> Food and Nutrition > Fats and Oils > cooking oils

Those rows of golden oils at the grocery store may seem appealing, but there’s danger attached. They’re heat-treated in the refining process, which damages the oil molecules. But choose good oils, use them well, and you’ll be steps closer to optimal health.

Freshly pressed oils made from organic seeds provide a protective cushion around our vital organs, ensure proper cell function and deliver essential oxygen and information to our brains. In contrast, the typical flavourless oils with long shelf lives have been refined beyond their ability to offer nutrients and energy to our bodies. Hydrogenated oils such as margarine and vegetable shortening also have no place in the whole foods kitchen.

The good news is there are numerous ways to incorporate healthy oils in the diet. Enjoy them in homemade salad dressings and sauces, both ideal ways to include the heat-sensitive omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Try dipping your bread into a saucer of essential fatty acid-rich oil on its own or combined with a dash of balsamic vinegar-deliciously simple!

Fresh unrefined oils carry the distinctive flavour of the seed and so can add nuances to any dish. They also retain the natural antioxidants from the oil seed such as vitamin E or, in the case of sesame oil, sesamol. To prevent damage, it’s important to store them at cool or cold temperatures and away from light. Rancid oil is easily detected by its odour and should be thrown away.

Hot Oil Tips

Oil from seeds rich in essential fatty acids such as flax seed, pumpkin seed and walnut should never be used for frying or sautéing as they produce toxic substances when heated. Rather, use them in cold dishes or drizzled over cooked food.

Oils can be used in baking and cooking, provided you take care to preserve their nutritional value. Saturated oils such as fresh unrefined coconut, palm, palm kernel, cocoa butter and butter are very stable, have high smoke points (can tolerate heat) and therefore lend themselves readily to sautéing or frying.

When frying or sautéing, most cooks first heat the oil on its own before adding other ingredients. If the oil starts to ripple or smoke, it has reached too high a temperature (passed its smoke point) and should be discarded. Rather than heating oil on its own, a better method is to add oil and vegetables after the pan has already been heated up to the proper temperature. Monounsaturated oils such as olive or sesame are appropriate for low temperature sautéing and are recommended by whole foods author Paul Pitchford. It is not advisable to deep-fry and repeatedly reuse oil in cooking.

You might try adding water-containing, sulphur-rich garlic and onions as you cook to help protect oils from being damaged by heat. Clarified butter or ghee is a good option for frying at higher temperatures since their easy-to-burn milk solids have been removed. It’s also possible to sauté in a small amount of water at a medium-low temperature and add a splash of your favourite oil near the end. The characteristic flavour of stir-frying will be retained without risking damage to the oils and, ultimately, to our health. Udo Erasmus, author of Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill, suggests that for optimal health, we avoid frying altogether with any fats.

Best for Baking

Oils work well in many baked goods, providing moisture, tenderness and lubrication, though it’s best to add saturated fats creamed with natural sugar to incorporate the air necessary for light, fluffy cakes and pastries. Unrefined oils add flavour and nutrition to baked goods without suffering undue damage while being baked. The inside temperature of the baked product only reaches slightly above boiling, steaming the batter while the crust protects the oils from excessive heat, light and air.

It is important to match the oil with the appropriate baked product; a rich, aromatic olive oil may not be appropriate for a sponge cake, but works well in specialty Italian baking. Corn oil can be used to echo the flavour of cornmeal or flour in muffins or cornbread.

Enjoy experimenting with the wonderful array of unrefined oils available but be aware that North Americans generally derive too many calories from oils. Good advice is to cut down on the amount of oil in the diet and to ensure that those we do use contribute to overall health by providing the essential fatty acids we need to stay alive.

To Heat or Not to Heat?

Oils that should not be heated include:

• flax seed oil
• walnut oil
• EFA-rich blends
• pumpkin seed oil
• safflower oil
• sunflower oil
• hemp oil

Oils that are less toxic when baked or sautéed at low temperatures:

• olive oil
• hazelnut oil
• sesame oil
• almond oil

Oils that are least toxic when fried:

• butter
• clarified butter (ghee)
• coconut oil
• coconut butter

Source: Encyclopedia of Natural Healing, (alive Books, 1998).

For more information, please see Good Fats and Oils by Siegfried Gursche, published by alive Books and available at your local health food store.

Abra Brynne’s expertise and passion are dedicated to fostering local food production and consumption. She is the foodshed animator for the Christopher Spicer Institute in the West Kootenays.

Source: alive #233, March 2002