Did you know that your cooking oil could be harming your health?
Our choice of oil for cooking is an important one and something we need to consider for our wellbeing.
If you use oil beyond its ‘smoke point’, the oil becomes oxidized. The smoke point of oil is the temperature at which that oil begins to smoke and to break down the fatty acids. This break down causes the oil to become oxidized. Which, when ingested, causes free radical damage to our cells, inflammation and ultimately contributing to chronic disease.
The other factor to consider when choosing the right oils for our health is the ratio of omega 3 anti-inflammatory fatty acids to omega 6 inflammatory fatty acids. Some oils are higher in the inflammatory fats which pretty simply cause inflammation when inside our body.
These are the best oils to have in your pantry and their temperature uses…
High Temperature Cooking Oils
– Virgin Raw Coconut Oil
– a good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– Organic Grapseed Oil
Moderate Temperature Cooking
– Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– Macadamia Oil
Cold/Raw only
– Flaxseed (Linseed) Oil
– Chia oil
Here is a quick run down of my favourite oils which I use regularly and why…
Organic Virgin Raw Coconut Oil
USES: Any high temperature cooking, baking, raw desserts and topically on your skin or if you’re adventurous as a natural toothpaste or mouthwash!
TIPS: The natural coconut flavour goes great with any Asian style dish or dessert…just keep it away from spag bol….not great!
HEALTH: This beautiful oil is a natural anti-funghal and anti-microbrial thanks to its Lauric Acid content. I often recommend coconut oil for anyone with Candida or anyone with compromised intestinal or immune health.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
USES: I love this cold over my salads and in dressings.
TIPS: I like the Cobram Estate brand olive oil, it’s good quality and a reasonable price.
HEALTH: A healthy oil rich in natural nutrients, renowned for cardiovascular benefits.
Flaxseed Oil
USES: Only use this oil COLD, it is an unstable oil which cannot be heated. Store in a cool dark place.
TIPS: Add a tablespoon to your smoothie every morning for a good dose of essential fats!
HEALTH: contains 57% omega-3 essential fatty acids, one of the best vegetarian sources of EFAs, which you can only get from your diet.
Macadamia Oil
USES: A great substitute to use in baking, it doesn’t have an over powering flavour.
TIPS: I use macadamia oil in my homemade nut butters
HEALTH: Contains more than 4 times the amount of Vitamin E to olive oil!
It can get a bit confusing with all of the different fats out there, and most of us have been trained to think of fats as bad. We know a lot more about fats now and how the correct ones can be really beneficial for our health in many ways, apart from essential functions, ‘good fats’ have shown to reduce many chronic diseases and even aid in healthy weight loss. However it’s all about which fats you use and the amount. Like anything, all fats should be consumed in moderation.
