Oil is essential to our daily diet. It makes food taste delicious and assists our body in the absorption and assimilation of food and nutrients. Essential fatty acids such as Omega-3 and 6, can only be obtained from dietary supplementation. One good and readily available source would be culinary oil. You may visit this website for a comprehensive guide to help you make a good and informed choice on selecting healthiest cooking oil.
Unrefined
Common refined oils in the market are produced using high heat or chemical extraction. Some of these oils may be bleached or deodorised and residues of these chemicals can be left behind in the final product. Unrefined oils employ cold press techniques with no heat or chemicals used in the oil extraction process, hence the nutrition in the oil is retained. Read more about the difference between refined and unrefined oils here.
High Smoke Point
The smoke point of an oil is the temperature at which the oil begins to produce smoke when over heated. Cooking above the smoke point of oil causes oxidation which in turn produces free radicals
and toxic fumes that are harmful to our body. It is important to choose a cooking oil that has a smoke point above 230°C for it to be suitable for all types of cooking.
High Nutritional Value
Nutritional value of culinary oil is an important factor that contributes to the overall nutritional value of our food. Oils high in trans fat can lead to cholesterol-related health issues. Many oils contain Omega-3 & 6 fatty acids, but a higher Omega-6 content promotes inflammatory response of our body. It is important to not only consider the nutrition in the culinary oil but also the ratio of it. The best ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 is 2:1.Read more about the importance of each types of these fatty acids here.
Did you know?
Canola oil is one of the most widely consumed vegetable oils in the world, yet surprisingly little is known about its effects on health. Recent research associates the consumption of canola oil in the diet with worsened memory, worsened learning ability and weight gain in mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease (Scientific Reports 7: 17134 (2017)). This study suggests that canola oil is more harmful than healthful for the brain.
Indulge in the natural goodness of Camelina Oil, a highly nutritious, versatile and aromatic oil for all culinary need. Often grown among common flax, Camelina Oil is derived from the seeds of the Camelina Sativa plant through unique chemical-free expeller cold pressing technique. Delicate and subtle in flavour, it is a treasure trove of healthy Omega 3-6-9, plant sterols and Vitamin E. More stable and versatile than any other unrefined oil, Camelina Oil is an excellent, healthy and all-purpose gourmet oil.
Are you one of the 2% of population with healthy omega-3 levels?
In spite of adequate knowledge of the health benefits and food sources of omega-3, 98% of adults in the U.S and Germany has omega-3 levels that fall below the optimal range. Another study also concluded that much of the world’s population, including Southeast Asia, America, Europe and Africa, exhibits low blood levels of omega-3 DHA and EPA, which are associated with increased risk in cardiovascular-related mortality. Thus, a diet rich in omega-3 or dietary omega-3 supplementations are needed to achieve an ideal omega-3 level that protects one against cardiovascular disease (Nutrients 9(9): 930 (2017); Progress in Lipid Research 63: 132-152 (2016)).
As reported by Time Magazine, The National Consumers League < http://www.nclnet.org/evoo> in the US tested 11 different times of olive oils in the market and found that 6 out of the 11, was actually not “Extra Virgin” as claimed on the labels.
Other extensive reports have also accounted the lax standards and outright fraud in the olive-oil business. New York Times also reported on this issue in their interactive posts, confirming that many of the known “Italian Olive Oils” did not in actual fact, originate from Italy, but comes from countries like Spain, Morocco and Tunisia. These oils were shipped to Italy, along with other oils such as soybean that are labelled as “Olive Oil”. Unethical refineries then mix the actual olive oil with cuts from these oils, or even disguise vegetable oil with beta-carotene as flavour and chlorophyll for colouring. These oils are then sold all over the world as “olive oil”. Studies indicated that 69% of the imported olive oil in US, labelled “extra virgin” did not meet the expert taste and smell test.
New York Times Interactive Post - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/01/24/opinion/food-chains-extra-virgin-suicide.html?_r=2>
Times Article on Olive Oil - http://time.com/3894609/extra-virgin-olive-oil/
