It’s important that you understand how to use fats. Proper utilization of fats in your diet can increase energy, decrease stress and cravings, and even help you lose body fat while improving the taste of your food. There is more to fats than just eating the good ones and avoiding the bad though.
When cooking fats, it’s important that you keep your fats stable. Cooking oils and meats at high heat actually causes changes in the fats. When oils are repeatedly reused, or heated above their smoke point, they may build up toxic compounds or release them into the air. Many oils and sources of fats also contain powerful antioxidants that can be destroyed by heat or denature over time. It is easy to tell whether a cooking oil has been heated above its smoke point because it starts to smoke and produce an unpleasant odor. It’s best to use the lowest heat needed because damage can occur below the smoke point and you can lose some of those other beneficial nutrients at lower temperatures as well.