There are so many oils available today, how do you know which one to choose? Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation out there regarding which oils are healthiest. Here are my suggestions when it comes to choosing the healthiest oils to use.
There are a couple of factors to consider when choosing an oil: Can it withstand high temperatures, what kind of fat does the oil contain and how is it processed.
It is important to choose oils that can withstand high heat because when oils cannot withstand heat, they break down creating free radicals which lead to health problems such as inflammation and heart disease. Vegetable oils such as corn and canola oil cannot hold up in high heat, creating free radicals. Saturated fats, like ghee (clarified butter) and coconut oil, will hold up during the cooking process due to their stable chemical structure- they don’t go rancid and have a high smoke point. When it comes to high heat cooking, coconut oil and ghee are your best choice.
For low heat and to use in raw form, I recommend extra virgin olive oil, however, you definitely want to make sure that you are buying a high quality extra virgin olive oil that isn’t processed with cheaper oils. One study showed that a majority of extra virgin olive oil sold in the U.S. was not actually 100 percent olive oil, and contained other cheap vegetable oils. Avocado oil in raw form can add nutritional value as long as it is cold pressed.
Next, look at the fats in vegetable oils. Vegetable oils such as corn and canola oil are high in omega 6 fats and contain little to zero omega 3 fats. When we consume more omega 6 fatty acids compared to omega 3 fatty acids it leads to inflammation. Inflammation is a marker for many diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
Lastly, consider how oils are processed. Oils are processed in different ways, there are traditionally ways such as expeller pressed and cold pressed, which are safer options opposed to chemical extracting processing.
» Expeller-pressed is a chemical-free mechanical process which involves “squeezing” the oil source in a mechanical press.
» Cold Pressed oils uses the same mechanical press as expeller-pressing but in a closely temperature-controlled setting. The result is a product which is considered to maintain the highest possible level of flavor, aroma, color and nutritional richness.
» Chemical extraction is often used with vegetable oils such as corn, canola and soybean oil for the mass market. The solvent often used to extract the oil is hexane- which has been listed as a hazardous air pollutant by the EPA. This is the least expensive way and produces high yields.
» Hydrogenation, complete or partial, is a chemical process in which hydrogen is added to liquid oils to turn them into a solid form. Food manufacturers use hydrogenated trans fats because they increase shelf life and keep flavors stable. Chemical extracted and hydrogenated oils are the unhealthiest ways to consume oil. Oils such as margarine are hydrogenated and are some of the worst man-made fats available.
In summary my oil recommendations are: » Coconut oil (preferably cold pressed), ghee and tallow for high temperature cooking. » Extra virgin olive oil (preferably cold pressed) and purchased from a high quality source for low temperature cooking and in raw form. » Avoid highly processed vegetable oils such as soybean, canola and corn oil.
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