- Three Cheers
for Heart Healthy Oils
 |
(ARA) - 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. |
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- 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.
Here is a tasty, healthy salad
dressing recipe from Spectrum Naturals.
Mother's Earth Essential
Dressing
- 8 ounces Spectrum extra virgin
organic olive oil
- 4 ounces Spectrum organic
flaxseed oil
- 2 to 3 ounces Spectrum brown
rice vinegar
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely
chopped
- 4 tablespoons basil, finely
chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon Spike or other
natural seasoning
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Dash of soy sauce
- Tarragon, parsley, rosemary
to taste
Mix all ingredients together
in a blender. Serve on salads, sandwiches and more. Remember
to shake well before serving. Keep in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
Yield -- 2 cups.
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Spectrum Naturals has provided
consumers with high quality oils since 1986. Spectrum Naturals’
and Spectrum Essentials’ products can be found at natural
food stores and fine grocery stores in the United States and
Canada. For more information, visit www.spectrumorganic.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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ARTICLE POSTED
FEBRUARY 7, 2003 |
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