Consuming and Cooking with Oils? The Toxic Truth About a Common Habit with Udo Erasmus

May 29, 2023

There’s nothing more important than taking care of our bodies. But when everyday activities like cooking (yes – cooking) in our kitchens have the potential to be harmful, we must listen and learn how to form better, and healthier habits. (Trust me – so much in this conversation came as a BIG shock to me!) That’s why we’re thrilled to welcome Udo Erasmus for a mindblowing episode of Lift U Up: Inspiring Health Stories to educate us about the healthy and harmful fats we’re consuming, and the damaging practice most of us are using in our kitchens. As a leader in a billion dollar industry, Udo is a co-founder, author, health and wellness educator who is passionate about helping us all take our health into our own hands one fat at a time. 

Finding Safety

Udo Erasmus starts our conversation with his childhood when he was born in Poland. He was only two years old when World War II started, and many of his earliest memories were during his years as a refugee. He says he always felt unsafe, was constantly moved from his home, and even was separated from his family. After the war, Udo could not shake that anxious feeling that living as a refugee caused, and found his own safety another way. Udo focused on reading books and studying to understand more about the world. The more he could understand the way things worked, the better he felt. He studied science, biology, psychology, medicine, and health. 

Diving In

Udo had decades of research experience and a passion for science, and ultimately found his niche after a personal health scare. He took a job as a pesticide sprayer in his 30s, but after only three short years on the job, he was diagnosed with pesticide poisoning. After a doctor told him there was nothing they could do, Udo realized that his health was solely his responsibility. He got back to his roots, and dove into research on how he could heal his body and calm his symptoms. The more contradicting information he found, the deeper he dove into the research. One contradiction included studies that claimed omega-3 fatty acids were harmful, while others claimed them to be healthy. Udo needed to get to the bottom of what the fat actually could do for our bodies. 

Fats that Heal

Udo dedicated his time to understanding how oils get processed and what part of that process makes the oil no longer safe for us to consume. In the 1980s, he developed machinery for making oils with health in mind (not just profit – like he says other big brands did) and pioneered flax oil, a billion dollar industry. He traveled around the country, worked all day and night, and loved every second of the work he got to do to help people live healthier lives. When you cook with standard oils, Udo explains that the high temperatures turn that oil to smoke and it becomes harmful. He shares that we are underestimating the damage we’re doing when we continue to use oil in this way – cooking it, frying it, and ingesting it.

What’s best for the body? Udo says, whole, raw, organic, and mostly plant-based lifestyles. 

What else can you expect in this episode?

  • The symptoms Udo experienced with pesticide poisoning.
  • Why 99% of the population doesn’t get enough omega-3 fatty acids.
  • The benefits of omega-3, and why women especially need a reliable source of healthy fatty acids for their health and the health of their children.
  • What are the fats that heal, and what makes Udo’s products different.
  • Why frying is (or should be) out.
  • Udo’s health tip on stillness.

Where to find Udo Erasmus: