A huge Silver Lining to the horrendous gastrointestinal distress caused by chemotherapy was meeting nutritionist extraordinaire Rachel Beller, MS, RD. Not only did she save my life (I’m not being dramatic here!) by providing me with nutritional options that did not make me more nauseous or vomitus, but she gently guided me to foods that would increase protein and vitamin intake, help my digestive system (ahem…move!), and satiate my sugar cravings.
Another thing Silver Lining to Rachel is that whenever I have questions about different types of foods (e.g., how to cook them to maximize nutritional benefit), she is at the ready with answers! So, this week, I’ve been thinking a lot about the differences between cooking oils. For example, can I sautee with Olive Oil? What is the best type of Olive Oil to buy? When to use Canola oil? WTF is Safflower oil? Which oils are best avoided when cooking? The whole world of oils was so confusing…that is until Rachel clarified it all for me.
Thanks to Rachel for sharing the GPS navigation through the world of oils!
Olive Oil
You’ll hear a lot about not using olive oil for frying- but that’s not completely correct. Olive oil is not only one of the tastiest kinds of cooking oils, but also one of the healthiest. It’s low polyunsaturated fat. It’s also high in monounsaturated fat, which can lower levels of the bad cholesterol that clogs your blood vessels. In addition, olive oil is a good source of vitamin K, which helps with blot clotting and building strong bones.
As you may have noticed when buying olive oil, there are different types, each of which has different smoking points. The majority of consumers buy extra virgin olive oil, which is high in polyphenols and therefore good for your heart. However, extra virgin olive oil is bad for frying because it has a low smoking point and can be pretty expensive. Extra virgin olive oil works best for salad dressings and sauces. Virgin olive oil also has a low smoking point and therefore shouldn’t be used for frying. Extra light olive oil has the highest smoking point of all the olive oils at 468 degrees, so it’s good to use for frying and baking. It also has a bland flavor and aroma, so it won’t affect the flavor of your dish. Pure olive oil is an all-purpose oil and suitable for all types of cooking but can be more difficult to find in stores.
Cold-expeller-pressed Canola Oil
Though some types of olive oils are good for frying, most people will tell you to fry with canola oil. Canola oil, like olive oil, is high in monounsaturated fat, which is good for your heart and low in “bad” fat, or saturated fat. Plus, canola oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are also good for your heart. Like olive oil, canola oil is a good source of vitamin K. It has both a high smoking point and a neutral flavor, so it’s a great choice for your fried dishes.
Buy cold-expeller-pressed canola oil because if it’s not cold-pressed and heat is applied during the cooking process, the antioxidant levels are decreased and trans fatty acid levels are increased.
Safflower oil
Safflower oil is an all-purpose oil. It has omega-3 fatty acids, but watch out- it also has high levels of omega-6 fatty acids. There’s nothing wrong with omega-6 fatty acids; we just get too much of it. In the long run, getting too much omega-6 fatty acids can potentially lead to heart disease and cancer.
Oils to avoid when cooking
Though corn, soybean, and other vegetable oils are all excellent all-purpose oils with high smoke points, they have high levels of saturated fat. Also, nut oils, like hazelnut and almond oils, have a delicate flavor that can be destroyed by heat, so they’re best used in cold dishes.
Lastly, remember that frying your food at certain temperatures is important. If the temperature isn’t high enough, your food will absorb more oil. The normal temperature range for frying is 325 to 375 degrees. At lower temperatures, frying time is longer, which leads to a lighter color, less flavor, and more oil absorption.
Black Truffle Oil
This is a family favorite on salads. OMG is it good. The truth is that I could eat truffle oil on Purina Puppy Chow or drywall. It’s THAT good! A little goes a long, long way. Last night, I did a simple salad of arugula, drizzled truffle oil, toasted pine nuts, Maldon sea salt flakes and ground pepper. It was a hit. Easy peasy and super yum!
We are indeed much more than we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are.
– Adelle Davis
Dear Finally Five,
My daughter is Finally 22 and she still sleeps with her buddy, whose name is "No Name". He went to college and now is in law school with her. We consider No Name a part of the family. Your buddy is adorable.
Pam
I love the glimpses we get of Finally Five! Please thank her for sharing her special toy with us. I, too, feel a connection with unicorns. Growing up in Ireland, I was thrilled to regularly hear The Unicorn Song on the radio. My favorite verse goes as follows:
There were green alligators and long necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born
The loveliest of all was the unicorn!
i've recently begun using olive oil on my skin as a moisturizer and i can say that i've never found a better one. and that's saying a lot since i actually work in the beauty industry. it heals little cuts overnight and my skin has never been softer or smoother. love the little stuffed animal, so cute.
I was very happy to learn about olive oil but even more happy to meet the buddy of FF. I am wondering if unicorn buddy lives off the cupcakes on her pajamas or prefers black truffle oil? I hope to meet unicorn soon. xo c.
FF, so helpful of you to hold the truffle oil for your Mom's photo. Your sweet unicorn looks soooo soft and cuddly. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Another oil that's getting a lot of buzz lately is coconut oil. I need to do some research & can't tell you anything more than that. Thank you for this great information about smoking points. I've been winging it a bit.
Kim
Thanks for this helpful information – your blog is such a good resource! I have been using coconut oil for the last year or so. I use it in limited amounts & mostly for sauteing. I have have found that it has a high smoking point & adds a nice flavor. It is also wonderful for rubbing into your cuticles.
p.s. Cute unicorn!
Thanks for this Jo! I'll try it in my veggie saute & cuticles… they could use it:)
Dear FF, I love your buddy , he or she looks like a happy and friendly buddy! I especially like the pink satin feet-what style your Buddy has!
I hope you and your Buddy enjoy each other for a very long time!
Thank you for sharing your Buddy with us!
Sweet dreams!
Oh Oh- I have a lot to say (for a change)
Firstly, I'm so glad Jo & Kim asked about the coconut oil as I've been using it so much since posting about it last year. Love, love love. I hope it isn't bad for us!
To Janet from The (ever adorable) Gardener's Cottage- I am using the olive oil as lower leg moisturizer since you rec. it on your blog- it's great, but I'm afraid to bring up to the torso in case it stains my clothes. Also, you were going to try it on your hair-how'd that go?
Iris- I was also born in Ireland and thank you for reminding me of that song-my uncle used to sing it to me accompanied by his guitar. He was a "Hippy" 🙂
Lastly, Dear Finally 5, My Finally 21 lives in NY with his stuffed Mole (who wears a striped shirt & looks like a rather jaunty French Mole) his name is "Moley".
PS. You should be a hand model!!
xx
SP
You should also look into coconut oil. It has a range of benefits and is GMO free unlike most if not all canola oils, soy and corn oils. It helps with your immunity and can withstand high cooking temps unlike olive oil and the one's you mentioned. I've converted to cooking only with coconut oil. It's even being used to help treat AIDS patients and those diagnosed with alzheimer's. Here is just one of many articles on the oil: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/coconut-…