Do you remember lard? Were you around when we were all told that butter was bad for you but margarine was good? Crisco used to be a household staple, but we are always learning. Nowhere is that more evidenced that in relation to oils.
Oils are used for frying, roasting, sautéing and salad dressings. But not all oils are created (or used) equally.
It is good to have a sense of what each oil is best for. 10-of-the-healthiest-cooking-oils-explained might help.
Extra-virgin olive oil is high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and a quality bottle can truly take you on a taste bud adventure. But it is best for sautéing and drizzling, and not recommended for frying or roasting above 375 degrees.
If you love frying things in olive oil (which, like, who doesn’t?) you’ll want to use the pure olive oil rather than extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO). Pure olive oil has a smoke point of 465 degrees F, which can stand up to that frying heat. Unfortunately, it’s not quite as flavorful, because it’s chemically processed. It also doesn’t have as many heart-healthy fats as high-quality extra-virgin. But that’s the tradeoff for being able to use it for heavy duty cooking. It is best for frying, but not recommended for salad dressings.
Flaxseed oil has a couple interesting characteristics: For one, it’s high in omega-3 fatty acids, and Sasson says you may want look into using it more often if you don’t eat a lot of fish. But she says you absolutely can’t cook with it, because it’s incredibly sensitive to heat and oxidizes quickly. For this reason, she says you’ll want to buy small bottles so you can use it up quickly, and be extra sure to store it in a cool dark place. She suggests drizzling it over dips like hummus, or using it in salad dressings.
This week, get the skinny on oils. Make it a point to know what makes life healthy and delicious.
Tips from 5 April 2010 to 6 August 2012 are here: Archived Tips
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Rev. Debra Basham
Voice or text: (269) 921-2217 Email: debra@scs-matters.com http://DebraBasham.com http://ImagineHealing.info http://SurgicalSupport.info Small Changes … Infinite Results™
“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” ~ Mother Teresa |