Where I live we use sunflower oil because sunflowers are growing here while, let’s say, olives – don’t. I suppose Italians would use olive oil as a default variant.
That’s the other thing that is never mentioned in these food debates, people from a place with a given genetics that have adapted to eating specific locally available foods can do poorly eating what is considered healthy elsewhere
And it’s not just genetics that are local. Gut microbes matter a ton for how you digest food, and it’s determined by where you live and what you eat. The immune system matters too, this is why travelers diarrhea is a thing. And that is also diet dependent: one who doesn’t regularly eat seafood will easily catch viral gastrointestinal infections from eating clams for example.
So there is no single global “healthy diet” for everyone, you got to start from what’s available locally and what your people eat, and tweak that as necessary.
AFAIK based on my own myopic experience, they also use seed oils for frying and alike, except from few very specific oil-based sauces and dishes (e.g. cooking garlic).
Then there can easily be some random Italian Chef that will swear seed oil is the devil and it’s turning us gay.
nothing. many countries’ nutritional guidelines recommend consuming sunflower oil, because it’s high-oleic.
Where I live we use sunflower oil because sunflowers are growing here while, let’s say, olives – don’t. I suppose Italians would use olive oil as a default variant.
Olives aren’t a seed oil though
Yes, that’s my point.
That’s the other thing that is never mentioned in these food debates, people from a place with a given genetics that have adapted to eating specific locally available foods can do poorly eating what is considered healthy elsewhere
And it’s not just genetics that are local. Gut microbes matter a ton for how you digest food, and it’s determined by where you live and what you eat. The immune system matters too, this is why travelers diarrhea is a thing. And that is also diet dependent: one who doesn’t regularly eat seafood will easily catch viral gastrointestinal infections from eating clams for example.
So there is no single global “healthy diet” for everyone, you got to start from what’s available locally and what your people eat, and tweak that as necessary.
AFAIK based on my own myopic experience, they also use seed oils for frying and alike, except from few very specific oil-based sauces and dishes (e.g. cooking garlic).
Then there can easily be some random Italian Chef that will swear seed oil is the devil and it’s turning us gay.
Ignore nutritional “guidelines” - look at the nonsensical food pyramid, which even a diabetes doc from 1930 would call bullshit.
What’s largely important with oils is the Omega 3,9,6 balance.
There are other considerations after that (GLA/ALA), but it’s a good place to start.
My therapist gave me shit once for saying that the pyramid was bullshit.
Were they also a dietician?