There are so many oils out in the market place and it’s hard to navigate through the marketing slogans that shout out “cholesterol free”, “low in calories” and “low in fat”.
For the record, plant or vegetable oils do not contain cholesterol.
Firstly, it is important to understand the essential differences between saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty oils because we have been told that unsaturated fats – ie most vegetable oils are good for us and they are better than saturated fats such as butter and coconut oil. But this is not true and too general.
Saturated fats are solid at room temperature because they have no double bond between molecules, which means there are no gaps and the fat is saturated with hydrogen molecules. They are extremely stable when exposed to heat and light and are considered the best choice for cooking, as they don’t oxidize as easily. These include coconut oil, butter and beef tallow.
Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. They differ in their chemical structure to saturated fats, as they are not so saturated with hydrogen molecules. They include mono and poly unsaturated fats.
Monounsaturated fats are relatively stable when exposed to heat and so make a fair choice for cooking. Olive oil is an example.
Polyunsaturated fats are unstable and have a high tendency to produce significant amounts of free radicals when exposed to heat. These oils should never be used for cooking. Vegetable oil is an example.
So in summary the stability of fat when exposed to heat and light will affect the health of the fat.
Secondly, the source and processing of the oil must be considered.
Polyunsaturated fats are also known as refined vegetable oils. Highly industrialized farming and processed methods usually produce them. The common types are canola (also known as rapeseed), sunflower, safflower, grape seed, rice bran, soybean, cottonseed, sesame, peanut and corn oil. This type of industrialization yields more oil and is quicker to produce as well as giving greater stability in cooking and shelf life, but at the cost of detrimental consequences to our health.
Oils are not good for us if they are:
1) Poorly sourced (from industrial agriculture – genetically modified seeds and many chemicals are used to enhance their growth and keep pests at bay) and;
2) Highly processed (chemically extracted, high heat method applied, hydrogenated or interesterified).
Vegetable oils are often extracted using solvent chemicals rather than the slower, more expensive cold –processing method. The chemical that’s most often used is petroleum-derived hexane, which is just as inedible as it sounds! You don’t want that ending up in your food. Clear studies showing a direct link with hexane found in oils causing toxicity are not easy to find but hexane toxicity found in other products has been documented extensively as contributing to nervous and muscular system disorders.
Hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated and interesterified vegetable fats and oil processes convert liquids into a substance that is stable in cooking and offer a longer shelf life or convert liquids into harder substances that are used in margarines, shortenings, baked goods and confectionary.
These hydrogenation processes create trans fats, which have been found to have strong links to heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cancer, obesity, infertility, liver dysfunction and depression. Interesterification processes produce a product that is trans fat free but contains chemical residues, hexanes and many dangerous breakdown products.
Which oils or fats are better for health?
Quite simply all oils and fats can be good or bad for us depending on the source and processing. The health of animals will produce a healthy or unhealthy animal fat. Animals that are grain fed produce fat that is higher in omega 6. Grass fed beef produce a fat or tallow that is healthy and nutrient rich in omega 3 and stable for cooking.
Coconut oil can be refined. High heat is used to deodorize the coconut oil to remove its distinctive odor and flavour preferred by some.
Choose oils that are produced by:
1) Sustainable agriculture methods and;
2) Cold-pressed or Expeller-pressed extracted.
A sustainable agriculture method includes organic and biodynamic farming, chemical free and encourages nutrient dense and healthy soil. Healthy plants are grown from here and healthy animals are raised.
Cold-pressed is commonly used for heat-sensitive oils and uses the same mechanical press as expeller-pressing but in a closely temperature-controlled setting. This environment mitigates the effects of heat caused by friction, keeping the temperature low that the oil is exposed to. The controlled temperature keeps heat exposure from changing the oil’s subtle flavor, aroma, colour and nutritional richness.
Expeller-pressed squeezes the oil source in a mechanical press. The press does not apply any heat on the oil source or expelled oil. If the oil source is a hard-shelled nut or seed, the force of friction in the high-pressure machine may raise the temperature of the oil as it is extracted.
Olive oil and coconut oil are two commonly used oils that may be found from sustainable agricultural methods and are using cold pressed or expeller processed extraction methods.
Choose extra virgin olive oil, a fine grade oil made from the first pressing of the olives and contains a maximum of one per cent oleic acid.
Coconut oil will be labeled as virgin or extra-virgin. I can’t seem to find much on the difference between the two. Unrefined coconut oil is made from the first pressing of fresh, raw coconut using mechanical means without the addition of any chemicals.
Which oils are better for cooking?
Olive oil is best used for low to medium temperature cooking. For sautés, pan-fries, roasts and baking. The addition of ghee or butter stabilizes the oil when higher temperatures are used. This is due to the saturated fat component of these two harder fats. Use olive oil for Mediterranean style cooking.
Coconut oil has become quite popular in the last few years as a result of the whole food nutrition movement, particularly a better understanding of source and processing and debunking the fat myth. It is rich in saturated fats and can take higher temperatures in cooking. It can be used the same way as olive oil as well as higher temperature cooking methods such as frying. Use coconut oil for Asian style cooking.
Both oils may be used for marinating as well making a healthy salad dressing.
A simple olive oil marinade for lamb chops may be made with olive oil, dried basil and oregano, lemon juice and freshly grated garlic.
A fresh and vibrant salad dressing may be made from coconut oil, lime juice, fresh ginger, chilli and coriander leaves.
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