I put vegetable oil on everything...

[broccolichick]

Is this normal? I put vegetable oil in everything I eat, including stuff I make (I use the oil in cooking and add more oil to the finished product) and microwaved stuff (I add oil right after taking it out of the microwave).

Is this my body still 'adjusting' to being free of animal products (it's been 11 months now-almost a year yay!)? If I don't put oil on everything, I feel hungry all the time and I start dropping weight.

I guess I don't have many other vegan sources of fat in my diet. I've discovered I'm avocado intolerant (fine cause I hated them anyway), and I'm severely allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. I'm also allergic to sesame seeds. For while I was eating sunflower seeds because I like 'em and I felt I needed a seed in my diet but then eventually the same thing happened to me that happened at 10 with sesame seeds...my mouth was itching, I ignored it. My throat was swelling when I ate them, I ignored it. Then the last couple of times I ate sunflower seeds, I full on vomited. Because as far as I knew I was not allergic to sunflower seeds, I assumed because they were manufactured in the same facility with tree nuts and peanuts. So I got the specialty kind that wasn't manufactured in the same facility as nuts, I still vomited. Now I'm afraid to try any more seeds.

Anyway, bottom line is that the only way I feel full is to put significant amounts of oil on everything, which strikes my boyfriend as bizarre (he always is trying to say negative things about my diet to begin with, namely that if my diet is as restricted as it is, why the heck would I want to voluntarily restrict it further). Is it healthy? Is it normal? Is there some way I can feel full without being a weirdo that puts canola oil on everything?

[Toast]

If you don't eat other types of fat I don't see the problem really. I usually use olive oil or sesame oil but I don't know if those types of oil are healthier than vegetable oil? I just like the taste of them. I need to lose some weight at the minute so I should worry more than you about my fat consumption.:)

[Mojo]

I get a little loosey goosey with the oil too. I think it's because it helps all that natural unprocessed food go down easier. I've been a little concerned lately about how much I splash around, so I've made a small change. Instead of pouring directly from the bottle, which has a big mouth, I use a cruet with a narrow mouth.

[Mr. Sun]

Well, I think there are conflicting reports on how much oil one should consume but at least some studies indicate that high levels of olive oil can be part of a healthy diet:


They also note that there are clear benefits in combining several of the key components, for example high consumption of vegetables and olive oil.

Professor Trichopoulou, lead author of the study, concludes that the main reasons why the Mediterranean diet can lead to living longer are moderate consumption of ethanol (mostly in the form of wine during meals, as traditionally done in the Mediterranean countries), low consumption of meat and meat products, and high consumption of vegetables, fruits and nuts, olive oil and legumes.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090624093353.htm

I don't know how olive oil and canola oil compare but I'd avoid anything that was genetically modified.

I don't use a lot of oil but I do try to remember to put about 1-2 tablespoons of flax oil on a meal per day.

[PlaybackGuru]

Just so you know, you are far from normal. :lol:

[Angelik]

Since you can't eat nuts or avocado, I don't see a problem with using oil as a fat supplement. Your body has to have it, and it is probably healthier for you to get it that way than to eat a bunch of chips, sweets, etc. I envy your problem, by the way. :)

[animallover7249]

Since you can't eat nuts or avocado, I don't see a problem with using oil as a fat supplement. Your body has to have it, and it is probably healthier for you to get it that way than to eat a bunch of chips, sweets, etc.

:yes:

[broccolichick]

Just so you know, you are far from normal. :lol:

Ha. Probably.

[hoodedclawjen]

i think it might be worth taking this to a nutritionist.

[broccolichick]

i think it might be worth taking this to a nutritionist.

I really want to go to a nutritionist and will try to set up an appointment at a hospital I'm familiar with in Manhattan. Problem is trying to find the hospital, because I don't want to go to a nutritionist in my neighborhood (Harlem) because a lot of them are very ignorant about vegan nutrition. I wouldn't be surprised if it was recommended I start eating animal products. I get very upset when I have to get defensive about my diet with people. But I do have at least one hospital in mind.

[penny79]

I think it's worth measuring and putting your diet into fitday or a similar program so you can figure out how many calories from fat you are eating. Even just eating fruit (no avocado or coconut) and green leafys, you get 5% of calories from fat. That's whole foods. Oils are refined. Tofu is about 50% of calories from fat.

If you have a meal with tofu and broccoli and you add oil, that's a pretty high fat meal. Make the bulk of your calories from whole vegetables and fruit. Not fats and other refined or processed items (including water removal/cooking).

[broccolichick]

Penny79,

Tofu is like a twice a week treat (if I'm not on a Tofurkey sandwich binge, which I'm currently on right now). I mainly eat beans and lentils for the protein heavy stuff. Tonight for dinner I'm having black-eyed peas with brown rice and collard greens. I do however wonder how much fat I'm eating and if it would be easy to compute. I am not gaining weight. I consider I eat enough fat/calories if I'm able to maintain my weight. I'm 5'5 and 124 lbs after nearly a year and a half of being vegetarian. That puts me at a BMI of 20.6. If I eat less or stop adding oil to my food I begin to lose weight. Rapidly. My average weight as an omnivore was 135 lbs.

[penny79]

Well, your percentage of fat from calories does matter because you could be a seemingly healthy weight but have too high percentage of stored fat, for example, and this fat will surround your organs, hide your muscle, could be unslightly deposits, etc. There are thin people who have a lot of fat and little muscle. I'm sure you've seen it. I'm not saying this is you; I'm just saying be mindful of how much fat you're eating.

If you're eating grains and legumes in addition to the vegetables, those are higher in calories and will bring your percentage of fat from calories down even if you add oil. But for example, if you had a spinach salad with tomatoes, those two items are so low in calories that if you add salad dressing, you could have a meal that's 80% of calories from fat.

[penny79]

Some people go lower in fat on their diet (which is good because the oils are not omega-balanced and leaves room for more nutrition from healthy, whole foods), and drop weight rapidly (because they need to lose fat), and then gradually gain it back in muscle, which is healthy, in my opinion. Do you exercise?

[broccolichick]

I'm not saying this is you; I'm just saying be mindful of how much fat you're eating.


Well, there doesn't seem to be very much I can do about it. Either I continue to eat as much fat as I've been eating or I get scarily skinny and be hungry and cranky all the time. The latter doesn't seem to be very much of an option.

[penny79]

Maybe lift some weights and you won't be skinny?.....

[broccolichick]

Some people go lower in fat on their diet (which is good because the oils are not omega-balanced and leaves room for more nutrition from healthy, whole foods), and drop weight rapidly (because they need to lose fat), and then gradually gain it back in muscle, which is healthy, in my opinion. Do you exercise?

I walk long distances regularly and I work on my feet, so I'm very active and in shape. That's another thing. When I don't put oil in my food regularly I find I feel weaker walking up the stairs or if I have to stay long at work.

[broccolichick]

Maybe lift some weights and you won't be skinny?.....

The problem is not that I do not have muscle mass, but it's not desirable for myself personally to be hungry all the time, have a BMI of less than 20.5, etc.

I do not desire to lose any more body fat, I've already shaved a good eleven pounds off my omni weight. I just will not like the way I look and neither will anyone around me if I lose any more body fat.

[penny79]

Yeah, do whatever you want, but I thought you wanted to evaluate your diet with this thread and perhaps improve upon it. Certainly there are nutritious foods you can be eating that aren't fatty, heated, and refined/not whole that provide calories/energy. Personally, I haven't had oil in ages and I run and do stairs every day. I've never heard anyone claim that oil gave them energy or they were weak without it. Our cells are fueled by carbs. I think this is mostly mental - what would you have done before all of these refining and bottling processes were invented and there were no oils to purchase? Obviously, a person going from 45% of calories from fat, for example, usually can't go down to 15 overnight - they need to wean themselves off of that high-fat diet and will experience detox symptoms. But I'd certainly reach for 20% of calories from fat or less for better health and more nutrition, and not to have a crutch such as "I need oil" - I'd rather be sayin, "I need apples." ;)

[Paradox]

If you're not cooking the oil at least take advantage of that by using a decent tasting oil such as EV-olive rather than rapeseed.

[happiness1535]

Penny79, it is not true that dietary fat automatically increases stored fat more than other calories. Eating too many calories from any source can result in fat storage.
Plus, the authors of Becoming Vegan (Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis) favor getting 25% of calories from fat. Also, Mediterranean people have eaten even higher percentages and been healthy.
Of course, some cultures have eaten below 20% and been very healthy, so if your low fat diet works for you, there is no problem.

Broccolichik, What matters most is the type of fat. Please stick with canola, flax, or olive oil. Please do not ever switch to soybean oil, sunflower oil , cottonseed oil,etc. They are very high omega-6 fat, which can cause problems if out of balance with omega-3 fats. Whole soy foods and sunflower seeds have other nutrients to justify their omega-6 contribution (though especially sunflower seeds should be kept moderate), but the oils do not.

Flax is especially rich in omega-3 fats (and if you can get it, Spectrum makes one fortified with DHA, a long chain omega-3 fat). Canola also has omega-3s as well, and Crisco canola is fortified with DHA.

So, I would probably use these oils the most. However, olive oil, while low in omega-3s, has other beneficial properties and tastes good. So, it can be included too.

Do you eat olives? If so, they can be a very tasty addition to dishes, especially if you can find and afford some fancier olives.

Becoming Vegan by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis is a very scholarly book and is great for anyone interested in the details of vegan nutrition.

[broccolichick]

Yeah, do whatever you want, but I thought you wanted to evaluate your diet with this thread and perhaps improve upon it. Certainly there are nutritious foods you can be eating that aren't fatty, heated, and refined/not whole that provide calories/energy. Personally, I haven't had oil in ages and I run and do stairs every day. I've never heard anyone claim that oil gave them energy or they were weak without it. Our cells are fueled by carbs. I think this is mostly mental - what would you have done before all of these refining and bottling processes were invented and there were no oils to purchase? Obviously, a person going from 45% of calories from fat, for example, usually can't go down to 15 overnight - they need to wean themselves off of that high-fat diet and will experience detox symptoms. But I'd certainly reach for 20% of calories from fat or less for better health and more nutrition, and not to have a crutch such as "I need oil" - I'd rather be sayin, "I need apples." ;)

I don't think you get it...It's not really a fat thing, (I'm assuming), it's a calorie thing. Because I just don't have many calorie dense vegan foods at my disposal with my allergies. Many people often claim they feel weak and/or tired when they first go vegan and the first thing people recommend is that they eat avocados, nuts, and/or seeds. Well, I can't eat those things. I'm assuming I'm weak when I don't put oil in my food for the same reason I'm hungry when I don't put oil in my food. I plain don't have enough calorie dense food in my diet.

If the worst thing I have to do is add oil to everything, I can live with it. I just wondered how anyone else with similar dietary restrictions would handle it.

[animallover7249]

Penny, you do realize that everyone's needs are different, right? Just because YOU haven't had oil in ages, doesn't mean other people shouldn't eat it.

Broccoli, I hope you can get to a nutritionist you like, soon! Until then I would eat however makes you feel more full and energized, and just try to get a variety of different healthy foods into your diet.

[penny79]

Penny79, it is not true that dietary fat automatically increases stored fat more than other calories.


Thank you. I didn't say it did.

[penny79]

Penny, you do realize that everyone's needs are different, right? Just because YOU haven't had oil in ages, doesn't mean other people shouldn't eat it.

Broccoli, I hope you can get to a nutritionist you like, soon! Until then I would eat however makes you feel more full and energized, and just try to get a variety of different healthy foods into your diet.

Right.....everyone has different fat needs, but NO ONE needs refined "foods."