Coping With Anxiety
Anxiety is the body’s natural response to stress, something that everyone deals with; let’s review some methods for managing it.
Oils are an integral part of cooking. They appear in many of our favorite recipes, and play a pivotal role in various cooking techniques, from searing and frying, to sautéing and roasting. Most recipes specify which oil to use, whereas some don’t. You can often uncover unexpected and wonderful new recipes through experimentation with various oils, but not all oils are alike, and it’s not as easy as substituting one for another. Oils are fats, and as such there are numerous health considerations when choosing the right oil for the right use. This guide aims to highlight some of the do and don’t when choosing the right oils for you.
Fats are not all bad, infact fat plays a vital role in nutrient absorption, especially with fat-soluble nutrients such as vitamins A, D, E, K, and beta-carotene. Fat has also proven useful in maintaining healthy weight. Consuming fats helps make us feel more full and satisfied after eating. If you cook with oil, or add oil to salads or spreads, that’s a great start to obtaining a healthy level of fats in your diet, but beware not all fats are the same. Read below to understand some of the various health considerations when choosing the right oil.
Oils are extracted or pressed from various seeds and nuts, and have their own unique chemical composition, meaning some are better suited to raw applications, whereas some are best for cooking. Oils from different sources can vary significantly in nutritional composition, including the proportions and types of fatty acids they contain. This can significantly influence their health effects and considerations. All oils contain varying ratios of three types of fats: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
Unsaturated fats tend to be heart healthier then saturated fats. These are broken down into monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats are found in high concentrations in olives, avocados, and nuts, while polyunsaturated fats are found in foods like walnut, flax seeds, and fish.
Saturated fats are the least healthy. They can raise bad (LDL) cholesterol, a risk factor in heart disease and stroke. Canada’s Food Guide recommends a shift towards more plant-based foods to help reduce the amount of saturated fat we consume. Foods high in saturated fat include: fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, coconut and palm oils, and especially highly processed foods. Removing these foods from our diet ensures a reduction in saturated fat intake. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and very stable. They resist oxidation and often tolerate higher temperatures, which is why they are widely used in highly processed foods.
When choosing the right oil, It’s important to consider whether that oil is still healthy to consume after its been heated during cooking. When cooking oils are heated, they eventually reach their smoking point. This is the temperature at which they are no longer stable, begin to break down, and start smoking. Once oils reach this point they also begin oxidizing and start releasing free radicals, which may be linked overtime with diabetes, atherosclerosis (the hardening of the blood vessels), inflammation, hypertension, heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and certain types of cancers. Additionally, upon reaching their smoke point, oils release a substance called acrolein, that causes the unpleasant burnt flavor.
Cooking oils have a range of smoke points, from relatively low (325° F), to very high (520° F). You should never cook with any oils above their smoke point.
Oil | Smoke Point ºF | Smoke Point °C |
Refined Avocado Oil | 520ºF | 271°C |
Safflower Oil | 510ºF | 266ºC |
Rice Bran Oil | 450ºF | 254ºC |
Refined or Light Olive Oil | 465ºF | 240ºC |
Soybean Oil | 450ºF | 232ºC |
Peanut Oil | 450ºF | 232ºC |
Corn Oil | 450ºF | 232ºC |
Refined Coconut Oil | 450ºF | 232ºC |
Sunflower Oil | 450ºF | 232ºC |
Refined Sesame Oil | 410ºF | 210ºC |
Vegetable Oil | 400-450ºF | 204-232ºC |
Canola Oil | 400ºF | 204ºC |
Grapeseed Oil | 390ºF | 199ºC |
Unrefined or Virgin Avocado Oil | 375ºF | 190ºC |
Unrefined Sesame Oil | 350ºF | 177ºC |
Extra Virgin or Unrefined Coconut Oil | 350ºF | 177ºC |
Extra Virgin Olive Oil | 325-375ºF | 163-190ºC |
Another thing to consider when choosing the right oil to use, is the amount of processing it has undergone. Cost is often a good indicator – highly refined oils are often cheaper, and have a more uniform appearance. Some refined oils are also extracted using chemical solvents, so many health-conscious consumers avoid these, opting instead for less refined, healthier alternatives, made through expeller pressing and centrifuging, often labeled as “cold-pressed.”
Air, heat and light cause oils to oxidize and turn rancid. Natural oils should smell and taste fresh and pleasant. Rancid fats may promote certain cancers and heart diseases. It is best to store oils in an opaque, airtight, glass bottle in a cool, dark place. Oils that should be refrigerated include those with a lower saturated fat levels, like safflower, sunflower, and walnut.
How you plan on using your oil is going to be one of the determining factors in selecting the right oil for you:
These oils are best for baking, oven cooking or stir-frying.
These oils are best for light sautéing, sauces and low-heat baking.
These oils are best for making dressings, dips or marinades.
As we’ve seen, selecting which oil to use is not a simple game of pick and choose. Each oil is unique, bringing with it its own unique set of health benefits and concerns. Start by using the above guide to oil cooking applications and the chart for smoke points as a starting point, then start exploring today!
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Anxiety is the body’s natural response to stress, something that everyone deals with; let’s review some methods for managing it.
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