Healthy Oils

Healthy oils are only healthy if you use them correctly. There are some oils that can tolerate the heat of the frying pan and others that just need to rest lightly on a salad with a little vinegar and spice.
 

Some oils don't pass as healthy whether you sauté, flambeau or simply use them cold. Healthy oils are those that fit the criteria for essential fatty acids, are lower in unsaturated fats, lower the blood cholesterol or at least not raise it, have little pesticide in them and are processed properly so the oil's integrity is maintained and the nutritional value isn't lost.

Oil is nothing more than liquid fat. The body needs to have fat to help it absorb nutrients, maintain the integrity of the cell membrane, insure proper nerve transmission and perform other important tasks. You can get too much of a good thing however. You also can choose the wrong type of oil and increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. If you use the oils improperly, you also increase a potential for cancer.

Some oils are hydrogenated. Hydrogenation creates a longer shelf life but also makes the trans fatty acids that you hear so much about today. When you look at vegetable shortening, stick margarine or even the oil in microwave popcorn, you're looking at samples of hydrogenated oils.

There are oils that are polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, totally unsaturated and saturated fats. Each type of healthy oil has some saturated fat and some unsaturated fat. The chains of fat in the oil also are mixed. Saturated fat is what you need to avoid. Studies found that diets high in saturated fats are linked to a higher incidence of coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis. The studies also found that saturated fats negatively effected the cholesterol profile of the individuals that ate them regularly in their diet. Experiments that replaced the saturated fats with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat reduced the likelihood of a second stroke or cardiac death significantly. Oils that contain high saturated fats include butter, coconut oil, cottonseed oil and palm kernel oil.

Polyunsaturated fat lower both the total cholesterol and the LDL, bad cholesterol. Monounsaturated fats, however, actually raise the HDL, good, cholesterol level. The highest oil in unsaturated fat is canola followed closely by sunflower and safflower oil. However, if you divide the groups up between polyunsaturated and monounsaturated, olive oil ranks the highest with canola oil right behind it.

Oils that don't fare well when heat is applied include those that contain the omega 3 fatty acids. The heat changes the fatty acids and even makes them harmful. In this case, oils that are higher in saturated fats or monounsaturated fats tend to be higher when you use them for cooking. These include the ever-popular olive oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, high oleic sunflower oil, butter and peanut oil. Of course, coconut oil is high in saturated fat.

There's a technique that preserves the flavor and nutrition of oils that you use for cooking. It involves sautéing the food first in a small amount of water heated slightly below the boiling point. Cook the food for a while and then later add the oil. This practice is wet sautéing the food. Since the oil has a limited time in the heat, it helps maintain the integrity of the oil.

The way the manufacturers process the oil also makes a difference. Remember that some oils are damaged by heat that creates a toxin. Some manufacturers use heat or chemicals to process their oil. Always look for oils that are cold pressed to maximize the health value of the oil. Healthy oils are those from organic sources; contain lower saturated fats and where the manufacturer uses natural processing methods.