Jessie Cruz didn’t grow up thinking much about cooking oil. Like many people, she just grabbed whatever bottle was on the shelf. “Vegetable oil was all I knew,” she admits. “It was cheap, easy, and always in the kitchen.”
But when her father suffered a mild heart attack, everything changed. The family suddenly had to rethink their meals, and Jessie—always the one who loved to cook—took it upon herself to learn. She quickly discovered that the oils she had been using might not be doing her family’s health any favors.
“I used to think all oils were basically the same,” Jessie says. “But that couldn’t be further from the truth.”
Her deep dive into heart health led her to a simple but powerful realization: the type of fat you cook with matters. She didn’t need to fear fat entirely—she just had to choose the right kind.
Now, her kitchen staples have changed. Cold-pressed olive oil became a favorite not just for its flavor, but for its abundance of monounsaturated fats that support cardiovascular health. For high-heat cooking, she started using avocado oil, which holds up without breaking down.
Jessie doesn’t pretend to be a nutritionist. What she brings to the table is real-life experience: cooking for a family that loves food, but needs to stay mindful of heart health. And as she puts it, “It’s not about being perfect—it’s about being intentional.”
Her meals are still full of flavor. Her dad still enjoys his Saturday morning breakfasts. But now, they’re made with oils that support, not harm, his heart.
