High-quality vegetable oils are the best way to meet your body’s daily requirement for fat and fulfill many of the body’s nutritional requirements. Natural vegetable oils carry nutrients that are essential to good health. Read about oils necessary to your health, and learn about processing methods that affect oil quality. By keeping in mind a few key points about oils, fat content, processing methods, and best uses in the kitchen, you’ll be able to purchase the healthiest products for your needs.

Oil Buzz Words
• Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)
critical to health but not manufactured by the body, so they must come from food; found in supplemental evening primrose, cod liver, and hemp oils.

• Gamma-Linoleic Acid (GLA)
essential fatty acid needed for cell growth and repair; found in supplemental borage oil.

• Omega-3 and Omega-6
beneficial fatty acids that fight heart disease and cancer; found in supplemental cod liver, fish and flax oils.

Necessary Nutrients and Disease Fighters in Vegetable Oils

Though excess consumption of saturated fat, and the cholesterol found in animal fats, has been associated with heart and arterial disease, some fat is necessary in a daily
diet to ensure good health. Current studies suggest that an ideal diet might provide 25% of calories from oils and fat.

Fat is needed for absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, A, D and E. Vegetable oils are one of the few sources of the essential fatty acids (EFA) linoleic and linolenic acid. Vegetable oils, especially wheat germ oil, are good sources of Vitamin E.

Some oils also contain Omega-3 fatty acids which have been shown to protect the body from heart disease and some types of cancer. Flax seed, canola, walnut and soy oils are good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Monounsaturated oils, like olive, peanut, canola, and high-oleic oils also protect the body from heart disease by raising the blood level of HDL, the good cholesterol. Higher levels of HDL prevent plaque build-up on arterial walls. Consumption of
polyunsaturated oils, like safflower and soybean oils, lowers levels of LDL, bad
cholesterol, but they also lower the good HDL, too.

back to top

Types Of Oils & Storage

Oils are classified as either saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Saturation refers to the carbon-hydrogen makeup of the oil. The more hydrogen, the greater degree of saturation and solidity of the oil.

Polyunsaturated
Polyunsaturated fats such as safflower oil never solidify, even when refrigerated.

Monounsaturated
Monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, are generally liquid at room temperature and either semi-congealed or solid when refrigerated.

Saturated
Saturated fats such as coconut oil, butter and lard are solid at room temperature.

Storage Tips
The packing and storing of oils can affect their quality. Heat, air and light promote spoilage. Unrefined oils should be stored in cool, dark places and unrefined oils that are high in Omega-3’s should be refrigerated.

Natural or unrefined oils generally keep 4-6 months if stored properly. Refined or
heavily processed oils will keep twice as long.

back to top

Methods Of Oil Processing

Several different steps and methods are used to process oils. The quality, flavor and nutritional value of oil varies greatly according to how it has been processed.

Extraction
How an oil is extracted affects the nutrient content of the oil because heat, light and
air destroy nutrients. Here are the most common methods of extraction:

Expeller Pressing: mechanical pressure is used to extract oil from its source. Friction generates temperatures up to 185 degrees, depending on the hardness of the seed, grain, bean or nut.

Cold Pressing: expeller pressing at temperatures below 120 degrees. The only truly cold pressed oil is extra virgin olive oil, as it is the first press of the olives.

Vacuum Extraction: a relatively new vacuum expeller process method that extracts oils in a light and oxygen-free atmosphere at temperatures as low as 70 degrees.

Solvent Extraction: oils extracted chemically with petroleum solvents that destroy most of the oil’s nutritional value.

Refining: The highest quality, most flavorful oils with the most nutrients are unrefined. Refined oils are virtually odorless and tasteless. During refining, oils are degummed, which removes beneficial lecithin, then treated with chemicals at high temperatures to bleach and deodorize. Some oils also have added preservatives.

Hydrogenation: Hydrogenation is the chemical process that transforms a liquid into a solid or partially solid form. The process uses heavy metals, hydrogen gas and extreme heat. This destroys nutrients and turns the fat into trans-fatty acids. Consuming these trans-fatty acids has been linked to high cholesterol and heart disease.

Margarine and shortening are examples of oils that have been hydrogenated. Other sources of hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils are packaged snacks like commercial baked goods and chips. Look for brands that use natural vegetable oils for a healthier snack choice.

back to top

• Avocado: for sauteing and salads

• Canola: high in Omega-3, monounsaturated, mild flavor; perfect for cooking, baking, light sauteing and salads

• Coconut: 92% saturated fat

• Corn: good for baking and salads

• Grape Seed: high in linoleic acid, low in saturated fats; light nutty taste, good for cooking

• Palm Kernel: 83% saturated fat; used to prevent candy from melting

• Peanut: monounsaturated; great for frying, baking and salads

• Olive: monounsaturated; for salads, light sauteing and dipping

• Safflower: great salad oil, or for cooking and baking

• Sesame: excellent for stir frying and deep frying; toasted sesame oil is
highly concentrated and aromatic for adding flavor

• Soybean: contains Omega-3; strong flavor, use for cooking, baking or salads

• Sunflower: mild flavor, good for everything except deep frying

• Walnut: contains Omega-3; gourmet cooking oil, great in salad

• Wheat: germ supplement oil, excellent source of Vitamin E

back to top