What is the safest oil for sauteeing and baking?
I have read in multiple places that canola oil is pretty much toxic. I don't want to use coconut oil because of the saturated fat (I have genetically high cholesterol). Are walnut oil and extra light olive oil safe for general baking and sauteeing?
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And animal fats are totally fine too http://chriskresser.com/5-fats-you-should-be-cooking-with-but-may-not-be
I don't believe anybody accused anyone here of anything. My issue is with fearmongers trying to sell books and the damage they do in the process. Otherwise I agree -- debate, whether we eventually come to an agreement or chose different paths, is a good thing.
Incidentally, it's impossible to tell with whom we're corresponding as your post(s) are tagged "s Whole Foods Market Customer".
It's true that stress is proven harmful--I think everyone is pretty much in agreement about that. I love dairy and certain meat products and have found it difficult to cut way back on them. However, I would rather sacrifice some of the things I enjoy eating in favor of better QUALITY of life when I am older, rather than eat anything I want now and either have a shorter life or spend the last 30 years of it in constant misery due to diseases and ailments that could have been avoided or lessened. There is a lot of research about the connection between food and inflammation in the body, too much to be ignored, and it isn't all in "fad diet books". My doctors suggested the dietary restrictions I have chosen to follow, and they also follow them in their own homes. No, a steak once in a great while isn't going to kill anyone, but there is a lot of research out there that indicates making it a regular part of your diet isn't good for you. However, to each his/her own.
Now as for grape seed:
Grape seed oil is mostly polyunsaturated and almost all of that is linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid. High consumption of omega-6 oils has been shown to inhibit the body's ability to process alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) fatty acids.
Additionally, grape seed oil oxidizes quickly releasing carcinogenic free radicals in the process. That is an important attribute for storage (keep open bottles in the refrigerator) and it also indicates it is unstable at high temperatures (not a good frying oil despite its high smoke point).
Extra light olive oil would be a better choice.
My opinions -- and they are just that -- are based on studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, not from people trying to sell books and promote the latest diet fad.
The science of saturated fats, heart disease, et al is far from settled but recent research has debunked many of the theories we've long accepted as fact, a causal relationship between dietary cholesterol and serum cholesterol being a prime example.
Knowing what we don't know has allowed me to take what I believe to be a more healthful approach to food. I reject worry and fret over unproven conjecture. I put flavor and enjoyment first. A thick juicy steak may or may not have an effect on my health but stress is a proven killer. If I'm wrong about my philosophy, I will at the very least have enjoyed life as much as possible. I have yet to hear a good argument against that.
And does the Mayo Clinic no longer carry any weight as being on the cutting edge of medical science and a reliable source of infomation?
Have you considered that all this "information" comes from people who are trying to sell you something?
As for canola oil(ranamed GMO version of rapeseed oil-- all current rapeseed oil on the market is GMO so BEWARE) is an industrial lubricant. It is super cheap so food factories use it for that reason alone. It has caused severe health problems for workers in those factories. There is also a strong link between canola/rapeseed(the same thing) and mad cow disease. Once they stopped adding rapeseed oil to the food eaten by sheep the mad cow disease stopped. You see cows/cattle were fed sheep meat in their feed. Also canola/rapeseed seems to be highly mutigenic -- a cancer causing agent and not at all good for your cardio. Rats fed diets with canola oil developed severe fatty degeneration of the heart/thyroid/kidneys etc. It is best to stop eating any form of canola oil or rapeseed oil and switch to coconut, olive, safflower and peanut oils. People are surprised to hear cococut oil is good because it's a saturated fat. It is a medium chain triglyceride and is very powerful at correcting diabetes without any big pharma drugs. It protects you from heart disease, diabetes, cancer and helps immensely with other things like constipation- up to 3 tablespoons or even more can halt the worst opiate/morphine caused constipation- having daily green and other fruit and veggie juices is also helpful to an array of things...
The Internet is full of conjecture and nonsense and it's only getting worse. This issue, like many other health fears, fed by e-mail terrorists and people with products to sell, are so close to religion that I really shouldn't wade into it. But it really angers me that, instead of enjoying our food, we're being told we have to worry and fret about every ingredient.
Canola oil is not toxic.
You shouldn't take my word for that any more than you should believe 1/100 of what you read online. But you should believe, for example, the Mayo Clinic:
https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/canola-oil/AN01281
That said, many chefs avoid canola oil because it stinks like old fish at temperature. At least it does to me. The ability to detect the smell is apparently genetic. That must be true because none other than Thomas Keller uses the stuff.
Allow me to suggest peanut oil for consideration. High smoke point, neutral taste, medium body.
Note: If you're looking to avoid toxicity, you might want to stay away from imported rice bran oil. There's a company in California making it now, there may be other domestic sources. It's not even close to cheap but it's versatile.
Like most culinary oils, peanut is available with different degrees of refinement, ranging from raw what's-on-top-of-a-jar-of-peanut-butter to what I use. I suspect therein lies the key to why you don't find it completely neutral.
That said I avoid GMO foods---not because health concerns, but I don't like Monsanto having a EULA for plants.
I'm sometimes reminded of the Woody Allen's "Sleeper" where he wakes up and they feed him a steak saying "everything we thought was bad for you is now good for you"
Remember the fat scare of the 70's when everyone switched to Margarine and substituted good ol' butter with high trans-fat whipped stuff just to avoid the fat. Bad move.
Fortunately I avoided that whole margarine thing as my parents had a negative opinion of it, having been though the early period when dairy farmers had enough political clout that artificial butter couldn't be artificially colored (it was white like Crisco and came with a packet of food coloring that you could mix in yourself if you wanted). Can you imagine how the general public would respond if that were the case today? Butter, yum! Lard rules!
My recommendation is to look for either grapeseed oil or rice bran oil. Both are considered healthier have higher smoke points than olive (another factor in health as well as successful cooking). You can also dilute a good quality olive oil with grapeseed or rice bran if you want a lighter olive oil flavour.