May 11
27
Which oil is best for you?
I often get asked which oils are the best to cook with.
When it comes to knowing which vegetable oil is best and safest to cook with, many restaurants and so-called health experts don’t seem to understand basic biochemistry. That’s because even the “safe” vegetable oils used by restaurants and recommended by experts convert to seriously damaged breakdown products that have been linked to heart disease and neurological disorders.
These include the fatty acid-derived toxin 4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal (HNE). According to researchers, HNE collects in high amounts in polyunsaturated oils that have linoleic acid, which include:
- Corn
- Canola
- Soybean
- Sunflower
HNE’s Effect on the Body
Many studies have linked HNE consumption to increased risks for cardiovascular disease, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, liver problems and cancer.
Researchers explain that HNE’s toxicity stems from the fact that it reacts
extremely energetically with biomolecules once it is absorbed into the body by way of food. Also, it reacts with the various kinds of amino groups–proteins, DNA, RNA–affecting basic cellular processes.
Based on these findings, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association recommended that if a person is worried about the health aspects of HNE, they should refrain from heating any oil to the point of smoking and should never reuse the same oil when cooking at home.
One of the most important recommendations, however, would be to avoid eating fried foods at restaurants, as there are no industry-wide rules that govern the choice and maintenance of cooking oils used in restaurants.
Of all the destructive foods out there, those made with heated vegetable oils are some of the worst. At the turn of the century (a time when heart attacks were a rarity), the average American consumed only 1 pound of vegetable oil per year, while today that amount can exceed 75 pounds. We are consuming a ratio of seventeen Omega 6 fats to every one Omega 3 fat in our diets. These fats are coming primarily from fast food, packaged, frozen and restaurant food. At the turn of the nineteenth century we were at a 3:1 ratio. Science shows that if we get this ratio down to 4:1 we 
decrease heart disease by 70%!
So what is best to use? Extra Virgin cold pressed Olive oil is best for “cold” oil cooking such as salad dressings and drizzling on cooked vegetables or very low heat cooking. Coconut oil is best for heated cooking; yes I did say Coconut Oil. I know, we were told not to eat it because it is a saturated fat. Partially-hydrogenated oil was introduced around 1945. It was cheaper and preserved foods better than coconut oil so it was pulled from the market. That is when margarine was introduced as “heart healthy”. Then we went through our “low-fat” phase in the 80’s and coconut oil was the bad guy again. Coconut oil holds up well under heat and it is great for stir frying. You can use it to replace Crisco in all you’re baking and no, it doesn’t make everything taste like coconut! Go to www.coconutoil.com to read extensive research on coconut oil.
Remember, oil has twice as many calories as carbohydrates and protein per gram, so always use it in small quantities.
__________________________________________________
Compiled by Chris McKee, CNC
