HEALTHY COOKING OILS

Oil Overview

• The best cooking oil has a high smoke point, does not break down when heated, contains healthy ingredients, lacks unhealthy ingredients and has an appropriate flavor.
• All oils are fats (NOT all fats are oils).
• All fat has 9-calories per gram. This is true of all oils, too.
• There are three basic categories of fat (based on their fatty acid content) -- Monounsaturated, Polyunsaturated and Saturated.

Health Factors

• In general, healthy oils tend to break down into unhealthy chemicals when heated.
• Unless heated, the healthiest fat is Monounsaturated fat. It raises the good HDL cholesterol ratio.
• When heated, Monounsaturated fat tends to break down and become unhealthy.
• The unhealthiest fat is Saturated fat. It is associated with the bad, artery-clogging LDL cholesterol, but it is also the most stable when heated.
• Trans fatty acids are twice as unhealthy as saturated fats.
• Trans fatty acids are in hydrogenated and partially-hydrogenated oils. Avoid them.
• Linolenic (Omega-3) and Linoleic (Omega-6) are essential fatty acids. They are healthy (especially Omega-3), but they break down and become unhealthy when heated.
• Western countries typically consume too much Omega-6 and not enough Omega-3. They must be balanced.

Shelf Life

• Oils have a relatively short shelf life and become rancid rather quickly. Rancid fats have been associated with atherosclerosis, heart disease and cancer.
• Shelf life for cooking oils is about 3-months to 1-year. Exposure to oxygen, heat and light diminish an oil's shelf life.
• Refined oils stay fresh longer and can be heated to higher temperatures, but they contain more impurities than unrefined oils.
• Saturated fat has the longest shelf life, but it is the most unhealthy fat.
• Polyunsaturated fat readily combines with oxygen in the air to become rancid.
• Dark cooking oils have shorter shelf lives than light-colored or clear oils.
• Anti-oxidants extend an oil's shelf life.

Internal Links

• Avocado Oil
• Canola Oil

External Links

• All About Oils
• What Oil Should You be Cooking With, and Which Should You Avoid?
• Demystifying oil
• Oils and Fats Introduction
• Healing with Food, Natural Cooking, Vegetable Oil Guide
• The Food Storage Faq - Fats and Oils
• What You Should Know About Triglycerides and Fatty Acids
• USDA Nutrient Database

Yahoo! News

• 'Bad' Fat May Hurt Brain Function Over Time
  05/18/2012 11:50 PM
  FRIDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Women who eat a lot of "bad" saturated fat may hurt their overall brain function and memory over time, Harvard University researchers report.
  

• COLAVITA OLIVE OIL & MALAYSIAN AEON FOUNDATION PROMOTES “HEALTHY FAMILY, HAPPY MOM!”
  05/17/2012 04:10 AM
  KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 (Bernama) -- Healthy eating is key to maintaining goodhealth. Research has shown that olive oil contains most anti-oxidant amongedible oils and consumption of olive oil helps in lowering heart disease risk. In conjunction with Mother’s Day celebration, SANGLA FOODS SDN BHD has launched“Healthy Family, Happy Mom” campaign in AEON nationwide stores with the aim tocreate ...
  

• Soba With Green Garlic, Spinach, Edamame and Crispy Tofu
  05/18/2012 01:32 PM
  This hearty noodle dish makes good use of the season’s best vegetables.
  

• What Does ‘Extra Virgin Olive Oil’ Actually Mean?
  05/18/2012 12:32 AM
  The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has just fined an olive oil producer for inappropriately labelling a product as “extra virgin olive oil”. However, there’s no nationally mandated standard for what can be described as “extra virgin”. What’s going on? Picture by Smabs Sputzer Even non-foodies like myself know that “extra virgin” ...
  

• Coromega® Launches New Big Squeeze Omega-3 Supplement
  05/15/2012 11:21 AM
  Premier supplements maker Coromega® today announced a delicious new way to help Americans reach healthy omega-3 levels with the launch of Coromega Big Squeeze, an emulsified form of omega-3s delivered in an easy-to-use, family-size pouch with superior absorption to that of traditional fish oil capsules.
  

• PCSO-524 omega-3 complex may provide benefits for joint mobility and pain
  05/17/2012 05:52 AM
  According to a recent study published in Rheumatologia, the official journal of the Institute of Rheumatology and the Polish Rheumatological Society, PCSO-524, an all natural, patented, Omega-3 fish oil extract containing DHA and EPA from the New Zealand green-lipped mussel, found in Omega XL, may provide more benefits for joint mobility and pain compared to standard fish oil.
  

• DSM eyes generic omega-3 drug space with €420m ONC buy
  05/18/2012 08:51 AM
  ONC is strong in omega-3 supplements, but could drug apps hold greater promise?
  

• Omega-3 Green-Lipped Mussel Extract May Benefit Joint Pain And Mobility Better Than Fish Oil
  05/17/2012 03:00 AM
  According to a recent study published in Rheumatologia, the official journal of the Institute of Rheumatology and the Polish Rheumatological Society, PCSO-524™, an all natural, pat
  

Archive

• Food manufacturers have until Jan. 1, 2006, to list trans fat on the nutrition label.
  "On July 9, 2003, FDA issued a regulation requiring manufacturers to list trans fatty acids, or trans fat, on the Nutrition Facts panel of foods and some dietary supplements. With this rule, consumers have more information to make healthier food choices that could lower their consumption of trans fat as part of a heart-healthy diet. Scientific reports have confirmed the relationship between trans fat and an increased risk of coronary heart disease."
  http://www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/transfat/
  http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/transfat.html