawoodford6363]

I would still want a Cholesterol test. I need to try and lower my bad cholesterol

[@karlint39]

Almost exactly the same. Just extra virgin coconut oil for cooking instead of avocado oil, and I eat breakfast and lunch but no dinner (but still that means intermittent fasting). Lost a similar amount of weight in a similar timeframe. Learned a lot of what I practice by watching KZbin videos instead of listening to professional nutritionists. Thank goodness for the freedom of information and media literacy. Congratulations to your health success!

[@wimala8576]

​@@brendawoodford6363 no no no

[@bodipapo4289]

What a great approach - to tell us in the Intro what Dr Sarah Berry is going to talk about, then to let her talk at length, and then finally in the Outro to summarize it. Wish more YT vids adopted this approach.

[@kengaskins5083]

Jonathan uses the typical approach in giving a speech: "Say what you are going to say. Say it. Then say what you just said." Excellent approach, excellent moderator!

[@davidr1431]

@@kengaskins5083Yes, Jonathan is really skilled at this.

[@TmHudsonArt]

Bit disapointed regarding the talk on seed oils. They are all very highly processed (They have to use solvents to even get oils out of seeds..think about that) and also very high in Omega 6s which makes them very pro-inflammatory. As if anyone needs that? Also, the talk on cholesterol. 75% of the cholesterol in your body is manufactered by your body regardless of your diet. Only 25% comes from diet. It is a very important component. I'm not sure why people are still saying you need to lower it as much as possible. It has so many vital functions. People also need to remembner the number of particles which is a factor in contributing to heart disease etc....and saturated fat does not increase these particles. Carbs do...Saturated fats just fill up the existing particles....so talking about fats increasing cholesterol and hence being bad is way too simplistic and not telling the full story.

[@angelarawlins3703]

I had to go low carb due to diagnosed with T2 diabetes, had a cholesterol level of 4.8 till going low carb more eggs for breakfast, increased to 6.1🙄 nurse started mentioning it, ah but your good cholesterol is low 🤷🏼‍♀️ No way will they get me on a ruddy statin ££££

[@bouwebear597]

Just to add to what you are saying: One third of the membrane of every cell in our bodies is made of cholesterol. We'd all drop dead if our cholesterol levels went too far below optimum. The cholesterol patches up the sclerosis in the arteries, which are caused by something else (not cholesterol! - hint: sugar, carbs!) and then the clowns blame cholesterol and put their dupes on statins. It is like blaming fire trucks for housefires because every time there is a fire they noticed fire trucks and therefore they concluded that fire trucks cause house fires, while they ignore arsonist running around with a lit match (ie. sugar). Bunch of morons that led everybody down the wrong path 50 years ago and have brainwashed everybody ever since, starting with nutrition "scientists"..

[@simonround2439]

Completely agree. I was very surprised that she didn't mention this at all

[@dancingqueen2566]

At last! Getting reliable information on fats has been particularly difficult when trying to work out a new diet for health issues. Thank you!

[@tonyhughes7792]

The knowledge that Sarah has and the way she gets it across is amazing!

[@Furmily]

Excellent interviewer, he speaks from the "layman" point of view, asks the right questions and digs in deeper into the practicalities that we need. Well done! Very impressed with the level of knowledge of Dr Berry....you were clearly born to do this with a surname like that!

[@jacquelinearcher1158]

Sobbing in a corner…complicated…definitely… ..thanks for the summery …. If butter is out and cheese is in I wonder where does cream comes then ?

[@lio868]

Fantastic video! Thanks to you both and to your production team. Much appreciated for the transcript, subtitles, and very clear sound which are super!

[@joinZOE]

We really appreciate your support 🙏

[@jsneuzilagent9940]

I was delighted with the show; you interviewed Ms. Berry very well. I learned much from both of you. Thank you for a fine podcast.

[@jimnewtonsmith]

Maybe there wasn’t the time but there was no mention of the impact of the ratio of omega 6 & 3 in our diet and the imbalance that comes from too much 6 from seed oil in our diet like sunflower, rape and palm.

[@joinZOE]

Hi Jim, thanks for your question. We'll pass the feedback over to Sarah and Jonathan and try and set up a fats revisited episode, there's certainly a lot to say!

[@jimnewtonsmith]

@@joinZOE my reference on this is from various reads over many years but Dr James diNicolantonio is my main current source.

[@robinstokes5179]

@@jimnewtonsmith unfortunately it seems J. DiNicolantonio has made unsupported statements & refers to outdated research & contradicts the evidence based medicine in all recent trials etc. So I would be extremely cautious about following his advice. Like you I would be very interested to see the ZOE team's response to Omega 3 & 6 benefits (or otherwise) as I have a number of nuts & seeds in my daily diet.

[@jimnewtonsmith]

@@robinstokes5179 That’s interesting. Where did you get get your analysis from? I don’t thing the concern is about nuts and seeds as such - it’s more about the amount of industrialised (veg) oils used in our diets for cooking and in processed food, as well as the actual processes that make seeds into oil.

[@lemondrizzler]

Just a note for Zoe - it really is worth getting accurate subtitles for these excellent podcasts so that the correct information is accessible to everyone.

[@kengaskins5083]

As usual, Zoe along with Dr. John Campbell in my opinion give the most scientific based information. Kudos to your moderator skills & inquisitiveness along with your stellar guests (this time Dr. Sarah Berry)!

[@user-mf8tt9wp8m]

😅

[@rutharendse3917]

Wonderful! So much to take in - I will be listening again. Thank you.

[@littlevoice_11]

Would be very interesting if you could speak on exogenous ketones and MCT oil for metabolic health and chronic inflammatory diseases, exercise performance and cognitive decline

[@BigBadBank]

Jonathan you said (Ithink) that you thought it was magical that cheese would be nutritionally different from butter because "cheese is made from butter" but it isn't. You may have misspoken but in case your cheese-guilt is a result of this misunderstanding, they are made by different processes and although both are made from milk the one isn't made from the other.

[@carolineyounger1284]

Oh dear, I’m doing it all wrong! I am slim but have high BP and had mini stroke 5 yrs ago, all this despite taking regular exercise. I’ve always been a sugar fiend, mainly in tea and coffee. I really must stop that! So more extra virgin olive oil, 3 eggs per week, some oily fish and add a few whole almonds. Thank you, so interesting!

[@imogen2976]

Thanks for this - I found it interesting and straightforward- it will influence my choices!

[@Daytona2]

wow that was so insightful I did a lot of pausing and searching to check things out. Superb, as ever, many thanks to all involved.

[@markanthonysmith413]

Great video and very interesting about food science and what we are putting into our bodies, Thanks.

[@davidlearner3443]

Absolutely brilliant. "Everything in moderation, including moderation". Key to life. Is there a T-shirt available?

[@joseluisscpt]

just at the 3rd video and already a ZOE fan. I would love to have a comment on fermented butter, as well how much that process might influence other fats like the example on cheese, yogurt and kefir. thank you!

[@78cheerio]

I lose weight easily with the calorie DENSITY approach,NO calorie counting. Older female. Walk, line dance. It’s not the exercise. I wish they would do an experiment specifically for weight loss and calorie density.

[@RSLtreecare]

Hello, thank you both. Real helpful. I'll rerun this several times...to take on more of the scientific facts.

[@hannesforster1845]

Dr. Berry is very nuanced. Brilliant. Thank you!

[@loopywren]

I enjoyed this discussion very much, learnt a lot too. thank you

[@Kangaroo_Caught]

Just one comment on Sarah's use of the term rapeseed oil. In much of the rest of the world, this has been renamed to canola. I believe that this originated in Canada as a marketing effort. I have heard that some opthalmologists relate polyunsaturated oil consumption to rates of retinal detachment. I'm not sure how scientific this is, but it does add to Sarah's "complicated" description.

[@peterholt4806]

Rapeseed oil is 60% + Mono, and Sunflower oil is 60% Poly, so I don't know where your cooking advice comes from. Polys are more likely to form carcinogenic aldehydes because of the multi weak bonds, especially if you reuse the oil, which happens in all restaurants and fast food outlets. The safest fat to cook with is Lard, which is 45% Monounsaturated, 40% Saturated and 15% Polyunsaturated, so, much lower chance of creating Aldehydes. SatFat has no weak bonds.

[@angelarawlins3703]

Lard, yes hopefully natural fat which we all ate years ago before processed fats

[@helenndow1101]

This makes a lot of sense, thanks a lot.

[@Eagle_Delta]

Lipid peroxidation products 4-HNE, 9-HODE and 13-HODE are produced by the heating of polyunsaturated fatty acids like those found in vegetable oils.

[@naomigay28]

I think it would be really good to cover the health impact of hydrogenated fats. Lots of people avoiding animal fats & dairy as they think this is healthy but eating lots of hydrogenated fats because they think vegan is automatically healthier (e.g. margerine)

[@Malcolm-Achtman]

Coming from the more animal-based side of things, I find most "experts" I encounter say 2 - 4 eggs per day are perfectly fine. I'm aware of one that eats 12 eggs per day (His calcium score is zero). Sarah's cautious recommendation of 3 - 5 eggs a week would be seen as ridiculous.

[@wildflower-web]

I'd like an episode on cooking methods, including whether or not barbequed and air-fried food is healthy.

[@bouwebear597]

What is the reason for limiting the intake of eggs? This was not explored. I've been eating 30 eggs a week for years and I'm healthier now in my 50s that I've ever been. There's another nutrition expert on youtube who had 39 eggs a week for a month and then tested his triglycerides, cholesteral, etc. and they all improved. So it is pretty useless to just state that you should only consume 3-5 eggs a week without backing it up with your thesis. Makes me sceptical about the rest of the advice.

[@Nassangler]

I am more than skeptical of some of the information provided in this presentation. Dr. Berry stated that butter consumption might be bad for you - raising cholesterol in some people. Is this always bad? It is my understanding that cholesterol is at best a surrogate marker associated with premature heart disease in a minority of people. Are there good studies showing premature mortality in those who indulge in butter consumption? What I mean by good, is studies that eliminate confounding risk factors such as smoking, lack of exercise, poor sleep, poor social relations in the populations being compared. There was a surprising reference to a single study that tried to compare 2 diets - has this been replicated? This is reliance on a single study in nutrition - and nutritional studies have been shown repeatedly to fail under scrutiny to be unbiased or the subjects not truly randomized. Reliable nutritional studies are extraordinarily difficult to do with human subjects. I can't hang my hat on a single study. There have been some recent studies that suggest that saturated fat consumption might actually be associated with longevity. Another Zoe, Zoe Harcombe, has studied mortality using World Health Organization data that indicates that increased cholesterol blood level is associated with longevity, especially in women. The Women's Heath Study - one of the largest studies ever- results indicate increased mortality in those women consuming a low fat diet.... I consider death as an indisputable marker in a study - most analysts will agree that the person is dead, but "heart disease" has a huge "fudge potential" in often what is called heart disease is insignificant with regard to mortality. My 2 cents!!

[@tinabonny900]

Late to the party, but so very grateful for this hugely informative video. The explanations are clear without being patronising, and it's great to have solid evidence to back up my reluctance to buy 'low fat' options. And thanks for the tip about extra virgin olive oil!

[@brendawoodford6363]

How to reduce bad cholesterol?

[@jomullin5484]

Just a couple of areas for clarification: 1. What should we put on toast? Tim said ditch olive oil spread and use butter but you don't seem to agree. Which do you think is better? 2. Is it OK to eat wholemeal bread, pasta and rice? Thank you.

[@retrocool]

If you get an oil bottle with a spout you can drizzle olive oil over your toast and it tastes great on its own or with marmite and/or peanut butter. I do use butter if I’m having jam though!

[@libbymason1002]

Ditch the toast!

[@angelarawlins3703]

Now as a T2 diabetic I make my own whole meal bread with mixed seeds. Told to use full fats, so NO synthetic spreads, butter, a scraping, quantity. Oil doesn’t go with toast 🙄

[@angelarawlins3703]

Rice & pasta wholewheat is better, slower release, takes longer to digest.

[@BigSlimyBlob]

Ideally you wouldn't eat toast since it's bad for your health. But if you do, then don't put any fat on it. There is very little in nature that contains both carbs and fat, and that combination triggers a vulnerability in us that makes us find it delicious and causes us to overeat.

[@TmHudsonArt]

The key is insulin. Insulin is a fat storing hormone. There is function for this as bloody sugars getting too high is very dangerous so the insulin tells to body to burn those first to get rid of them and thus block access to fat stores. If your insulin levels are high then you cannot burn fat. What spikes insulin? Sugars and carbs...all carbs...and proteins to a lesser degree. Fats do not really cause any insulin response at all. Saturated fats are also very satiating and so you do not need to eat as often when you eat those along with proteins. Less frequent meals means insulin has more chance to lower as well plus fasting is good for the digestive system. Basically, carbs make you fat and hungry. Cut them down and eat more saturated fats and moderate proteins and you'll find you don't need to eat anymore often than twice a day max....for sure cut the processed food and replace with whole proper food. We were never meant to be constantly grazing on food.

[@jrcampbell2367]

This is not true if you are exercising. During exercise the intake of carbs produces a much smaller insulin response.

[@angelarawlins3703]

@@jrcampbell2367 exercise is advocated for diabetics after eating. However carbs turn to sugar in the body and spike the glucose. Whole fat foods are recommended more than low fats.

[@TmHudsonArt]

@@jrcampbell2367Exercise does not contribute anywhere near as much as you think it does. It is good for sure...but especially as the body gets older, exercise will not really assist in weight loss. It is mostly down to diet.

[@TmHudsonArt]

@@jrcampbell2367 It is FAR harder to burn calories than it is the consume them. You simply cannot keep up with exercise and too much anaerobic exercise will actually increase cortisol and insulin!!!

[@TmHudsonArt]

@@jrcampbell2367 Plus who wants to be stuffin carbs down their face when running or running straight after a meal? Not recommended lol..

[@ffionlarsen2599]

Excellent video, very informative. Clearly I need to change my perception on fats!

[@BrowncoatBlue]

The positing that "your body doesn't care" and that you can "swap back or forth between fats and cola" is quite disturbing on a broadcast like this. It definitely lowers the credibility, as that is absolutely NOT the case.

[@juliabazanska]

I do not buy the statement that highly-processed vegetable oil is better for you than a non-processed animal fat like tallow. It goes against the whole foods principle. I'd love to hear and see some actual data to back this claim up.

[@christineellengalbraith2215]

Butter! Could we have something information on the pros and cons of butter, cut offs etc. I’m a 2 egg a day at least person so want to know more about the for and against of this. My bloods are PERFECT according to my last blood work report having eaten the LCHF way for 150 weeks. Currently I am definitely a high sat fat (animal sourced and avocados) and organ meats featuring in my diet are increasing in frequency over the past year. Watching the work of Dave Feldman et el for Lean Mass Hyper Responders people who develop very high cholesterol numbers on LCHF.(I’m borderline).and biased toward cholesterol as a good thing on a personal level but find population studies contradictory to my personal and family experience. Currently fascinated by the ‘4th phase of water’sciencce of Prof Gerald Pollack et el showing impact on cardio vascular function, immunity and health & well being in general using infrared light ( amongst other things like food sleep etc). Would love a good debate on any of the above between Zoe and others.

[@jonathanmagic5633]

Great information, I'm almost 70yo still work full time in a very physical job and on a full fat diet, milk eggs bacon daily my cholesterol is at the high end of what's deemed acceptable ( whatever acceptable should be as I don't think anyone really knows) but it hasn't moved in years. Also the point at which polyunsaturated cooking oils become toxic/ carcinogenic is largely guesswork so I avoid altogether. I do use olive oil, ghee and plain butter a lot and Cold Pressed raw milk.

[@starfishw7138]

Your health and virgor fly in the face of latest low fat diets. They say heart disease picks up without fat and dietitians still say low fat. I'm so confused. You are doing an amazing job on health.

[@ladymuck2]

Cold pressed raw milk?

[@TimGreig]

You are so right about Cholesterol. Most experts are clueless and guessing. But just act as if they are not. Given the confusing and conflicting muddle that passes for advice it's hardly surprising.

[@jangarden2064]

That was really interesting about the difference between whole almonds and ground almonds. I've recently switched to almond flour but I see now that it's probably not as good as I was led to believe. Is this the same for peanuts and peanut butter?

[@ThomasGeist]

So often a ketogenic diet is seen as “fringe”, a “fad”, some diabetics do it etc. Let’s see: 1 out of 10 US Americans now has type 2 diabetes! But many of these people have successfully reversed it with a low carb or ketogenic diet. This is often conveniently brushed under the rug. 1 out of 10, and rising. While you see restaurants and grocery stores catering to people with gluten intolerance (about 3 out of 100), 10% of the US population is being ignored (unless it’s the food industry trying to make a buck off of “Keto” foods and nonsense like fat bombs). But there’s much scrutinizing a low carb lifestyle that has taken so many type 2 diabetics off the pile of medications that their oh-so-wise doctors prescribed without ever guiding them to REVERSING that diabetes. I know, I am one of those patients. To blame however is much of the “keto craze” put up by false apostles on the internet who are busy not “getting kicked out of ketosis” and promoting nonsense like fat bombs while failing to educate themselves and their followers about what a correct low carb or keto lifestyle means.

[@TS-rv4hf]

I have damaged my body by taking low fat foods yet eating sugar and refined carbs. I wish I had know this better 20 years ago. Its what ancient wisdom like Ayuerveda have been saying all along!

[@MsMaraReis]

Very good information, thank you. I make my own butter and ferment it with kefir culture for 48 hours. I wonder if this method would somehow alter the way the fat in butter is metabolised by the body.

[@magsb3]

Your best video so far. Data on what people with weight problems have thought for a long while. Please get this out to Doctors, especially those without weight problems, as patients feel like failures when conventional diet advice does not work for them.

[@Feelliketalking1]

Zoe: Could you please consider doing one similar to this but for diabetes (or if enough a series..please)

[@andrewsherlock7197]

I love the quick fire question and answer session, no waffle

[@maureenhadaway8354]

Brilliant podcast today. I’m really pleased to have things confirmed and I seem to have made a lot of the right choices 🙏. I’m also an advocate for all things in moderation. I found the section on oils really helpful as I too was limiting the amount I cooked with olive oil (yes extra virgin 👍) being concerned at high temp cooking. I’m also an egg lover…..mainly boiled though 😂. Look forward to more of these myth busting talks. Thank you so much x

[@moirastevenson4567]

My mother’s mantra 50 years ago was all things in moderation !

[@Sileceisgolden]

A high satfat diet and low carb has reduced my triglycerides massively. I found this presentation rather old fashioned. Cholesterol is a red herring. Olive oil has a low smoke point. All rather disappointing.

[@bobadams7654]

Great information- as always. Many thanks. Re butter.... I thought that Tim and Predict had said it was OK? NB I use raw and organic butter.

[@lalylunssporadicchronicles6404]

There are a lot of doctors in the US that promote a whole food completely plant based diet and they advocate no oils. We are not talking about those over processed low fat food… Basically what they are saying is that olive oil is hyper caloric malnutrition. All these messages that contradict themselves are so confusing. But honestly I have been able to manage a lower weight and loose a lot of weight but I can’t seem to be able to loose my last 30 pounds. And it’s because it’s a very hard diet to follow long term for me. If the decadent foods I use to love are around I have such a hard time resisting… Damn loosing weight is one of the hardest to do😩 Make Zoe available in Canada!

[@TransformsIntoAGuitar]

These videos are so fascinating and I've learned so much useful stuff, I just wish I wasn't so distracted by how many times Jonathon says "you know".

[@mikepedersen6590]

Have you looked at the high processing temperatures that canola and soy bean oils are processed at? It changes them at the molecular level which make them very unhealthy.

[@BigSlimyBlob]

That is correct. Before it's even bottled, the oil becomes rancid and you wouldn't be able to eat it. Which is why they superheat it (at many times the temperature of a deep fryer) to burn the rancid taste away. But the oil is still bad, and the superheating creates a number of highly toxic products. Canola oil, soybean oil, flaxseed oil... they're basically cancer juice.

[@tonyosime9380]

Great interview - great summary. How did you do it?

[@hazelnorbury1181]

Great explanation using the whole almonds v ground almonds.

[@prestonbacchus4204]

Thank you sir, you are a good man.

[@jimjen7801]

I found the concept of intrinsic and extrinsic fats, sugars and other carbohydrates fascinating. It certainly sounds very plausible and I am already thinking how I might incorporate it into my diet. I did wonder what the effect of freezing would be on cell structure and matrix and whether it might change an intrinsic food into an extrinsic food? For instance if I added frozen berries to my porridge (made from steel cut oats off course), would the berries matrix survive enough to control the release of sugar or would it be diminished and if so by how much?

[@lizette-francinefenton1083]

Very interesting - whole fresh natural food with portion control, balanced diet of all foods - thank you 🙏🏻

[@joinZOE]

So glad you enjoyed the episode

[@reflax6009]

Whole food plant based it’s healthy for gut

[@reflax6009]

I heard that we have to decide if we choose further type - carbs or fat not mix as it might be dangerous

[@davew2452]

I thought butter was OK. Better than margarine surely?

[@richardcane5682]

Butter is probably the third best fat to use to fry your meat or eggs in, after beef dripping & lard. Ahead of olive oil & way ahead of any seed oils, which really ought to be banned.

[@TmHudsonArt]

Grass fed butter always better. Grain fed meat and butter not so much.

[@Hemebean]

Great video, thanks. I would be interested to see research that shows saturated fat from meat is worse than plant-sourced saturated fat. Can anyone point me in the right direction ? Cheers!

[@johndoe9362]

KZbin: "Mic the vegan fats."

[@Janehop41]

As usual, really useful discussion that has succeeded in changing my mind (and future practice) concerning cooking with extra virgin oil. I had taken seriously the scare story about the carcinagenic effects of heated EVO but Dr Sarah Berry explanation of the studies that led to this scary claim were faulty, i.e. good for mice in the lab but not applicable to humans cooking their food at home.

[@Janehop41]

... has led me to use EVO for cooking as well as salad dressing.

[@nesanesa9547]

Great presentation for us to consume. Always a great education xxxxx n

[@anisaqadri4185]

Fabulous ! Thanks

[@coventgarden1925]

WTF at 42.56 we hear a throw away line - "fresh not tinned tuna" - and she immediately moves on to salmon without making the same distinction. I eat lots of fish. I really really really want to know 1. What's wrong with tinned tuna which isn't wrong with fresh? 2. Is tinned salmon the same, better or worse than fresh salmon? 3. ... why?

[@marathorne6821]

Thank you so much for this excellent canter through the subject of fats and oils. It is so difficult to forget some of the indoctrination we have been subjected to over decades, like "low fat foods are good for you" and "you mustn't fry foods in olive oil" but it is important to look at the real science and not the food myths. Thank you again, Zoe!

[@karlint39]

Is it OK to fry foods in olive oil? I'm happy to consume extra virgin olive oil, but I thought olive oil that isn't extra virgin is just as unhealthy as other seed oils, and extra virgin olive oil has a low smoke point, so it's not especially suited for cooking. Perhaps our fearless ZOE guides provide other information in the video. I must admit I saw your comment before watching the video and replied immediately.

[@eugeniebreida1583]

Best to cook w/a little water. EVOO poured on food on the plate : )

[@karlint39]

@@eugeniebreida1583 That sounds healthy. I'm not sure if it's guaranteed to be tasty (LOL). But I tend to prioritize the former over the latter, and yeah, I cook with water these days. For steak, though, I just cook it at low temperature in the pan and let its own fat help the cooking.

[@karlint39]

@@intimatedesign ​I didn't know that. I bet a lot of people assume the oil is starting to degrade when it starts smoking. Personally I think avocado oil is too expensive (as compared with common extra virgin olive oil.) But these days, actually I mostly cook sous vide with no oil, so for me personally it is now fairly irrelevant.

[@peterholt4806]

I appreciate that this is only an hour, but so many vital topics were missed. There was no mention of.. 1) Insulin Resistance and Hyperinsulinaemia. 2) Visceral, Hepatic and Ectopic fat. 3) NAFLD/NASH 4) Fructose (being half of table sugar) being a major cause of the first 3. All of which lead to obesity and T2D. 5) The poor ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 in industrial nation diets and its inflammatory effect 6) Fat doesn't clog arteries. They are narrowed by the inflammatory issue of Atherosclerosis. I'd like to point them in the direction of the Minnesota Coronary Experiment, the results of which were buried in the 70s, and just recently published. An RCT, showed that a group that swapped out SatFats for PUFAs had more deaths from heart attacks and all cause mortality than the control group that kept on eating the SatFats. It was buried by Ancel Keys, who was the main proponent of the SatFat is Bad theory. He knew that it wasn't true.

[@angelarawlins3703]

Well said

[@Malcolm-Achtman]

@@angelarawlins3703 The ZOE KZbin channel does seem to be recognizing that we have been misinformed in the past about diet but the channel comes across (to me) as being very tentative about acknowledging this change.

[@TimGreig]

Ancel Keys was a criminal.

[@debbiehinde7657]

Google her specifically for that. Insulin was mentioned.

[@PauloARod]

Can anyone, including the channel creator(s) please tell us why Dr Sarah Berry is telling us that a fried egg is healthier than a poached egg, please? Also, regarding the fat in the butter, is this across ALL butters or only the ones that have oils in it? I only consume butter containing milk/cream and maybe some salt so would like to know if it's also not as good as I thought. Thank you in advance

[@lisagamble6503]

The eggs source of nutrients will be consumed with the added benefit of "Extra Virgin" Olive Oil, which retains its plant polyphenols. Which is a plant defence chemical that defends the plant against insects but delivers antioxidant or anti inflammatory properties for those that digest it.

[@PauloARod]

@@lisagamble6503 Oh ok. I have my poached eggs 90% of the time, added to a salad, always drizzled with lots of EV Olive Oil so I guess in my case, that claim does not apply. Cheers

[@alisoncribbin9121]

Very informative

[@jronkowski4346]

Wow!! Fascinating

[@elceeuk3887]

Thank you

[@brianbethke1649]

I haven't heard ANYTHING about the nutritional value of grass raised beef/butter/cheese vs organic vs traditional. When I studied holistic nutrition 15 years ago they were comparing grass fed fat from beef to the quality of oil from oily fish... Love love the podcasts!!!

[@busytraveller3699]

Hi Only just listened to this session.. really VERY useful. I know you are mainly operating on the USA and UK(Europe) but I am mindful you didn’t mention palm oil? It would be really interesting to hear about this.

[@kimbailey4386]

I have been a staunch supporter of the Zoe site but this podcast is in disagreement with the"fat" debate of Dr Esselstyn, Dr Greger, Dr Barnard, Dr Ornish and Dr Campbell. I have, since following their diet recommendations, significantly lowered my blood pressure and cholesterol. Also I have lost a stone in weight without calorie counting and was a healthy 10stone to begin with at 5 feet 6. Are you saying that their plant based low fat, low sugar and low salt diet is unhealthy then???

[@ladymuck2]

I think they are saying everyone is different you have to find what suits you.

[@Blucamels]

It also goes against Mastering diabetes who follow Dr Barnard's way of eating and cooking. Why use oil if you don't have to...

[@BigSlimyBlob]

Of those I only know Greger, Ornish and Barnard's. They are indeed awful diets. Slightly better (or at least comparable to) than the "standard" diet (that is absurdly bad for you), but that's not a high bar.

[@BigSlimyBlob]

@@Blucamels Barnard's diet is nonsense. If you have diabetes you should be cutting all carbs from your diet (consult your doctor first because you will need to drastically reduce your meds if you do that). Obviously you'll be getting your energy from fats.

[@Carmen-wx2vw]

I followed the Esselstyn diet for almost five years. It was causing an unfavorable trend in my lipids. I added olive oil, fatty fish, avocados and nuts. My ldl went down, my HDL went up, my triglycerides went down all in very significant amounts. My total cholesterol also went down.

[@chazwyman8951]

It is almost impossible to sustain a low fat diet, since you are forced to eat more carbohydrates which tend to switch off fat burning and initiate fat storage.

[@amaynard5903]

Indeed, there is fat in every plant food, even lettuce so to go fat free is nigh on impossible. Whole olives and sweet corn are better than their highly processed oils.

[@Brian-Lee]

Very useful, if you are not deaf! For those people reading the text I can imagine they are a little confused with all the wrong words, which crop up quite often.

[@janetwinter3876]

especially the "alcohol"😆😆 (algal!) sources of long chain omega 3!

[@sulj3373]

Very useful since I have to purée vegetables and fruit.

[@emilyhops2566]

I tried high fat, and initially did well, but after 2mnths or so, i put on weight. Prior to, i had been on slimming world, which is more balanced, i suppose. I lost weight and had kept it off for 7yrs, till the pandemic, when i stopped SW and started eating takeaways to cheer me up. I was always concerned with slimming world that the fat free yoghurts were full of sugar though...

[@8brightside8]

24:04 No, cheese does not come from butter. It's made from fermented milk curds. Milk curds are high in protein.

[@debbiehinde7657]

That's what she said

[@8brightside8]

@debbiehinde7657 my comment referred to him incorrectly saying that cheese comes from butter.

[@chazwyman8951]

It's a shame that Tim Specter has dismissed the KETO diet as a "FAD DIET".

[@bruceaitken1901]

What are your thoughts on lard and leaf lard for medium heat cooking?

[@Radarcb329]

She doesn’t account for the fact that soybean and canola oil are produced from GMO plants and as such have weed killer contamination which the EU doesn’t have.

[@philipjones3561]

While not wishing to get into the debate about GMO plants and whether or not glyphosphate causes cancer etc., as a food chemist I feel it is important to point out that even if there were glyphosphate residues in the soya or canola (rapeseed in the UK) beans and seeds, the fact that it is very wter soluble and oil insoluble means that the processing and refining to the final oil removes any possible residual glyphosphate. While I will happily criticise the food industry where it does get things wrong, food oil processing is very effective at removing contaminants. A little media-enhanced knowledge is a dangerous thing. Why no publcation of the risk of water-insoluble, oil-soluble aflatoxins and mycotoxins in food oils, (a much more serious health risk than glyphosphate)? Because the refining gets rid of them, simple as that. The scaremongering extension of glyphosphate risk to refined oils is based on emotion and headlines not science.

[@Radarcb329]

@@philipjones3561 I did not intend to fearmonger and understand your comment because I say the same about much that read. What you describe about solubility was very educational. I agree that processing as you describe can be effective at removing residual glyphosate. However, the true scientific test of that reality is independent assessment of those residuals. I did a little research, not in media reports, but in agricultural chemical engineering discussions about making glyphosate more effective. It appears that surfactants and some other additives are used to keep and help transfer glyphosate into the target plant. I guess the question is whether those hold glyphosate in such a manner that residuals are not reduced in processing, or are those chemicals if not removed just as dangerous to long term health. Glyphosate may not be the worst of herbicides for human health. Perhaps paraquat and agent Orange are worse. We know of 400 people involved in DOD activities in Panama regarding Agent Orange are now receiving major disability because of cancers.

[@sueeverett277]

Glyphosate is commonly used as a pre harvest desiccant on oilseed rape and other crops in UK and elsewhere but I cannot comment on residues in processed oil.

[@BigSlimyBlob]

That's not even the worst problems with those oils. The main problem is, that rancid taste that she describes, it happens before the oils are even bottled. They superheat the oils to burn the rancid taste away, but the oil has already turned bad and the superheating creates toxins on top. It's cancer juice.

[@susanclarke7894]

So much info here and hard for the layman but a very interesting talk. Will listen again to make notes. I was expecting Sarah to mention Rice Bran oil for cooking as I’ve always understood that it is better at high temperatures than olive oil. Am I wasting my money cooking with that?

[@edcooper1422]

What about the role of caloric density?…..what is going to make feel full….a large bowl of steamed broccoli or a teaspoon of olive oil?

[@alickburt3299]

Great podcast so many myths busted and great new information.👍

[@bobdear5160]

Thanks for an excellent video. There was mention of 1 portion of oily fish in your diet but no time period mentioned. I assume this is one portion per week!

[@fannaban]

What about the studies regarding mostly VLDL being the culprit causing vascular problems? (And not total LDL)

[@johnsheehy4192]

Soybean oil is only 25% monounsaturated and 60% polyunsaturated. It is NOT a safe cooking oil. Was Sarah thinking of Peanut oil, which is heavier in mono?

[@mikecolley-]

Awesome Video! I'm not a member of Facebook or Instagram and I do have a question and I don't know where to ask it. Question: How do I find out the best/easiest diet to lose weight (from obesity) in old age? What test or process would give me the answer, which is the best diet FOR MY SPECIFIC BODY FOR ME to use? Great Video, Thanks!

[@sharinaross1865]

Fine Podcast

[@NorfolkArthur]

Useful. Would like to have more about butter. Not quite the same message as in Spoonfed. Also more on cooking with butter would be good. And there was a comment on tinned tuna to effect that it wasn’t strong in omega 3.

[@spchua512]

Dr. Sarah, just curious what you mentioned that some sunflower seeds oil make a good cooking oil, but sunflower seeds oil are 59% Linoleic Acid (polyunsaturated) and below 30% Oleic Acid (monounsaturated), and you continue to said polyunsaturated are bad - are you confusing the audience?

[@mjwilliamsb2676]

That's not exactly what she said - when she talked about sunflower oil, what she said was 'when you start ADDING polyunsaturates...' which I took to mean sunflower mixed with other oils.

[@spchua512]

@@mjwilliamsb2676 You must go and listen again

[@mjwilliamsb2676]

@@spchua512 I might if I have time, but to be honest, I never use sunflower oil for anything at all anyway., have stuck with unfiltered extra virgin olive oil and organic rapeseed oil for years.

[@heqaib]

Interesting video but I think each topic could be covered in more depth. 1) Oily Fish: Dr. Spector’s reservations about fish are more about naturally grown and caught vs. fish farm raised where crowded fish received anti-biotics etc. 2) I was surprised that Dr. Sarah Berry used “average” rather than a more statistically relevant “median.” 3) Oils: There are other oils available: Safflower, Peanut, and Avocado that have high smoke points. 4) Oil consumption can be cut drastically by using a non-stick pan. Hard anodized aluminum is one of the best. The pan should be heated before the oil is added. Then you add a small about of oil, this should coat the pan. Then add the food. Cooking techniques can change oil use and consumption. As Dr. Berry said: “it is all about moderation.”

[@angelarawlins3703]

Non-stick coating, wonder what that does to the digestive system

[@heqaib]

@@angelarawlins3703 Do not use Teflon. Hard Anodized Aluminium is the best. Their are other types but you must be a skillful chef. The best part is it cuts oil consumption but something close to 85-90 %. But again you must learn how to handle your pans. With Hard Anodized you use just enough oil to fill the microscopic gaps in the pan. You must also spread the oil all around the pan. Note: this is a very fast cooking method. Therefore a high smoke point oil is essential. The result is drastically less calories from oil. Note that these pans retain heat so you must learn to turn off the heat before you think the food is cooked & remove the food to a plate to cool. Since the pan retains heat, l add dishwasher soap, cold water & scrub clean with a brush with the soappy water.

[@angelarawlins3703]

I do have a stainless steel fry pan, my other pans are stainless steel.

[@heqaib]

@@angelarawlins3703 I have them too. The frying pans are sitting in my storage room. I use the pots to boil potatoes, make chicken soup from chickens (no powders with added chemicals). Also my pressure cooker is stainless. Better for blending with various tools that can damage non-stick pans. Various stores sell good quality hardwood tools for use in non-stick pans/pots. My motivation was the calorie content in all cooking oils. BTW: I took a hint from Dr. Spector, I splash expensive EVO after cooking when the taste of oil adds to the food.

[@andym4695]

I eat a lot of whole grains (as in steamed kernals) as my carb base, and use unsaturated oils, usually with legumes or low-fat meat. I originally did this because it's cheaper and I'm on a budget, but what I've found is that it's easier to lose weight than with canned soups and other processed stuff.

[@anitachopping]

The countries where large amount to of coconut products tradional had little cardiovascular disease until they started eating a western diet. See Dr Western Price and his research.

[@juliametcalf2660]

I start the day with a spoonful of raw butter .....

[@CoffeebeanerHtx]

As someone in the states, this is my first time hearing about Soybean Oil being a healthy option. It’s not really a regular oil around here. For context I’m in Texas