Is the cooking oil you are using safe when heated to high temps?
Anytime you cook a food, you run the risk of creating heat-induced damage. The oils you choose to cook with must be stable enough to resist chemical changes when heated to high temperatures, or you may be damaging your health.
When you cook with polyunsaturated vegetable oils (such as canola, corn, and soy oils), oxidized cholesterol is introduced into your system. As the oil is heated and mixed with oxygen, it goes rancid. Rancid oil is oxidized oil and should NOT be consumed—it leads directly to vascular disease. Trans-fats are introduced when these oils are hydrogenated, which increases your risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and various cancers.
When cooking at high temps Coconut Oil is a good option. Over 90% of the fatty acids in it are saturated, which makes it very resistant to heat. This oil is semi-solid at room temperature and it can last for months and years without going rancid.
Coconut oil also has powerful health benefits. It is particularly rich in a fatty acid called Lauric Acid, which can improve cholesterol and help kill bacteria and other pathogens.
The fats in coconut oil can also boost metabolism slightly and increase feelings of fullness compared to other fats.
Make sure to choose virgin coconut oil. It’s organic, it tastes good and it has powerful health benefits.
Use for Medium Heat Cooking –
My favourite – Macadamia Nut Oil – highly shelf-stable and resistant to heat-induced oxidation with a smoke point of somewhere between 210 and 234 degrees C.
Macadamia oil owes its stability mostly to its extremely low omega-6 fatty acid content (the lowest of all traditional cooking oils, next to coconut oil), high monounsaturated fatty acid content (over 80% MUFA, and a decent portion of saturated fat (around 16%).
Macadamia oil contains varying amounts of antioxidants and is rich in squalene, a naturally occurring antioxidant present in human skin surface lipids. It also contains palmitoleic acid, an omega-7 monounsaturated fat which has positive effects on blood lipids and given its resemblance to sebum, makes for an effective moisturizer!
– Olive oil is well known for its heart healthy effects can raise HDL (the good) cholesterol and lower the amount of oxidized LDL cholesterol circulating in your bloodstream.
The fatty acids in olive oil are mostly monounsaturated. This makes them an inferior choice for cooking compared to highly saturated fats like coconut oil. However, studies on olive oil show that despite the double bonds, you can still use it for cooking as long as you don’t use very high heat
Olive oil is perfect for use on salads or other dishes after they have been cooked.
– Avocado Oil
The composition of avocado oil is similar to olive oil. It is primarily monounsaturated, with some saturated and polyunsaturated mixed in.
Therefore it is also ok to use for low-medium heat dishes and may be used best as an addition to salads or foods after they have been cooked.
Do Not Cook with – – Fish oil is very rich in the animal form of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are DHA and EPA. A tablespoon of fish oil can satisfy your daily need for these very important fatty acids.
However, due to its high concentration of polyunsaturated fats, fish oil should never be used for cooking. It’s best used as a supplement, one tablespoon per day.
– Flax Oil contains lots of the plant form of Omega-3, Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA).
Due to the large amount of polyunsaturated fats, flax seed oil should NOT be used for cooking.
– Nut Oils and Peanut Oil
Nut oils are very rich in polyunsaturated fats, which make them a poor choice for cooking.
They can be used as parts of recipes, but do not fry or do any high heat cooking with them.
The same applies to peanut oil. There is one exception, however, and that is macadamia nut oil, which is mostly monounsaturated. It can be used for low-medium heat cooking.
Avoid altogether–
– Canola oil is derived from rapeseeds, but the euric acid (a toxic, bitter substance) has been removed from it.
The fatty acid breakdown of canola oil is actually fairly good, with most of the fatty acids monounsaturated, then containing Omega-6 and Omega-3 in a 2:1 ratio, which is perfect.
However, canola oil needs to go through very harsh processing methods before it is turned into the final product.
– Seed- and Vegetable Oils
Industrial seed and vegetable oils are highly processed, refined products that are way too rich in Omega-6 fatty acids.
Not only should you not cook with them, you should probably avoid them altogether.
New data links these oils with many serious diseases, including heart disease and cancer.
Avoid all of them: Soybean Oil, Corn Oil, Cottonseed Oil, Canola Oil, Sunflower Oil, Sesame Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Safflower Oil, Rice Bran Oil
For more information contact Kasey at Chevron Island Physio on 5504 7000
