Feinsinger Argues Oils Cause Heart Disease in Glenwood Springs

Glenwood Springs —The air in the valley hangs heavy with summer heat, baking the pavement along I-70 as it cuts through the high desert landscape. In Glenwood Springs, the sun beats down on the asphalt, a constant reminder of the environment locals navigate daily. It’s a backdrop where every calorie counts, and where dietary habits often mirror the broader national trends that Feinsinger dissects in a new column for the Post Independent.

The piece opens with a hard number: 120 calories. That is the caloric load in a single tablespoon of any oil. For context, fat packs 9 calories per gram, while protein and carbohydrates only manage 4. Oils are processed, not whole foods. Processing strips away nutrients, leaving behind a calorie-dense substance that offers little else to the body. Feinsinger argues that because fat is addictive, food companies load their products with oils, salt, and sugar to drive profits. The result is a diet that feels satisfying but leaves the body running on empty fuel.

The column challenges the widespread reverence for the Mediterranean diet. Many experts tout it as healthy compared to the Standard American Diet, largely because it swaps butter for olive and canola oils. Feinsinger contends that this is a misattribution of cause and effect. The health benefits associated with the Mediterranean lifestyle stem from its heavy reliance on plant-based foods — fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds — not the oils used to prepare them. People following that diet still suffer from heart attacks and strokes, conditions that are rare among those adhering to a whole-food, plant-based diet with no added oil.

Let’s do the math on why oils are problematic beyond their calorie count. Feinsinger lists several physiological mechanisms at play:

• Vegetable oil causes inflammation in the endothelial lining of arteries, leading to plaque buildup and eventual rupture.
• Lab studies show oils cause healthy, supple arteries to stiffen and constrict.
• Oils are absorbed rapidly and stored immediately as body fat. Dr. Joel Fuhrman, author of Eat to Live, describes this process as taking "two minutes from lips to hips."
• All oils contain saturated fat, which prompts the liver to produce more LDL cholesterol. Canola oil has 7% saturated fat, olive oil has 15%, and coconut oil tops the list at 93%. Feinsinger notes that the internet hype around coconut products is largely driven by those selling them.
• When oils reach their smoke point, such as when cooking pancakes in an oiled pan, carcinogens form.

The imbalance of fatty acids is another critical factor. The optimal omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in human blood is 1-to-1 or 2-to-1. Most Americans sit at a ratio of 10-to-1 to 30-to-1, driven primarily by added oils. This abnormal ratio contributes to inflammation, depression, heart disease, and diabetes.

On paper, cooking without oil seems difficult. In practice, it’s straightforward. For a vegetable stir-fry, turn the heat down and use water, soy sauce, sherry, wine, vinegar, or low-sodium vegetable broth instead of oil. If a baking recipe calls for oil, substitute ground flaxseed or unsweetened applesauce. Salad dressings can be made without oil, and a trip to a Chinese restaurant for a stir-fry often yields far more calories than expected due to the oil content.

The practical impact for locals is a shift in how they view their daily meals. It’s not about deprivation; it’s about recognizing that the convenience of a drizzle of oil comes with a metabolic cost. The column doesn’t just list drawbacks; it offers replacements that keep the flavor but cut the hidden risks. For folks in the valley, where access to whole foods is a priority for many, this data provides a clear framework for evaluating what ends up on the plate. The cost isn’t just in dollars, but in long-term health metrics that affect quality of life.