You may have noticed an ever-expanding choice of oils
at your local grocery store over the past few years.
While once your options were limited to corn, canola,
safflower and maybe olive oil, now your choices include
walnut, almond, grapeseed and other types of oil as well.
You may have even splurged on a bottle of fragrant
truffle oil.
Each of these oils has its place in the kitchen and serves
a specific function. Understanding which oil is suited for
which use will help you to make the best choices for you
and your family. Also, understanding the difference
between the so-called "good" and "bad" fats will allow
you to cook and eat more healthfully.
"For years, Americans were told to consume as little fat
as possible. Now, experts recognize that while too much
fat is bad for you, some fat is a necessary part of our diet;
fats are a source of essential nutrition and flavor,", Neil
Blomquist CEO of Spectrum Naturals, a Petaluma, Calif.-
based manufacturer of organic vegetable oils and healthy
condiments.
The trick is to consume the right kind of fat in the
appropriate amount. When it comes to calories, all oils
are the same. They each contain 9 calories per gram --
this includes oils labeled "light," a term which refers
only to the oil's taste, not its nutritional makeup. But
some oils are better for you than others.
Fats and oils are either saturated or unsaturated;
unsaturated fats can be either monounsaturated or
polyunsaturated. "No oil is completely made of one
fat; they all are a combination of the three fats in
different percentages, based on the nut, seed or fruit
from which the oil is derived," explains Blomquist.
Saturated fats, which come mainly from animal sources,
increase cholesterol levels. Tropical oils such as coconut
and palm are two non-animal examples of saturated fat.
Hydrogenated oils such as margarine and vegetable
shortening are saturated fats that have been chemically
transformed from their normal liquid state into solids.
During the hydrogenation procedure, extra hydrogen
atoms are pumped into unsaturated fat. This creates trans
fatty acids, the most unhealthy type of fat found to be the
number one cause of heart disease.
Monounsaturated fats are known to help reduce the
levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol without lowering the
good HDL cholesterol. The most widely used oils that
are high in monounsaturates are olive oil, canola oil and
peanut oil. Polyunsaturated fats, made up of omega-3 and
omega-6 essential fatty acids are also considered relatively
healthy and include corn, soybean, safflower, and grapeseed
oil. . Oils high in omega-3 rich polyunsaturate fat such as
walnut oil, flaxseed oil and canola oil are a good addition
to the diet since our body require omega-3s for good health
but cannot manufacturer them. New studies show incorporating
omega-3s into your diet reduce the risk of stroke, heart
attack and heart disease.
"The way the oil is extracted also plays a role in how healthy
it is," notes Blomquist. Oil is extracted using one of two
methods -- mechanical or chemical. Chemical extraction,
often called solvent extraction, is the most common and
cost efficient method. It employs high heat and a series
of chemical processes, primarily exposure to hexane gas,
to remove and refine the oil.
In mechanical extraction, called cold pressed or expeller
pressed, oil is squeezed from the source, usually with
hydraulic presses. This minimal exposure to heat preserves
the natural flavor of the oil but limits the yield, making
mechanically extracted oils more expensive than chemically
extracted oils. "We use only mechanical extraction, to
maintain the nutrients and health benefits of our oils," says
Blomquist.
Just as each oil has a unique nutritional makeup, they
also have distinct flavor components and smoke points,
making some oils more appropriate for certain uses than
others.
Heating oil past its smoke point can cause it to have an
off flavor, lose its nutritional value and turn the once
healthy oil into a trans fat laden heart disease machine.
Oils that can take high temperatures make good all purpose
cooking oils. Choose from canola, sunflower and peanut
for high-heat uses such as searing and frying. Medium-high
heat oils are good for baking, sautéing and stir-frying;
try grapeseed, safflower or sunflower oil. For sauces,
lower-heat baking and pressure cooking, medium-high
heat oils are best. Good choices are olive oil, corn oil,
pumpkinseed oil and walnut oil.
"There are some oils that should never be heated,"
Blomquist points out. Rather, These oils, found on the
supermarket shelves in the nutritional supplement
category in the refrigerator, can also be used as
condiments.Use them in dips and dressings, or add to
a dish after it has been removed from heat. For example,
add walnut oil, with its nutty flavor, to your salad; or
add sesame oil to your stir-fry after its done cooking to
add extra flavor. Other oils to use unheated are Normally
found in capsule form wouldn't apply), flax, evening
primrose, borage, black currant, hemp and wheat germ oils.
This is also a good way to incorporate essential fatty
acids into your diet.
To extend the shelf life and preserve the nutritional
value of culinary oils, store them in the refrigerator
once they've been opened. Oils rich in omega-3 essential
fatty acids such as flax, walnut, pumpkin and other
nutritional oils should be protected from heat and light
whether or not they have been opened. For other types
of oil, a dark, cool pantry is a good storage option.
Susan Rutter: author, publisher, nutritionist, instructor
Assists patients and the public make healthy choices and changes
in their lives.
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