According to family physician andNew York Timesbestselling authorCate Shanahan, M.D., the answer is a resounding yes.

During amindbodygreen podcast episode, Shanahan says, “I think vegetable oils are the No.

1 cause of health problems in this country.”

Abby Moore

Which vegetable oils may need to be avoided?

Over time, PUFA becomes stored in the body fat, which maylead to inflammation2.

So, which cooking fats are better?

“For all foods, we have to consider the nature of the fats,” Shanahan says.

Traditional added fats, like butter, are closer to whole foods than refined oils are.

The same can be said of olive oil,coconut oil, andavocado oilwhen they’re cold-pressed and unrefined.

Bottom line.

Not all fats or cooking oils are unhealthy.

In fact, in their natural and unrefined state,fats can be healthy.