Fats & Oils

Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil and ghee are widely used for cooking because they remain relatively stable at moderate to high temperatures. Avocado oil has one of the highest smoke points at around 270°C, while extra virgin olive oil sits near 190 to 210°C and is rich in monounsaturated oleic acid and polyphenols. For high-heat searing, refined oils and animal fats like tallow or duck fat hold up better than delicate seed oils.

Saturated fats have no double bonds in their carbon chain and are typically solid at room temperature, like butter, coconut oil and lard. Unsaturated fats contain one or more double bonds and stay liquid, including olive oil (monounsaturated) and sunflower or flaxseed oil (polyunsaturated). Polyunsaturated fats include the essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which the body cannot synthesize and must obtain from food.

Fats are the cornerstone of a ketogenic diet, typically supplying 70 to 80 percent of daily calories. Butter, ghee, MCT oil, coconut oil, olive oil and animal fats are all keto-friendly because they contain essentially zero carbohydrates and do not raise blood glucose. MCT oil in particular is metabolized directly into ketones, which is why it is popular among people following strict low-carb protocols.

One tablespoon of pure oil — whether olive, sunflower, coconut or avocado — contains about 120 kilocalories and 13 to 14 grams of fat. Butter is slightly lower at roughly 100 kcal per tablespoon because it contains around 80 percent fat plus water and milk solids. Ghee, with the water removed, returns to about 120 kcal per tablespoon.