I generally don’t like to tell people to eliminate things in their diets. My approach is really to allow anything as long as the “bad” stuff is kept to moderation. But when it comes to canola oil, please, I beg you, throw it out ASAP. It is absolutely astonishing to me that this product exists and is legal to be sold.
Here’s why: Canola oil was developed in the 70s by genetically modifying the rapeseed through plant breeding manipulation. The main incentive was to create oil that is less costly. The result however was refined, highly hydrogenated oil.
Hydrogenated oils literally mean they are saturated in hydrogen bonds to increase the stability of the product, but this does not help us health wise. Hydrogenated oil is known to be one of the main culprits for increasing LDL cholesterol, the bad cholesterol responsible for artery blockage and such.
Additionally, canola oil is by nature genetically modified, and GM products are most often accompanied by an overuse of pesticides.
Finally, the “refined” nature of the oil literally means A LOT of unnatural processes are done to extract the oil from these seed including:
- heating the seeds to high temperatures
- mixing the seed pulp extracted with a chemical solution know as hexane (which is a derivative of petroleum oil!!!!! Literally poisonous!!!)
- using phosphorylation and centrifugation to separate the seeds from its residue
- and bleaching the product to remove all the colors of the chemicals used in the process.
This is just to name a FEW of the processes applied to extract the oil. It’s astonishing how many chemicals, methods, and denaturing techniques are used on a seed. Literally scary to think we are ingesting products which have undergone all this manipulation.
So on a basic level, there is just nothing good about this oil whatsoever. This, in my eyes, is seriously on the same level as being told told not to smoke. Both have MAJOR health implications. Why on earth would you want to put this poison into your body just because it’s a tad bit cheaper?! You can be saving long-term health complications by just spending the extra few bucks (NIS, I mean!! I’m the fresh sabra after-all 😉 ) to get a better quality, and HEALTHY oil.
Other vegetable oils that I’d avoid for the same reasons noted above include: safflower oil, soybean oil, and corn oil.
So what oils are ok to use?
There are two guidelines I like to use when choosing oil:
1) Always ensure the oil has been cold pressed
As opposed to refined oil, which is an unnatural process of extracting oil, cold pressing oil is the most natural way to extract the oil from the seed/plant. These seeds have oils that are readily available to be used and therefore don’t require any manipulation. The cold pressing process is essentially like using a mortal and pestle to extract the oil from the plant. As simple as that.
The cold pressing process also ensures the health benefits of the seed remain in the oil and aren’t denatured or chemically altered.
2) Smoke point
Every oil at a certain point, will reach a temperature known as its smoke point, where the oil will begin to denature and release free radicals. Free radicals are a leading cause of many diseases and health complications i.e. extremely harmful to the body.
Every oil has a smoke point specific to it, and so depending on your intended use, oil selection can vary.
Some high smoke point oils include:
1) Avocado oil
2) Extra virgin olive oil
3) Coconut oil
4) Butter and ghee
It is important to note that any refined oil (ie, oils that have NOT been cold pressed) will naturally have a higher smoking point, but this is at the expense of many other health factors as noted above. So olive oil that has not been cold pressed, for example, may have a higher smoke point, however may have been extracted using many unnatural processes.
I like to use avocado oil in virtually everything because most have a very neutral taste and can be used in high temperatures without a problem. Sesame oil is also a really high smoke point oil, but the flavor is very potent so may not work in every dish.
It gets a bit tricky when it comes to some oils that have been cold pressed and that belong to the polyunsaturated fat family. That is because when these fats are exposed to light and heat, they too can go rancid. That’s why cooking with these oils may not be the best idea. So like hempseed oil and flaxseed oil for example, which are super healthy omega 3 sources, are best in their raw forms.
Saturated fats are a great cooking oil because they have a really high smoke point and do not go rancid when heated! that’s why I’d always suggest cooking with butter or ghee if you can do dairy. People NEED to unlearn the “butter is evil” idea. Butter makes everything better. And saturated fat is just another important fat that builds hormones, gives us energy, lines our organs and cells, and provides satiety! Two ghees I like to get are available on iherb: 4th & Heart and Organic Valley. Both are grassfed and organic and usually in stock.
If you need an excellent non dairy option for cooking, coconut oil is another saturated fat that has a high smoke point and can be used for cooking, frying and baking without any rancidity problems. Just be sure you find a cold pressed coconut oil, which Israel has available at most health food stores.
Here’s a list of more oil brands I like to use:
Avocado oil it is REALLY pricey for a small bottle here, so this is one thing I like to buy on iherb for a much cheaper alternative.
Olive oil is one of those things in this country that we are not lacking! There are so many amazing brands that sell cold pressed, and often farmers markets sell the big 2 liter bottles as well. So keep an eye out for sales!
Happy oil hunting my fellow fresh sabras!
