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Contrary to popular belief, the words ‘healthy’ and ‘oil’ can actually go together. There are so many options but do you know what’s the best cooking oil? Read on to learn more about the healthiest ones.
Olive oil
Olive oil is the greatest source of monosaturated fat. Olive oil is 100% natural and preserves the aroma, taste, properties, and vitamins of the olive fruit. Unlike other oils, olive oil can be consumed as it is, that is, freshly pressed from the olive fruit.
Types of olive oil
There are four varieties of olive oil:
Extra virgin – The oil that is derived from the first pressing of the olive fruit is referred to as extra virgin olive oil. This type of olive oil is extracted without using any chemicals or heat and contains no added flavors. In other words, extra virgin olive oil is closest to its natural state, that is, olive fruit.
Virgin – The oil derived from the second pressing of the olive fruit is referred to as virgin olive oil.
Pure – This type of oil involves some processing such as filtering and refining. In many countries including the U.S., pure olive oil is labeled as ‘olive oil’.
Extra light – This type of oil undergoes the maximum processing, and that is why extra light olive oil only retains a very mild olive flavor.
The closer the olive oil is to its natural state, the more beneficial it is for health. That is why it is always best to use extra virgin olive oil, as it contains the highest number of antioxidants such as vitamin E and phenols.
Health benefits of olive oil
Various studies show that olive oil offers protection against cardiovascular disease as it controls Low Density Lipoprotein (commonly referred to as “bad” cholesterol) and increases High Density Lipoprotein cholesterol (commonly referred to as “good” cholesterol) levels in the blood.
Olive oil also offers protection against gastritis and ulcers since it activates the production of bile and pancreatic hormones, which help in reducing the frequency of gallstone formation.
Olive oil contains:
A tablespoon of olive oil includes 14% saturated fat, 12% polyunsaturated fat, and 74% mono unsaturated fats.
Precautions:
Olive oil has a low smoke point, so make sure you do not use olive oil for any recipe that calls for deep frying over a high heat. Plain olive oil will smoke less than virgin olive oils. The 250°F-325°F range is a safe guideline when heating food in olive oil. Smoke resulting from frying over high heat is never good, and olive oil decomposes under extreme heat. This results in dangerous molecules replacing natural antioxidants. The value of olive oil can be compromised, because, when overheated, the oil releases carcionogenic free radicals.
So the next time you think about cooking with olive oil, do not hesitate: Just remember not to turn up the heat too high.
Flaxseed oil
As the name suggests, flaxseed oil is derived from flaxseeds. Various studies confirm that flaxseed oil is a very good source of Omega-3 and Omega-9 essential fatty acids. Flaxseed oil is also rich in protein, dietary fiber, Vitamin B6, manganese, magnesium, folate, zinc, phosphorous, copper, lecithin, and lignan.
Health benefits of flaxseed oil
Flaxseeds are good for nearly all the systems in our body including the immune system, nervous system, and the cardiovascular system. Owing to its all-round health beneficial properties, flaxseeds are regarded as a very important health-supporting supplement.
Flaxseed oil is one of the most important sources of lignan, a compound that helps cure breast and colon cancer. Additionally, flaxseed oil provides protection against cardiovascular disease, as it helps in reducing cholesterol levels and controlling blood pressure.
The dietary fiber present in flaxseed oil provides relief from constipation. Another health benefit of flaxseed oil is that it helps ward off skin problems such as eczema and acne.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is finally beginning to get the respect it deserves as a smart alternative to other oils. For centuries many tropical countries been using coconut oil in cooking. There has been a lot of bad misinformation out there about coconut oil and saturated fats. In fact, some saturated fatty acids like Capric Acid and Lauric Acid which are present in coconut oil raise the level of High Density Lipoproteins in the body. In other words it lowers Bad Cholesterol. Coconut oil also boosts immunity, fights aging, and increases rate of metabolism Isn’t it amazing? Oil that helps loose weight! So, there is absolutely nothing to worry about your health while using coconut oil in cooking.
Coconut oil benefits:
- Promotes your heart health
- Promotes weight loss when and if you need it
- Supports your immune system health
- Supports a healthy metabolism
- Provides you with an immediate energy source
- Helps to keep your skin healthy and youthful looking
- Supports the proper functioning of your thyroid gland
Organic cold-press virgin coconut oil is the best as it’s not heated during it’s production.
Macadamia nut oil
This is another oil that is gaining popularity. Not only does macadamia nut oil have a subtle, nutty flavor, it has three pluses that no other cooking oil can brag about. All of these pluses promote better health.
First of all it’s more monounsaturated than either olive oil or canola oil, the two top contenders for shelf space in the kitchens of health conscious cooks. Macadamia nut oil is 80 percent monounsaturated, olive oil is 74 percent and canola oil only 58 percent. Monounsaturated oils reduce the incidence of heart disease and high blood pressure.
Second advantage is its ratio of omega-3 to omega-6. These little fatty acids keep cell walls healthy, and are usually found in seafood. However, omega-3 is more important than omega-6 because omega-3 seems to reduce risks of heart disease, high blood pressure and arthritis. Macadamia nut oil is the only cooking oil with a favorable ratio of omega-3 to omega-6. Olive, for instance is 1 part omega-3 to 8 parts omega-6.
Finally, macadamia nut oil has a high smoke point. This is the temperature at which oil burns and develops an off flavor. Since macadamia nut oil smokes at an incredible 389°F it is ideal for sautéing and stir-frying. Unlike olive and canola oils, macadamia nut oil even keeps its flavor at that heat.
Canola oil
Canola oil has a high-unsaturated fat content and because of this specific reason, it is widely believed that regular consumption of canola oil may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Another standout feature of canola oil is that it has the lowest saturated fat content. Canola oil is also an excellent source of alpha-linoleic acid, which is an Omega-6 fatty acid. Our body converts alpha-linoleic acid to EPA and DHA, both of which are very important Omega-3 fatty acids.
Like olive oil, canola oil too has an FDA heart health claim. FDA has approved a qualified health claim on canola oil’s potential to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Canola oil contains:
A tablespoon of canola oil includes 7% saturated fat, 35% polyunsaturated fat, and 58% mono unsaturated fats.
Precautions:
Canola is an engineered plant developed in Canada. The oil is derived from the rapeseed plant (an excellent insect repellent, by the way.) The rapeseed is a member of the mustard family. Rapeseed oil has been used extensively in many parts of the world, namely India, Japan, and China. Before the rapeseed was genetically engineered, about two-thirds of the monounsaturated fatty acids were erucic acid.
Canola oil is victim to both hype and hoax. To view both the hype and the hoax, visit Snopes.com and type in: “Canola Oil.”
Sunflower oil
Sunflower oil is extracted from sunflower seeds. Sunflower oil comprises of monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats with low saturated fat levels. It is also an excellent source of Vitamin E.
Types of sunflower oil
There are different varieties of sunflower oil. The most common types of sunflower oil are:
High-oleic sunflower oil – This type is a non-hydrogenated version of sunflower oil and comprises of 82% monounsaturated fat, 9% polyunsaturated fat, and 9% saturated fat.
Linoleic sunflower oil – This type is a partially hydrogenated version and is considered to be the most widely used type of sunflower oil. Linoleic sunflower oil mainly constitutes linoleic acid (a very important Omega-6 fatty acid), and so, it provides more health benefits as compared to other types of sunflower oils. Linoleic sunflower oil comprises of 20% monounsaturated fat, 69% polyunsaturated fat, and 11% saturated fat.
NuSun or mid-oleic sunflower oil – This is another non-hydrogenated version of sunflower oil and comprises of 65% monounsaturated fat, 26% polyunsaturated fat, and 9% saturated fat.
All the three types of sunflower oil mentioned above offer more Vitamin E than any other type of vegetable oil.
Health benefits of sunflower oil
Sunflower oil is believed to posses cardiovascular benefits, as the high oleic acid content and low fat content present in it may help in reducing one’s cholesterol levels. Sunflower oil also provides various skin health benefits and is used in the treatment of acne.
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References:
http://www.brighthub.com/health/diet-nutrition/articles/36952.aspx
http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/olive-oil.htm
http://chinesefood.about.com/od/cookingfaqs/f/stirfryoliveoil.htm
http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Regulation/Canola-oil-gets-FDA-heart-health-claim
http://www.xomba.com/wonderful_health_benefits_canola_oil
http://www.indianchild.com/health/benefits-of-flaxseed-oil.htm
http://www.homeremediesweb.com/flaxseed_oil_health_benefits.php
http://www.ehow.com/about_5437292_sunflower-oil-benefits.html
http://ezinearticles.com/?Exploring-the-Benefits-of-Sunflower-Oil&id=1675497
http://www.3fatchicks.com/does-cooking-olive-oil-remove-its-health-benefits/
http://www.naturalnews.com/026630_oil_canola.html#ixzz2L0nJPi1q
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I thought you cannot use olive oil for high heat cooking. It is my understanding that the only two oils that should be used for high heat cooking are coconut oil and avocado oil, which you don’t even mention.
Yes, Coconut oil remains stable when heated, and so does Ghee. As far as I know, other oils turn rancid quickly when heated. From my studies I’ve learned that Canola oil is actually rapeseed oil and is quite toxic. I don’t know much about Macademia Nut oil; I use the nuts frequently in food preparation, and the oil on salads, but it seems like such a delicate oil that it’s hard for me to imagine heating it–I just don’t know.
We are continually evolving in our understanding of diet and nutrition–this is such a great time to be alive and involved in nutrition.
EXTRA-virgin should not be used cooking; it should be used as dressing. Virgin olive oil is fine for sauteing and extra light olive oil is not bad for baking. It depends on the oils smoke point properties, which is due to how the oil was processed. Extra-virgin is unrefined, virgin olive oil is semi-refined, and extra light virgin oil is greatly refined. Many chefs and cultures use olive oil in cooking. You are correct about avocado oil, which has a 520 degree F smoking point and is great for cooking due to its stable properties. Coconut oil is great too and so is rice bran oil. Hope this helps 🙂
The Great Con-ola
Posted By Dr. Mercola |
By Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD
Canola oil .” It was developed through hybridization of rape seed.
Rape seed oil is toxic because it contains significant amounts of a poisonous substance called erucic acid.
Canola oil contains only trace amounts of erucic acid and its unique fatty acid profile, rich in oleic acid and low in saturated fats, makes it particularly beneficial for the prevention of heart disease. It also contains significant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, also shown to have health benefits. This is what the food industry says about canola oil.
Canola oil is a poisonous substance, an industrial oil that does not belong in the body. It contains “the infamous chemical warfare agent mustard gas,” hemagglutinins and toxic cyanide-containing glycocides; it causes mad cow disease, blindness, nervous disorders, clumping of blood cells and depression of the immune system. This is what detractors say about canola oil.
How is the consumer to sort out the conflicting claims about canola oil? Is canola oil a dream come true or a deadly poison? And why has canola captured so large a share of the oils used in processed foods?
Hidden History
Let’s start with some history. The time period is the mid-1980s and the food industry has a problem. In collusion with the American Heart Association, numerous government agencies and departments of nutrition at major universities, the industry had been promoting polyunsaturated oils as a heart-healthy alternative to “artery-clogging” saturated fats.
Unfortunately, it had become increasingly clear that polyunsaturated oils, particularly corn oil and soybean oil, cause numerous health problems, including and especially cancer.1
The industry was in a bind. It could not continue using large amounts of liquid polyunsaturated oils and make health claims about them in the face of mounting evidence of their dangers. Nor could manufacturers return to using traditional healthy saturates — butter, lard, tallow, palm oil and coconut oil — without causing an uproar. Besides, these fats cost too much for the cut-throat profit margins in the industry.
The solution was to embrace the use of monounsaturated oils, such as olive oil. Studies had shown that olive oil has a “better” effect than polyunsaturated oils on cholesterol levels and other blood parameters. Besides, Ancel Keys and other promoters of the diet-heart idea had popularized the notion that the Mediterranean diet — rich in olive oil and conjuring up images of a carefree existence on sun-drenched islands — protected against heart disease and ensured a long and healthy life.
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) sponsored the First Colloquium on Monounsaturates in Philadelphia. The meeting was chaired by Scott Grundy, a prolific writer and apologist for the notion that cholesterol and animal fats cause heart disease. Representatives from the edible oil industry, including Unilever, were in attendance.
The Second Colloquium on Monounsaturates took place in Bethesda, Maryland, early in 1987. Dr. Grundy was joined by Claude Lenfant, head of the NHLBI, and speakers included Fred Mattson, who had spent many years at Proctor and Gamble, and the Dutch scientist Martign Katan, who would later publish research on the problems with trans fatty acids. It was at this time that articles extolling the virtues of olive oil began to appear in the popular press.
Promotion of olive oil, which had a long history of use, seemed more scientifically sound to the health-conscious consumer than the promotion of corn and soy oil, which could only be extracted with modern stainless steel presses. The problem for the industry was that there was not enough olive oil in the world to meet its needs. And, like butter and other traditional fats, olive oil was too expensive to use in most processed foods. The industry needed a less expensive monounsaturated oil.
Rapeseed oil was a monounsaturated oil that had been used extensively in many parts of the world, notably in China, Japan and India. It contains almost 60 percent monounsaturated fatty acids (compared to about 70 percent in olive oil). Unfortunately, about two-thirds of the mono-unsaturated fatty acids in rapeseed oil are erucic acid, a 22-carbon monounsaturated fatty acid that had been associated with Keshan’s disease, characterized by fibrotic lesions of the heart.
In the late 1970s, using a technique of genetic manipulation involving seed splitting,2 Canadian plant breeders came up with a variety of rapeseed that produced a monounsaturated oil low in 22-carbon erucic acid and high in 18-carbon oleic acid.
The new oil referred to as LEAR oil, for Low Erucic Acid Rapeseed, was slow to catch on in the US. In 1986, Cargill announced the sale of LEAR oil seed to US farmers and provided LEAR oil processing at its Riverside, North Dakota plant but prices dropped and farmers took a hit.3
Marketing LEAR
Before LEAR oil could be promoted as a healthy alternative to polyunsaturated oils, it needed a new name. Neither “rape” nor “lear” could be expected to invoke a healthy image for the new “Cinderella” crop. In 1978, the industry settled on “canola,” for “Canadian oil,” since most of the new rapeseed at that time was grown in Canada.
“Canola” also sounded like “can do” and “payola,” both positive phrases in marketing lingo. However, the new name did not come into widespread use until the early 1990s.
An initial challenge for the Canola Council of Canada was the fact that rapeseed was never given GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status by the US Food and Drug Administration. A change in regulation would be necessary before canola could be marketed in the US.4 Just how this was done has not been revealed, but GRAS status was granted in 1985, for which, it is rumored; the Canadian government spent $50 million to obtain.
Since canola was aimed at the growing numbers of health-conscious consumers, rather than the junk food market, it required more subtle marketing techniques than television advertising. The industry had managed to manipulate the science to make a perfect match with canola oil — very low in saturated fat and rich in monounsaturates.
In addition, canola oil contains about 10 percent omega-3 fatty acids, the most recent discovery of establishment nutritionists. Most Americans are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, which had been shown to be beneficial to the heart and immune system. The challenge was to market this dream-come-true fatty acid profile in a way that would appeal to educated consumers.
Canola oil began to appear in the recipes of cutting edge health books, such as those by Andrew Weil and Barry Sears. The technique was to extol the virtues of the Mediterranean diet and olive oil in the text, and then call for “olive oil or canola oil” in the recipes. One informant in the publishing industry told us that since the mid 1990s, major publishers would not accept cookbooks unless they included canola in the recipes.
In 1997, Harper Collins engaged Dr. Artemis Simopoulos to write a cookbook featuring the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids.5 Dr. Simopoulos was a pediatrician who had served for nine years as chair of the Nutritional Coordinating Committee of the National Institutes of Health before becoming president of the Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health.
She had published several papers on omega-3 fatty acids, calling attention to their disappearance from the food supply due to the industrialization of agriculture. Her most famous paper, published in 1992 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, compared omega-3 levels in supermarket eggs from hens raised on corn with eggs from hens allowed to roam and eat a more varied diet.6 The more natural eggs contained twenty times more omega-3 than supermarket eggs.
Simopoulos’s The Omega Plan came out in 1998 and was reissued as The Omega Diet in 1999. The book discusses the virtues of monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids in the Mediterranean diet.7 Since unprocessed canola oil contains not only lots of monoun-
saturated fatty acids, but also a significant amount of omega-3, it shows up in most of the book’s recipes. Simopoulos claims that the Mediterranean diet is low in saturated fat and recommends lean meat and lowfat yogurt and milk as part of her regime.
The canola industry’s approach — scientific conferences, promotion to upscale consumers through books like The Omega Dietand articles in the health section of newspapers and magazines — was successful. By the late 1990s, canola use had soared, and not just in the US.
Today China, Japan, Europe, Mexico, Bangladesh and Pakistan all buy significant amounts. Canola does well in arid environments such as Australia and the Canadian plains, where it has become a major cash crop. It is the oil of choice in gourmet and health food markets like Fresh Fields (Whole Foods) markets, and shows up in many supermarket items as well.
It is a commonly used oil in sterol-containing margarines and spreads recommended for cholesterol lowering. Use of hydrogenated canola oil for frying is increasing, especially in restaurants.
Dangers Overstated
Reports on the dangers of rapeseed oil are rampant on the internet, mostly stemming from an article, “Blindness, Mad Cow Disease and Canola Oil,” by John Thomas, which appeared in Perceptions magazine, March/April 1996. Some of the claims are ludicrous. Although rape is a member of the brassica or mustard family, it is not the source of mustard gas used in chemical warfare.
Glycosides or glycosinolates (compounds that produce sugars on hydrolysis) are found in most members of the brassica family, including broccoli, kale, cabbage and mustard greens. They contain sulfur (not arsenic), which is what gives mustard and cruciferous vegetables their pungent flavor.
These compounds are goitrogenic and must be neutralized by cooking or fermentation. As rapeseed meal was high in glycosides, it could not be used in large amounts for animal feeding. However, plant breeders have been able to breed out the glycosides as well as the erucic acid from canola oil.8 The result is a low-glycoside meal that can be used as an animal feed. In fact, canola meal for animal feed is an important Canadian export.
Hemagglutinins, substances that promote blood clotting and depress growth, are found in the protein portion of the seed, although traces may show up in the oil. And canola oil was not the cause of the mad cow epidemic in Britain9, although feeding of canola oil may make cattle more susceptible to certain diseases.
Like all fats and oils, rapeseed oil has industrial uses. It can be used as an insecticide, a lubricant, a fuel and in soap, synthetic rubber and ink. Like flax oil and walnut oil, it can be used to make varnish. Traditional fats like coconut oil, olive oil and tallow also have industrial uses, but that does not make them dangerous for human consumption.
We have had reports of allergies to canola, and internet articles describe a variety of symptoms — tremors, shaking, palsy, lack of coordination, slurred speech, memory problems, blurred vision, problems with urination, numbness and tingling in the extremities, and heart arrhythmias — that cleared up on discontinuance of canola. None of this has been reported in the medical journals, however.
Writing for the Washington Post, Professor Robert L Wolke (www.professorscience.com) chastises the publishers of these reports as spreading “hysterical urban legends about bizarre diseases.”10 The industry actually profits from such wild claims, because they are wrong and easily dismissed.
Nevertheless, consumers do have reason to be cautious about the establishment’s favorite oil, now showing up in an increasing number of products.
Continued Next Issue
The Great Con-ola was published in Nexus Magazine, Aug/September 2002 as well as in Wise Traditions, the quarterly publication for the Weston A. Price Foundation. To receive a free 12-page brochure containing Myths and Truths about Nutrition and concise Dietary Guidelines, contact the Foundation at (202) 333-HEAL or westonaprice@msn.com.
Sally Fallon is President of the Weston A. Price Foundation and author of Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats, NewTrends Publishing, 2000 (877-707-1776, newtrendspublishing.com)
Mary G. Enig, PhD, FACN, is Vice President of the Weston A. Price Foundation, President of the Maryland Nutritionists Association and author of Know Your Fats: The Complete Primer for Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, Oils and Cholesterol, Bethesda Press, 2000 (301-680-8600, bethesdapress.com)
References:
1. MG Enig and SW Fallon. The Oiling of America. http://www.westonaprice.org/oiling.htm
2. RK Downey. Genetic Control of Fatty Acid Biosnythesis in Rapeseed. Journal of the American Oil Chemists Society, 1964;41:475-478.
3. Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society, December 1986;63(12):1510.
4. Canola – a new oilseed from Canada. Journal of the American Oil Chemists’Society, September 1981:723A-9A.
5. The amount of the advance was $350,000. Personal email communication, Jo Robinson, co-author of The Omega Diet.
6. AP Simopoulos and N Salem, Jr. Egg yolk as a source of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in infant feeding. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1992;55
7. AP Simopoulos and J Robinson. The Omega Plan. Harper Collins Publishers, New York, NY, 1998.
8. Canola – a new oilseed fromCanada. Journal of the American Oil Chemists’Society, September 1981:723A-9A.
9. M Purdey. Educating Rita. Wise Traditions, Spring 2002;3(1):11-18.
Canola oil is GMO grown and the high heat and hexane extraction methods alter the molecular structure of the oil. Cooking at high temps does the same and it causes inflammation in the body. Organic expeller-pressed canola –maybe– still high omega-6, I think I’ll skip it.
lets not forget that any level of erucic acid is unacceptable as it is accumulative in the body. why no mention of grapeseed oil?
Never never never cook with Olive oil. It turns poison.
Extra-virgin should not be used cooking. Virgin olive oil is fine for sauteing and extra light olive oil is not bad for baking. It depends on its smoke point properties, which is due to how the oil was processed (refined, semi-refined, or unrefined).
Excellent guide. Thank you! GZIP really makes a difference.
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