"If you think about how [oils are] produced, you will see that they are also processed foods," explained Engman. Olives, avocados, peanuts, or coconuts are processed, taking away the water and the fibre, and leaving the pure fat. "Per pound, oils are the highest-calorie food there is," she said, and Saint-Laurent Beaucejour added that, "two tablespoons of peanut butter is 190 calories and one tablespoon of olive oil is 119 calories."
Engman and Dr. McDougall agree that in order to get the nutritional benefits of the healthy fats, which include antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fibre, you should eat plant-based, high-fat foods in their whole-food form. Saint-Laurent Beaucejour added that plant fats also promote satiety, so she agrees with Dr. McDougall to watch your portion sizes. She also said that coconut oil should be eaten in small amounts since it's a saturated fat, which has been linked to heart disease compared to other plant oils, which are unsaturated fats.