A Healthy Way to Build MyPyramid with Oils¹

Claudia Peñuela²

Oils are not considered a food group but a segment on MyPyramid. Most oils contain unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E that have health benefits. Oils can come from vegetables, nuts, and some types of fish. No foods from plants sources contain cholesterol. Also, nuts, avocado, and oils derived from canola, corn, and olive, do not contain any cholesterol, and are low in saturated fats. These do not include solid fats. Solid fats are part of the discretionary calories portion near the top of MyPyramid and we should limit our consumption of these.

Oils vs. Solid Fats

Both oils and solid fats are a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Oils found in fish, nuts, and vegetables oils are high in unsaturated fats. Only tropical oils (palm kernel and coconut) are the exception and are considered solid fats.

Solid fats, found in butter, stick margarine, and lard, contain more saturated fats. Saturated fats come from animal sources, but also are found in tropical oils, and hydrogenated vegetables oils. Hydrogenated oils are used in baked foods and snacks. The hydrogenation process form trans fats. Trans fats and saturated fats raise the "bad" cholesterol, Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), and increase the risk of heart disease.

Daily Allowance of Oils

Since a certain amount of oil is already present in many foods, it is usually not needed to add oil to your diet. However, MyPyramid allows between 3 to 11 teaspoons of oils per day, depending on age, sex, and level of physical activity.

Go to http://mypyramid.gov to create your personal plan.

Daily allowances are shown in Table 1 for people who get less than 30 minutes each day of moderate physical activity.

Table 1.

	Age (Years)	Teaspoons
Children	2-3	3
	4-8	4
Girl	9-13	5
	14-18	5
Boy	9-13	5
	14-18	6
Women	19-30	6
	31-50	5
	51+	5
Men	19-30	7
	31-50	6
	51+	6

What does "one teaspoon of oil" mean?

1 teaspoon (tsp) of vegetable oil

1/3 oz. of most nuts

1 1/2 teaspoons of peanut butter

8 large olives

Common portions are listed in Table 2:

Table 2.

Common Portions of Oils/Foods with Oils
Food	Amount of Food	Amount of Oil (tsp)	Calories from Oil	Total Calories
Vegetable oil	1 Tbsp	3	120	120
Margarine, soft	1 Tbsp	2 ½	100	100
Mayonnaise	1 Tbsp	2 ½	100	100
Italian dressing	2 Tbsp	2	75	85
Avocado	½ med	3	130	160
Peanut butter	2 Tbsp	4	140	190
Nuts	1 oz.	3-4	115-160	165-185
Sunflower seeds	1 oz.	3	120	165

What is in the Oil Section?

Unsaturated fatty acids found in fish, nuts and vegetables oils do not raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels in the blood. They help the body absorb and transport certain vitamins.

Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFAS) contain essential fatty acids necessary for the body. For example, some fish contain a polyunsaturated fatty acid called Omega-3, known for its heart benefits.

Vitamin E is found in sunflower seeds, almonds, and hazelnuts. Vitamin E acts an antioxidant protecting vitamin A and essential fatty acids from being oxidized or destroyed by cells.

Caution! A tablespoon of solid fat or oil contains 120 calories. You should be aware of the "hidden" oils you consume when eating mayonnaise, salad dressing, nuts, and seeds. Remember to consider the type of fats you are eating. Saturated fats and trans fats may increase "bad" cholesterol levels in the blood LDL, which may increase the risk of coronary heart disease.

Tips to Eat Healthy Oils

Include in your diet fish such as salmon, trout, and herring to get the Omega-3 essential fatty acids.
Use oils high in unsaturated fats such as canola, corn, olive, peanut, soybeans, and sunflower.
Use walnut or sesame oil to add flavor to dishes.
Read the label and choose foods low in saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol.

References

United States Department of Agriculture, MyPyramid.gov. MyPyramid Basics [Online]. Available at http://www.mypyramid.gov/

United States Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. Dietary Guidelines for Americans [Online]. Available at http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm

Footnotes

This document is FCS8919, one of a series of the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date August 2010. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

Claudia Peñuela, EFNEP assistant in nutrition; Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences; Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences; University of Florida; Gainesville 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, Dean.

A Healthy Way to Build MyPyramid with Oils1