Viewer Mail: Oils 101.

by

I loved your post on the protein powder can you do the same sort of thing with oil? I only ever use olive oil and I know there are other good options out there.  It’s just all confusing.

As we’ve previously established Im one easily stuck in a rut.

Not so much before the Toddler—but since the arrival o’the Tornado I’ve not mixed things up as much as I should.

Ive gotten comfy in my (albeit pretty-healthy) rut and LOVE emails such as this one (& the protein powder one) which spark me to return to habits forgotten & explore new things.

I give you OILS 101: the basics (a post which this blogger could probably trump in her sleep but you’ll have that).

Oil is our friend.

Oils which are low in saturated fats can help prevent some cancers & reduce cholesterol.

Some oils (those low in saturated fat) can even INCREASE our body’s ability to absorb nutrients.  Foods with vitamin D, vitamin E, & lycopene are all thought to be better absorbed when paired with a fat.

Olive oil: This is the oil most of us (please tell me Im not alone) tend to turn to for our healthy fats.

What’s so great about it? Olive oil contains lots of saturated fats, antioxidant-rich plant compounds and has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol.

Virgin & extra-virgin generally have more antioxidants than regular (foodies? please to chime in here. I know no added chemicals/heat is used when extracting the virgin & extra-virgin.  Please to tell us more about that…) and these antioxidants (lignans) can help protect against breast cancer.   Scientists have recently found that lignans may block a protein that encourages breast tumor growth.

What on earth should I do with it: Virgin & extra-virgin are best used with lowlow/no heat (again, foodies? please to chime in!). Regular (insert joke here about non-virgin) olive oil is far more able to ‘handle’ heat.

Flaxseed oil: I love the taste of this nuttlicious oil from the flax plant.  (As with the seeds always store this oil in the fridge.)

What’s so great about it? Flaxseed oil is really high in ALA (omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid) which means it’s a REALLY good thing to use if you are a non-fish eater who struggles to get enough omega3’s.  ALA has anti-inflammatory properties (hello Dr. Sears!) & can also help to lower blood pressure.

What on earth should I do with it? I love flaxseed oil in hummus. Any other suggestions foodie folks? I know you CAN NOT cook with it and would other suggestions.

Canola oil:This is another oil with which we’re all familiar & there are 2 main reasons why it’s so popular: canola oil is pretty tasteless and heat tolerant.

What’s so great about it? Canola oil has a lot of unsaturated (good) fat & a pretty low amount of saturated fat as well (a bit over 7%). Some studies have shown that canola oil  (in moderation) can help reduce the risk of heart disease.

What on earth should I do with it? Canola oil is great for high heat cooking and baking.

Grapeseed oil: I have to admit Ive not used this before, but did purchase some after writing this post (Ill keep you posted).  This oil is extracted from the seed of wine grapes and is known for being light in color and flavor.

Ive heard it is nutty tasting—-anyone ever try it? Please to chime in below.

What’s so great about it? Grapeseed oil is loaded with vitamin E and flavanoids (antioxidants which may help reduce risk of stroke and heart disease).

Look for organic as, in an effort to make the oil more affordable, chemicals are being used in the extraction process. The oil is cheaper but, well, you get what you pay for (read: addition of the chemical hexane).

What on earth should I do with it? Grapeseed oil is often used for sauteing (it is resistant to high heat) and in salad dressings (yada yada yada jump in foodies…).

Peanut oil: This pretty common oil (hello Chikfila!) is suitable for myriad uses.

What’s so great about it? Peanut oil is high in monounsaturated fat and also contains some resveratrol (a phytochemical which has antioxidant properties/is thought to be a cancer preventative.)

What on earth should I do with it? Ive used peanut oil frequently in stir frying.  Many people use it for deep frying as well since it can handle high high heat.

Walnut oil: I almost skipped this one because, again, Im unfamiliar.

And, since walnut oil is kind of a fancypants oil, I may not try it either (foodies? please to chime in. again. I know…).  It is pretty damn pricey and has a short shot shelf life (2 things MizFit does not look for in her oil selection).

What’s so great about it? Walnuts have ALA as well as magnesium vitamin E & potassium (It does makes the oil kinda tempting huh?).

What on earth do I do with it? What I found all said to serve this oil cold or barely warm in order to preserve its flavor. (huh?! foodie peeps? recipe suggestrions? ThankYouSoMuch.)

There you go, People.

More than you ever wanted to know about oils and, I have to admit, a post I really enjoyed writing.

Boring & dry aside I learned & relearned a *ton* I plan to put into practice in the kitchen.

Now you:

Can you help us out with the recipe tips?

Any clarifications you wanna make about the oils?

Have a favorite oil I completely missed?

Please to hit us all up in the comments.

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Comments

  1. Thanks a ton for this! I am so NOT a foodie and tend to stick to olive oil as I know its properties and frankly am too lazy to do the research for anything else, so thanks for doing it for me! Very helpful!

  2. I still have oil fear, but have been known to use sesame oil in dressings (it burns at a low temp though so best not to cook with). It has a very distinctive, lovely flavour! Good for using at the very last moment in a stir fry, I am told.

    Loved the protein powder post, great tips! I am using WAY too much soy generally at the moment, I need to mix it up a bit. Might try going back to whey!

    TA x

  3. Grapeseen Oil – that’s new to me! Thanks. I’ll check it out.
    I love olive oil and I pour it on rice, pasta, salads, bread. So maybe its time for variety in my oil collection.

    I’ve mixed flaxseed oil with soft cheeses and hummus (not together).
    Grinding flaxseed and mixing their powder with a little salt and herbs for sprinkling onto salads (with olive oil) is tasty.

    Jens

  4. THANK YOU for getting this all together in one place. I use a lot of olive oil (feel better? :)) but haven’t tried the others yet.

    Thanks Miz~

  5. Looks good to me, Miz! Great review. And glad to see you encouraging the Bumbling Band to partake. We see so many folks still afraid of fat, yet it is so important for good health and for satisfaction with what we eat.

    I’ll chime in w/ tokaiangel and vote for everyone trying sesame oil. It adds a wonderful Asian flavor to stir fries, soups, veggies.

  6. One other comment about sesame oil. Only have to use a few drops — it has a pretty powerful flavor. And in cooked dishes, use it at the last minute because heat destroys the flavor.

  7. I enjoy hazelnut oil over warmed pasta and as a green salad oil combined with vinegar.

    Instead of flaxseed oil, I add freshly ground flaxseeds into dishes (I know this is all about the oil post just thought I would throw that one in there) but will use it over my salads, especially pasta salads.

    Grapeseed oil, though enjoy the flavor messes with my stomach up for some reason.

    Canola I will sprinkle over my air popped popcorn and the olive oil on occasion.

  8. Thanks for the tips as I totally fear the fat.

    Could that be a cause of my weight loss plateau?

    HELP!!

  9. I am with Trish (in her comment. not right now in real life LOL) hazelnut oil is the BOMB.

    I always use it cold on hot dishes like noodles.

  10. I’d love to get my hands on some walnut oil!

    Just to clarify about olive oil… Olive oil producers do try to squeeze every last drop out of the olives, so olives go through up to three processes of extraction. The first is just a pressing and no heat is used. The oil from this is called “cold-pressed” oil and it is the most desirable. Subsequent pressings involve some form of heat AND compression, so this oil is not as healthy as the “cold-pressed”. The virginity of the oil refers to the acidity levels, which of course affects the taste. Extra-virgin olive oil measures less than 0.8% acidity, while virgin olive oil measures less than 2%.

    Foods containing vitamins A, D, E and K should always be accompanied by some form of fat or oil, as these vitamins are fat-soluble and can’t be absorbed without fat. Instead of frying them in oil, which changes the molecular structure of oil from the beneficial cis-fat to the harmful trans-fat, just drizzle some oil on the food after cooking.

    If you have to heat oils, the safest oil to cook with is coconut oil, which is a healthy saturated fat containing medium-chain fatty acids. It is stable at high temperatures and solid at room temperature. It also imparts a lovely flavor on food. I use it on my face and body too!

    Great post, Miz!

  11. I also use olive oil most often, with canola and sesame bringing up my- er, the rear. 😉 My family doesn’t enjoy the sesame oil flavour yet, but I love it in recipe dressings! Have a great day!

  12. I know we’re an olive oil family and I would say the only other oil I have faith in is motor oil and baby oil. 🙂

    Thanks for some new options.

  13. Great run down on the oils!

    I find it so frustrating that many supposed “healthy” convenience foods use high omega-6 oils like soybean or corn oil, or the frequent “Canola OR Soybean” oil combo where you have no idea what you’re getting. Some brands are finally moving to olive oil or expeller-pressed Canola, but these are often hard to find.

    Even more reason to cook at home, dammit.

  14. peeking in.THANKS for all your chiming in and clarifying (Hanlie! Thank you).

    And Heather? I’d say a resounding YES.

    I’ll be back to expand on that when my morning settles!

  15. Ooh! I needed this. Olive, canola and sesame are what get used around here… and butter. Started substituting olive oil in some baking lately, and it’s been great in breads and dense breakfast muffins.

    I’ve been wondering about some of the others, such as the walnut, hazelnut and coconut oils, so am looking forward to checking back later today to see what people have to say about the “fancypants” oils.

  16. I needed this beginner guide to oils and wished you’d included more.

    Will you do a follow up with a full listing please?

  17. About a year ago, I got a bad bottle of really awful tasting olive oil. Ever since then, I can’t stand ANY olive oil.

    Since then, I’ve been using grapeseed, walnut, almond, hazelnut and coconut oil. Hazelnut is my absolute favorite; wouldn’t you know, it’s also the most expensive.

    So, most of the time I use the much less expensive coconut oil. Not good if you need a liquid oil, because it’s solid at room temp and it needs to be spooned out of the jar. Fantastic for greasing things, cooking eggs, or for stir-fry.

  18. Thanks for the protein powder link.
    I missed that post and am now terrified I use too much soy!!!

    I currently get around 4 or 5 servings a day.

  19. Thanks for pointing out the benefits of oils.

    I use walnut oil on salads. I first discovered it when I lived in France. I lived in Grenoble which is the “walnut capital” of France so walnuts are abundant. Just a little goes a long way & adds a nice nutty flavor to your salad. I also add walnuts to my salad from time to time, but the walnut oil can be a nice change.

    It’s also great with pasta! Add some walnut oil and then crumbled gorgonzola cheese — yummy!

    Also good with some fruits, like peaches, before grilling.

    It also goes well with bitter vegetables & even tasty on mashed potatoes.

    So it’s quite versatile!!!

  20. I was anxious to see what you were giving away (or getting rid of) during your 30 day reorg. Did you buy oil instead of decluttering the kitchen cupboard?

    I have flaxseed oil that I sometimes force myself to eat because I know it’s good for me. I will put it in ryvita crackers and sprinkle the top with soy parmesan cheese. I have also used it as a “spread” on Ezekiel bread but more often I will eat that toasted, plain as if I’m staring in the movie “Lifeboat” and it’s the last thing available to eat.

  21. yayyy for healthy oils! Can we put a giant IN MODERATION in front of all info 🙂 That means you Rachel Ray!

  22. I actually bought the ZONE olive oil.
    Yes, I’m rich that way 🙂

    I loved it but it is a rare thing as that stuff is expensive!!

  23. Hanlie took care of the olive oils. All I can add is if you are offered “pomace” olive oil turn and run and don’t look back. This is the lowest quality -extracted- with chemicals- from- the- pits oil.
    I have a spoonful of straight olive oil each day to get rid of my squeaks ( helps me with arthritis) while my husband does the same with peanut oil.

  24. Men – just remember that if you’re 40 and over, you should NOT take flaxseed oil – it has prostate implications.

    • I have seen that, Tanya. So the science is, indeed, conclusive? Ive also read repeatedly about the benefits of PUMPKIN SEED OIL for prostate health.

      anyone use this? husband/friends/partners use it?

  25. Great post! Thanks for the reminder to mix things up.

    I use mainly olive oil. I also recently bought a small bottle of an infused cold pressed olive oil (garlic, herbs & lemon I think) at the Farmers’ Market that tastes great on mozzarella and tomatoes, in salad dressing, etc. I also use sesame oil (and sesame seeds), mainly to add flavor to stir fries as well as rice and noodle dishes. I usually add a few drops at the end as it doesn’t tolerate heat well.

  26. SO not the use this post was intended for, but olive oil + honey + 15 minutes = crazy soft and shiny hair (just shampoo it out before leaving the house).

  28. my MIL used grapeseed oil to cook french toast a month or so ago and it was awesome! I haven’t bought any yet, though.

    I love drizzling popcorn with olive oil.

    I like adding flaxseed oil to my oatmeal, right before eating, but I haven’t bought it in a while.

  29. I get fat from whole foods. I never add fat to anything. That’s my system and I’m sticking to it. Stuff does stick without the oil in the pan 🙁

    🙂

  30. I REALLY need to use more oil in my diet, but it is so hard to get it in when I grill or steam most everything. I can start with salad dressing, and work my way up. Although when I do, on rare occasions have stirfry, or deepfried, it’s peanut or canola that I use.

  33. Honey? People put honey in their hair? Olive oil, right, I can see that… but honey?

    I think I need more caffeine. I must admit I’m kinda jealous that you get REAL email questions from REAL people 😉

    • I must admit I’m kinda jealous that you get REAL email questions from REAL people 😉

      No need for jealousy. Im happy to forward 🙂 oooh or have some guest crankyness up in herre?

  34. Bottom line: what to stir-fry with? Canola? Safflower? Flaxseed? I’m not sure I’m willing to use coconut oil because of the high amount of saturated fat (solid at room temperature is usually not a good sign).

    cammi99

    • yada yada yada only my opinion:

      Id say use peanut or canola but that’s only what I do. Ive had other people tell me theyve used grapeseed oil in stirfry as well and loved it (anyone?)

      Ive also not used soybean oil but have friends who swear by that too…

  35. I didn’t know that Chickfila used peanut oil.

    How do they do that with so many people allergic?

  37. Nice post! You reminded me of that fact about EVOO which I knew but had conveniently forgotten – I will try to avoid heating it from now on. Not sure of any health benefits, but sesame oil lends a nice flavor to Asian-y dishes!

    Ever since I’ve started exploring the benefits of raw vs. cooked foods, I’ve had to start considering the impact of heat/cooking on various ingredients, so this is a great post as we must not neglect the oils! Fat is not not not to be feared, especially when it’s the good kind. All kinds of benefits up in thurr.

  38. Ooh loved this post (and the protein powder one)! Thanks so much for all the great info. The only kinds of oil I ever use are olive and canola; I gotta branch out.

    I wonder if you could do a post about alternatives to protein powders? I see a lot of recipes that call for protein powder but I don’t like how many protein powders have ingredients like artificial flavor or a bunch of sugar and ingredients that I don’t recognize. Sometimes I’ll just use PB2 (even though its got the added sugar and salt), but its so expensive so I don’t like to use large quantities of it if a recipe calls for lots of protein powder.

    I want more protein- and in a powderish form- but I don’t want to use “protein powder” (gosh am I picky!).

    OK you kinda lost me here 🙂 you want protein powder but not in powder? or do you mean, say, EGG WHITE POWDER for extra protein but the powdered egg whites which are JUST THAT and no additives?

    Any suggestions? Or do you think it’s a lost cause (or have I not been looking hard enough to find protein powders with satisfactory ingredients lists)?

  40. Thanks for this post! I am woefully ignorant when it comes to topics such as this.
    Would love to hear more suggestions/recipes..

    *sits patiently”

  41. I regularly use olive, sesame, and coconut oils.

    Coconut oil is great for baking, making raw cookies and macaroons, and I also use it as a daily moisturizer (a separate jar than the one I use to bake with, of course).

  42. I use olive, sesame, peanut and grapeseed oil. Olive oil shouldn’t get too hot or it loses all it’s “goodstuffs”. It’s good for most things though. Grapseed is nice for salads-less viscous and doesn’t have that bitter olivey taste that extra virgin oil can get (which is the best of the olive oils), making it good for in a lot of foods. It’s good in hummus too. Sesame and peanut are good for frying as they can take the heat. They add a nutty flavour too which is nice.
    My sis’-n-law swears by coconut oil as the end all be all healthy oil.
    Now I’m hungry…:)

  43. Holy helpful post!
    I needed these basics and am gonna try the grape seed oil and do a post about it.

  45. Love this post. I too avoid the fancypants oils although I’m always tempted by them. 🙂 (hazelnut! walnut! mmm.)

    I used to saute in grapeseed oil because I think dr. weil recommended it, but then I read something somewhere else that said it is too high in whatever we shouldn’t be having so much of (very scientific, I know), so I generally use canola these days. I find them to be interchangeable cooking and flavor-wise.

    And…a cookbook I have recommends flaxseed oil in cabbage-based mayo-free slaws. It says the flavor is a good complement to purple or green cabbage.

  46. I have a friend who swears by the coconut oil on her face as well.
    I think she mixes it with baking soda and water?

  47. Great post! I am always wanting to know more about oils and this was pretty quick and simple!

    Now, can you talk about flax seeds? I know they are good for ya and help lower your bad cholesterol while maintaining your good cholesterol…but what do I do with them? I recently read somewhere that if you eat the seeds whole you don’t digest them, so that is really pointless. So, again, how do you use them?

    thanks!

  48. I personally love coconut oil.
    It is not like the ‘bad’ saturated fat oils, and certainly not the evil demon that the Consumer Food group villainized it to be back the the movie theater popcorn days. A lot of studies have come out about coconut oil that it actually can be beneficial to the diet. Plus I love stir frying with it!

  49. Also, regarding olive oil, make sure and store it in the fridge. It goes rancid on the countertop (unless you have a REALLY cold kitchen). It will solidify in the fridge, but you can run the bottle under hot water to re-liquefy it.

    And I sometimes use the cold-pressed olive oil as a sandwich spread. When I first get home, I pour some of it out of the olive oil bottle into a small jar and put it in the fridge. Then when the oil in the jar solidifies in the fridge, I just use a knife to spread it on the bread the way I would with mayo or mustard. Be advised that it will liquefy again at room temp, though, so DON’T USE TOO MUCH on the bread. Otherwise you’ll have a runny mess on your hands. Don’t ask me how I learned that.

  50. I too need to expand beyond my olive oil staple. But I may put it off until winter. As it is grilling time, most of my recipies involve olive oil.

    The best rated supermarket extra-virgin olive oil (according to Cooks Illustrated) is DaVinci. Different brands vary a lot in their flavor.

    My favorite general recipe for everything steak, chicken, veggies on the grill is so delish and so easy.

    1. Sprinkle coarse kosher salt (this is key do not substitute)
    2. Sprinkle garlic powder (or fresh if you have it)
    4. Grind fresh pepper
    3. Sprinkle olive oil
    4. If meat: brush to even out and repeat steps on other side, If veggies: toss to coat
    5. Grill and enjoy, yum

    By sprinkle I mean cover it about the same as red sugar sprinkles on christmas cookies. Covered, but not drowning in it. Sorry I have no measurements. I don’t usually measure when cooking. My Hubby is known as the grill master among our friends. People don’t believe us when we tell them how simple it is.

    Oh the power of quality ingredients!

  51. I do need to branch out with my oils as well.

    Well branch out would be the phrase if I used any now 😉

  52. Interesting about saute-ing stuff. I always just use evoo, but if it loses it’s “goodstuff” (thanks to one of the above commenter I will use this more often:) ) I may have to switch to grapeseed! Never had heard of it, but will look out for it.
    Oh, and for some reason I don’t like canola oil, otherwise I’d use it. I mainly use it in baked goods or frying stuff (rare occasions though), but would love to try another so thanks for the extra suggestions!

  53. What – no truffle oil?? The $50 a bottle price tag scare you off? 😉 Thanks for the oil roundup. It’s good to read something positive about Canola – researchers are so schizophrenic about that one.

  54. Now I will totally pretend I’m getting some ‘good’ fat/oil when I hit the chickfila drive thru LOL.
    Thanks for this Miz.

  55. For some reason I thought this was going to be about aromatherapy or something. But it was delicious! Grapeseed oil sounds interesting–I’ll be awaiting your review…

  56. “or do you mean, say, EGG WHITE POWDER for extra protein but the powdered egg whites which are JUST THAT and no additives?”

    Precisely! Wait… there’s such a thing as egg white powder?

    I’m going shopping to hunt for this product. Thank you!

  57. There is!
    Or was.
    It was called Just Whites! and was powdered, well, egg whites 😉

    I’ll look and see if I can find it!

  60. Only oils we have are olive and canola – can’t do peanut because the fiance is allergic, but I will totally have to try sesame, that sounds delicious for stir fries and salads and veggie stuffs.

    Thanks for the super informative post!

  61. I loved this! I don’t experiment with oil.. EVOO or canola so this gives me tons of info. THX! PS; Since I am a terrible cook, another reason for my lack of experimentation!

  62. I use only Grapeseed Oil these days for my salad dressing. Its light flavor is perfect. My fave is equal parts grapeseed oil and white basalmic vinegar, a tablespoon of dijon mustard, 2 cloves of garlic, and a packet of splenda. Trader Joe’s has its own Grapeseed oil for great price but most grocery stores carry it these days.

    I use Olive for everything else with canola in the cupboard for rare recipes that call for it and a little thing of sesame oil to add a dash to stir frys.

  63. Has anyone tried anything with avocado oil?

    I bought some on a whim a while back and the only think I can think to do with it is salad dressing…and I don’t really dress my salads very often.

    Sigh, impulse buys…

  64. Truffle oil…haha, that comment made me laugh.

    I just bought some coconut oil, mostly to use as a moisterizer, but I’m curious using it for cooking/baking as well. The jar says you can use it as a sub for butter. I too have read that yes, it’s high in saturated fat, but it’s not bad saturated fat (for some reason), especially if you buy extra-virgin c.o. so you know it’s not processed.

    I use sesame oil and chili oil (DANG that’s good stuff) for Asian cooking, olive for everything else, canola when the boy requests something fried (I know, I know).

  65. I bought some grapeseed oil and coconut oil at TJs today~

    Thanks for this nudge!

  67. I mainly use canola and extra virgin olive oil. I use olive for roasting sometimes and in salad dressing. I make my own. 2/3’s rice vinegar & 1/3 olive oil.

    Sometimes I use peanut oil. I also use sesame, chili and truffle oils as flavorings. They’re used more like you would use a seasoning than oil.

    I’ve seen tons of other oils, but haven’t tried.

  68. Now I totally wanna try the truffle oil and see if it is worth the money (hype. whatevs).

    Mary Meps?

    thanks for the recipe bjbella!

  70. I’m pretty much either an EVOO or a canola oil girl myself… but I really want to try flaxseed oil!

    P.S. Your site is totally blocked on my school’s network… what kind of content do you have hiding here? lol

  71. i’m curious about coconut oil! as well as coconut water… anywho, i usually use evoo and smart balance canola oil. i also have a small thing of walnut oil in the fridge, but i didn’t know about its short life, hope it hasn’t gone rancid! i think i used it for a dressing?

  72. I’ll admit I didn’t read most of the other posts, but I agree with above- coconut oil is awesome for cooking, and what about hemp oil and pumpkin seed oil? I use hemp oil a lot for protein… I guess I don’t really know a whole lot though!

    Thanks!

  74. I’m so clueless about all of these I’ll have to print this off and tape it to the inside of the pantry!

    What was the name of that peanut butter powder co?!?
    I thought I ordered it and never got it. I can’t even think of the name of it but that’s what happens at 55 yrs!

  75. First time commenter- love the community here!

    I actually exclaimed “WHAT?!” out loud when I read your summary about canola oil.

    Please please take 5 minutes and do some research about this oil.

    It is NOT good for high heat cooking, as a mostly unsaturated fat it is therefore extremely unstable and fractionates quickly under the influence of heat! Fractionation of oil = free- radicals, free – radicals = bad news in the body.

    Canola oil is popular because it is CHEAP.

    There is specualtion that the body has a hard time digesting this oil, leading to intestinal cramping, gas and diarrhea. A simple experiment is to take a simple dish like soba (buckwheat – not a grain, therefore gluten free) noodles and stir fried veggies, and prepare it one time in canola (aka junk), and the next time in olive, coconut, sesame, or WALNUT (delicious!) oil. Try to eat clean the whole day so that you can really feel the food in your tummy, and experience the digestive process. Good chance your guts will be much more comfortable without the canola oil.

    Another junk oils are soybean oil and safflower oil.

    Saturated fat is not the devil, especially non-animal sources of saturated fat.

    just my 2 cents, eat well!

  76. MizFit, you call my name again. Great post idea! I have a couple things to add (sorry if the Band has already mentioned–you’re so popular it’s hard to keep up):

    I do not think olive oil contains “lots of saturated fats”. I think you meant mono-unsaturated fats. And yes, it is my staple oil too.

    Second, YES extra virgin olive oil contains more antioxidants. Because of this you should not blend extra virgin olive oil in a blender because it makes it very bitter. Use pure olive oil or canola oil instead for making hummus, pesto, etc.

    Third, ALA is healthy but the latest things I have read indicate it is not a sufficient substitute for fish oils. Your body converts some ALA to DHA, but the efficiency is very low. I always encourage readers to eat fish several times a week, especially wild Alaskan salmon and sardines.

    Finally, you’re awesome.

    That is all.

  78. Great work bringing attention to the importance of healthy oil .. the fear of eating any fat at all is still out there and these sort of posts are a useful way of assuring people that we do need some fat!

    Peanut oil though .. hmm, despite its positives I’d have to say be wary. Only because all non-organic nuts are heavily sprayed with pesticides and peanut oil is therefore extremely toxic.

    Plus – what about coconut oil?! I gotta say that’s the best oil of all for health, energy, and most definitely weight loss. Plus it’s yummy! (Although you can buy it refined if you don’t like coconut). It’s 92% saturated fat, but all medium-chain fatty acids which go straight to the liver for energy.

  81. fantastic post — it took awhile, but I’ve become totally OK with ingesting all the healthy fat oils contain. Extra virgin olive oil is my fave and I dip my favorite whole wheat breads in it for a tasty, FILLING snack!

  82. LOVE this post. Walnut oil and flax oil in salad dressings – as you said, both are better not heated.

    Also, coconut oil is a great oil that’s getting a lot of press right now. It’s good for you but ONLY if you get the non-hydrogenated kind, not the kind that they put in all of the processed foods. It’s high in lauric acid which fights infections and as Kat said above, its fatty acids are really good for you. It’s good especially for high heat cooking as it won’t go rancid like olive oil does on high heat. And if you like coconut it adds a yummy flavor to your food.

  83. I think fats and oils are a big overlooked factor in our health. I think macronutrints are very important, but perhaps equally important is our choice of fat.

    Saturated fat is probalb not the villain it has been made out to be. Very few studies implicate bad effects from saturated fat, some show actual benefits from saturated fat. Overall, saturated fat is very stable and not a likely source of bad health effects.

    Stephan at WholeHealthSource did a really interesting series on the heart disease epidemic. The below link is the culmination.

    http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2009/05/coronary-heart-disease-epidemic_19.html

    Cheers,
    Tony

  84. THANK YOU KAREN W! I was freaking out! Canola oil is NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT (not) healthy! It turns to trans fats at high heats (NOThealthy).

    Love me some coconut oil! I buy garden of life brand.

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