Which Cooking Oils Should You Be Using?

Summary

Chasing Life: Which Cooking Oils Should You Be Using?

Host: Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Release Date: March 25, 2025
Podcast: Chasing Life by CNN

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Introduction

In this episode of Chasing Life, Dr. Sanjay Gupta addresses pressing health questions from listeners, focusing on the impact of different cooking oils on cholesterol levels and the commonly held belief about daily water intake. Through expert insights and evidence-based discussions, Dr. Gupta provides listeners with actionable information to make informed health decisions.

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Understanding Cooking Oils and Cholesterol

Listener Question:
Will from Passaic, New Jersey asks which cooking oils are the worst for your cholesterol and which ones help lower your bad cholesterol.
[00:17]

Dr. Gupta's Response:
Dr. Gupta delves into the debate between seed oils and animal fats, emphasizing the distinction between saturated and unsaturated fats. He explains that saturated fats are prevalent in tropical oils like coconut and palm oil, as well as in animal products such as butter and beef tallow. Historically, saturated fats were commonly used until research in the mid-20th century linked them to elevated cholesterol levels and heart disease, prompting a shift towards plant-based and seed oils.

Key Points:

• Seed Oils vs. Saturated Fats: Seed oils (e.g., canola, avocado, olive, sesame, soybean, peanut) are generally lower in saturated fats compared to animal fats and tropical oils.
• Health Implications: Excessive consumption of saturated fats is associated with increased LDL (bad) cholesterol, which can lead to heart disease. In contrast, replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats may reduce heart disease risk.

Notable Quote:
"Consuming too many saturated fats does increase the risk of heart disease... replacing those saturated fats with unsaturated fats is going to be better for your heart."
– Dr. Sanjay Gupta [00:30]

Dr. Gupta cites a large-scale study tracking around 220,000 individuals over 30 years, revealing a 15% decrease in overall mortality when unsaturated fats replaced saturated fats. Conversely, there was a 16% increase in mortality linked to higher saturated fat consumption.

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The Coconut Oil Conundrum

Listener Follow-Up:
Kira, one of the producers, inquires about the health implications of using coconut oil.
[02:23]

Dr. Gupta's Insights:
While coconut oil has gained popularity as a "healthy" alternative, Dr. Gupta advises moderation due to its high saturated fat and calorie content. He acknowledges potential benefits, such as raising HDL (good) cholesterol, attributed to its lauric acid and medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). However, he cautions that these benefits must be weighed against the risks associated with high saturated fat intake.

Key Points:

• Nutritional Content: Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid and MCTs, which can be beneficial in moderating cholesterol levels.
• Usage Recommendation: Due to its high calorie and saturated fat content, coconut oil should be used sparingly and not as a primary cooking oil.

Notable Quote:
"When you have a lot of calories and a lot of saturated fat, you have to think about using the coconut oil sparingly."
– Dr. Sanjay Gupta [02:39]

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Debunking the "Eight Glasses a Day" Water Myth

Listener Question:
Jennifer, another producer, questions the validity of the "eight glasses of water a day" guideline.
[04:44]

Dr. Gupta's Explanation:
Dr. Gupta clarifies that while the "eight glasses a day" rule isn't a myth, it serves as a general guideline rather than a strict requirement. Individual hydration needs vary based on factors like body size, activity level, climate, and overall health. He outlines that women typically require 8-10 cups (64-80 ounces) of water daily, while men may need 10-12 cups. Importantly, hydration isn't solely dependent on water intake; beverages like coffee, tea, and flavored waters contribute to daily hydration, whereas sugary drinks do not.

Key Points:

• Personalized Hydration Needs: Factors such as climate, physical activity, and health status influence individual water requirements.
• Sources of Hydration: Diverse beverages and water-rich foods (e.g., watermelons, cucumbers, oranges) contribute to overall hydration.
• Hydration Benefits: Proper hydration supports bodily functions, including blood pressure regulation, kidney function, joint health, and cognitive performance.

Notable Quotes:
"It's not necessarily a myth, but many of these guidances and recommendations are not set in stone either."
– Dr. Sanjay Gupta [04:59]

"Just being 2% dehydrated may affect how you perform in those areas."
– Dr. Sanjay Gupta [05:15]

Hydration Tips Provided by Dr. Gupta:

1. Start Your Day with Water: Keep a glass next to your bed to hydrate first thing in the morning.
2. Habit Stacking: Associate drinking water with regular activities, such as waiting for coffee or walking the dog.
3. Eat Water-Rich Foods: Incorporate fruits and vegetables with high water content into your diet.
4. Use a Large Water Bottle: Track intake by filling a large bottle and sipping throughout the day.
5. Listen to Your Body: Recognize signs of dehydration like thirst, fatigue, and headaches, and respond promptly.

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Conclusion

In this episode, Dr. Sanjay Gupta offers valuable insights into making healthier choices regarding cooking oils and hydration. By understanding the differences between saturated and unsaturated fats, consumers can make informed decisions to support heart health. Additionally, personalized hydration strategies can enhance overall well-being and cognitive function. Dr. Gupta's evidence-based approach empowers listeners to Chase Life with informed health practices.

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Contact and Further Information:
Listeners are encouraged to submit their health questions via voice memos, email (asksanjaynn.com), or phone [phone]) for future episodes. The Chasing Life podcast is supported by a dedicated production team and is part of CNN Audio's offerings.

Transcript

[A]

Welcome to Paging Dr. Gupta. This is the podcast where I get to answer your health questions and they drive the conversation. Let's see what's on your mind today. Kira, one of our producers is here. Who do we have first?

[B]

Hey, Sanjay. So Will from Passaic, New Jersey asks which cooking oils are the worst for your cholesterol and increase those levels and which ones actually help lower your bad cholesterol.

[A]

Alright, this has been a topic that's been in the news quite a bit lately. Seed oils versus animal fats. Couple things to keep in mind. Saturated fats, and these are typically going to be made of the tropical fats such as coconut and palm tree, but also butter and beef tallow. Lots of saturated fats in there. Saturated fats was something that we used to cook with a lot up until the middle of the last century when it became clear that they were more likely to elevate your cholesterol and were associated with heart disease. That is when we started to move more and more towards plant based fats and seed oils. Those are things like canola oil and avocado oil and olive oil, but also sesame oil, soybean oil, peanut oil. You get the idea. Those are generally going to be lower in saturated fats. Now there's no question that seed oils are heavily processed. They can be pro inflammatory and sometimes when they degrade or decompose, they may give off other chemicals as well. And that's been sort of the concern about those. But again, keep in mind, they are typically much lower in saturated fat. So will, what decades of research has shown us is that consuming too many saturated fats does increase the risk of heart disease. LDL cholesterol, often referred to as bad cholesterol, that can build up in the blood vessels as well. So replacing those saturated fats with unsaturated fats is going to be better for your heart. In fact, there was this large study following around 220,000 people over 30 years that found about a 15% decrease in mortality overall if you substituted unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats. And actually an increase in about 16% when it comes to mortality when you're eating more of those saturated fats.

[B]

Okay, wait, but what about coconut oil? Because I feel like people are always calling it this, you know, healthy alternative and I feel healthy when I'm using it. But if it's packed with saturated fat, should we not be cooking with it?

[A]

Yeah, look, when it comes to coconut oil, Kira, keep this in mind. It's a lot of calories and it's a lot of saturated fat. It may have some potential benefits like actually raising your hdl. That's the good cholesterol. That's because of something known as its lauric acid content. There's also a lot of what are known as mcts, medium chain triglycerides in coconut oil. And that can be helpful as well. But you know, when you have a lot of calories and a lot of saturated fat, you have to think about using the coconut oil sparingly. So it's not going to be necessarily the healthiest option when it comes to oils that are higher in unsaturated fats. Okay, now you've probably heard it a thousand times. Drink eight glasses of water a day. But is that really the magic number or is that a myth? We'll get into it after the break.

[C]

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[A]

And we're on to the next page. Kira, what's the question?

[B]

Actually, Sanjay, one of our other producers, Jennifer, had a really great question and was wondering, how much water should we actually drink each day? Is the eight glasses a day rule true? A myth? What should we be aiming for?

[A]

Yeah, it's amazing how many people ask this question on a regular basis. The eight glasses a day rule. It's not necessarily a myth, but many of these guidances and recommendations are not set in stone either. The number is sort of a rough estimate based on average needs. Some people need more, some people need less. Depends on your size. Depends on what you've been doing that day. But in General, women about 8, 10 cups a day. That's 64, 80 ounces. Men, about 1012 cups a day. But again, factors like climate, your activity level, if you've been sick, your personal health, all those things play a role. Now the larger question probably is why does hydration matter so much? Think of it like this. About 60% of your body is made of water. It plays a role in keeping all of your body systems working well. Everything from blood pressure to kidney function to joint health, to your brain health as well. Just a 2% decrease in hydration can affect your cognitive abilities. Think about that the next time you're going into an important meeting or taking a test. Just being 2% dehydrated may affect how well you perform in those areas. Now, I do want to point out, when it comes to hydrating yourself, it's not just water that will contribute to that daily intake. Coffee, tea, sparkling water, seltzers, flavored waters, those are all really good, low calorie choices. Sugary drinks like regular sodas, energy drinks, sweetened waters, things like that, they don't have any nutritional value, so they should be avoided. Now, something to note, and I think this is really important. Dehydration sneaks up on you. And what that means is by the time you're thirsty, you're probably already dehydrated. So you really need to stay ahead of it. It's better to sip throughout the day rather than occasionally gulp down some water. If you struggle with trying to get the recommended water intake, here are a couple of tips that I incorporate into my own life. Start your day with water. You've just been sleeping. You've probably gone without water for several hours, so keep a glass next to your bed so you can hydrate. First thing, try to attach drinking a full glass of water to other key routines you do. That's called habit stacking. So drink a glass of water while you wait for your coffee, while you walk your dog, while you heat up your food. Also, don't forget to eat water. Rich fruits and veggies like watermelons, cucumbers and oranges, that helps as well. And if you struggle to know exactly how much water you're drinking, try filling a large bottle like a 32 ounce bottle in the morning, and then sip from that throughout the day. That helps you keep track. But really keeping that water next to your bed, making sure it's the first thing you reach for in the morning, that goes a long way. And at the end of the day, listen to your body. If you're thirsty, if you feel fatigued, if you feel a headache coming on, it's probably a component of dehydration and, and that means it's time for a water break. Okay, that's all we got for today's episode. But if you have a health question on your mind, I want to hear it. Record a voice memo, email it to asksanjaynn.com or give us a call 470-396-0832 and leave a message. Thanks for listening. I'll be back next Tuesday. Chasing Life is a production of CNN Audio. Our podcast is produced by Aaron Mathewson, Jennifer Lai, Grace Walker, Lori Galleretta, Jesse Remedios, Sophia Sanchez and Kyra Daring. Andrea Cain is our medical writer. Our senior producer is Dan Bloom. Amanda Seely is our showrunner. Dan Dezulla is our technical director. And the executive producer of CNN Audio is Steve Lichti with support from Jamis Andrest, John Dianora, Haley Thomas, Alex Manasseri, Robert Mathers, Lainey Steinhardt, Nicole Pesaru and Lisa Namoro. Special thanks to Ben Tinker and Nadia Kanang of CNN Health and Katie Hinman.

[D]

This week on THE Assignment with me, Adie Cornish. Right now, the biggest sports story is off the court. Young people, once the bit players in the NCAA's $1.4 billion game are are getting a slice of the pie. So with March Madness, we're digging into nil. Who's winning, who's losing and who's calling the shots? And what does it mean for the idea of amateur sports? Listen to the Assignment with me, Audie Cornish. Streaming now on your favorite podcast. Apparently.