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Kitchen
Ade
The
Skinny on Fat |
BigMama
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Good Fat/Bad Fat
Good fats are the
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Bad fats are the Saturated and
transfats which come almost solely in the hydrogenation processing of oils.
Crisco and margarine are loaded with transfats because of the hydrogenation
process.
The omega fatty
acids are another thing to consider. Both the Omega-6 and Omega-3 are
required by the body to function properly. They help prevent cancer,
heart disease, Alzheimer's and much more. This is the "good" fatty acids
that abound in oily fish, like salmon. We've included butter fat here
just for comparison purposes.
|
Percentage
of Fat and Omega Fatty Acids |
|
Oil
|
Saturated
|
MonoUn-
saturated
|
PolyUn-
saturated |
Linoleic
(Omega-6)
|
Alpha
Linoleic (Omega-3)
|
|
Butter fat
|
66
|
30
|
-- |
2
|
2
|
|
Canola
|
7
|
59
|
30 |
21
|
11
|
|
Coconut
|
90
|
6
|
2 |
2
|
nil
|
|
Corn
|
14
|
25
|
58.7 |
60
|
1
|
|
Flax
|
9
|
19
|
74 |
14
|
58
|
| Grapeseed |
16.1 |
69.9 |
8.1 |
76 |
trace |
|
Hempseed
|
9
|
13
|
74 |
58
|
20
|
|
Lard
|
41
|
47
|
-- |
11
|
1
|
|
Olive
|
14
|
77
|
8.4 |
8
|
1
|
|
Peanut
|
18
|
48
|
32 |
34
|
nil
|
|
Safflower
|
9
|
13
|
74 |
78
|
trace
|
|
Soybean
|
15
|
24
|
58 |
54
|
7
|
|
Sunflower
|
11
|
20
|
68 |
69
|
nil
|
Popular
Oils
Oils are
extracted from nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruit. These may be treated with
a solvent that is later removed by boiling. Or they may be crushed, heated
minimally and pressed — sometimes called "cold-pressed," a
misnomer. The resulting oil is either left in its crude state or refined.
Refining creates clear oils with neutral flavors and aromas. Unrefined oils
have definite flavors and aromas that are true to their sources. Most oils
can be bought in refined and unrefined versions. The latter are generally
found in health food stores.
"Smoke
point" is a crucial factor in choosing the right oil for a culinary
job. This term refers to the point at which heated fat begins to emit smoke
and acrid odors, and to impart unpleasant flavors to food. Oils should not
be heated right to their smoke point. At that temperature, the oil is
decomposing and perhaps producing harmful substances. The smoke point also
warns cooks that the flash point — fire — is approaching. Oils with high
smoke points are good for high-temperature cooking, such as deep-frying.
They're well-suited to sautéing, stir-frying, making sauces and baking.
With each reheating or reuse, an oil breaks down and its smoke point gets
lower. Some oils should never be heated, but can be drizzled on to soups,
salads or cooked foods, or used in dips and vinaigrettes.
Oils
must be protected from oxygen, heat and light. Take a sniff to make sure
your oil is not rancid. If it smells fishy, soapy, cheesy or musty, toss it.
Keep bottles capped and stored in a cool, dark place. Nut oils and unrefined
oils should be refrigerated. Flaxseed and hempseed oils are found
refrigerated in health stores; they can be frozen for longer storage. Buy
oils in small quantities and watch expiration dates. Most neutral-flavored
cooking oils keep well for a year.
Here's a
primer on some oils and their uses, with their approximate smoke points. NOTE:
Unrefined oils will have a smoke point of 1/2 to 2/3rds of the refined
varieties.
back
to top
|
Cooking
Oils |
Avocado
Oil
- Extra virgin oil extracted
from avocado flesh. Olive green with golden tones and
pleasing aroma. Warm, rich flavor hints of avocado.
- Usually imported from New
Zealand and expensive.
- High in monounsaturated fats.
- Highest smoke point of all
vegetable oils: 500F (unrefined).
|
Canola
Oil
- Extracted from modified
rapeseed grown primarily in Western Canada. (Regular
rapeseed is harmful to ingest.) The name "canola"
is a blend of the words Canada and oil.
- Clear, almost colorless. Light
taste and aroma.
- High in monounsaturated fats,
and the lowest in saturated fats among the vegetable oils.
- Smoke point: 400F (refined).
- Adds softness and moisture to
baked goods. Substitute canola oil in recipes calling for
melted butter or margarine and you can reduce the amount by
20 per cent.
|
Coconut
Oil
- Extracted from dried flesh
(copra) of mature coconuts.
- White, waxy solid at room
temperature but liquid at tropical temperatures.
- No aroma and neutral
flavor.
- Widely used in southern India,
Sri Lanka, the Caribbean and Philippines, often in its
unrefined state. Also found in commercial baked goods.
- Very high in saturated fats.
- Smoke point: 350F
(refined).
|
Corn
Oil
- Extracted from germ of the
corn kernel. Known as maize oil in U.K.
- Slightly toasty aroma and very
light taste. Clear, very pale yellow color.
- High in polyunsaturates.
- Smoke point: 450F
(refined).
|
Grapeseed
Oil
- Extracted from grape pomace,
the seeds, stems and skins left over from winemaking.
- Attractive grassy yellow
color. A favorite with chefs because of its taste. Suitable
for cooking subtly flavored foods such as fish.
- One of the lowest in saturated
fats.
- Smoke point: 400F
(refined).
|
Olive
Oil
- Pressed from Olives - there
are many varieties. Key ones are "Extra Virgin" -
first pressing of the olives - very strong olive flavor;
"Virgin" - second pressing - milder olive flavor,
and "light" which is a refined oil made from
Virgin with little olive flavor and a higher smoke point.
- Many heart benefits -
countless studies extol this.
- Use in salads, any Italian or
Mediterranean dishes, grilling vegetables. Virgin varieties
give a distinctive flavor to foods.
- Temps: Up to around 350F; 375F
for "light" variety
|
|
Palm
Oil
- Extracted from fibrous layer
(pericarp) under the skin of the African palm fruit. Not
palm kernel oil, extracted from nut of palm.
- Bright carrot-orange color
when unrefined. Unusual, strong taste with hint of carrot
and slightly granular texture.
- Has consistency of tub
margarine at room temperature. Before using, place bottle in
warm water to soften.
- High in saturated fat.
- Smoke point: 400F
(unrefined).
|
Peanut
Oil
- Extracted from pressed,
steamed peanuts. Called groundnut oil in U.K.
- Very pale yellow color.
Neutral taste; no peanut flavor. Can find unrefined peanut
oil in Asian stores that has a stronger pea nutty
taste.
- Good source of monounsaturated
fat.
- Smoke point: 450F (refined).
|
Safflower
Oil
- Extracted from seeds of the
safflower, also called the saffron thistle or bastard
saffron.
- Pale yellow color. Light
taste.
- Of all the cooking oils, it is
the highest in polyunsaturates.
- Smoke point: 450F
(refined).
- Doesn't solidify at
refrigerator temperatures, so it is excellent for salad
dressings.
|
Sesame
Oil (Light)
- Extracted from pressed raw
sesame seeds. Not to be confused with Asian sesame oil (see
flavoring oils).
- Pale golden color. Slightly
nutty aroma (smells like halvah without the honey).
- High in polyunsaturates.
- Smoke point: 350F
(unrefined).
- Sold at health food stores and
supermarkets.
|
Soybean
Oil
- Extracted from crushed
soybeans. Also called soya oil.
- Light yellowish color. No
aroma. Clean, neutral taste.
- Smoke point: 450F (refined).
|
Sunflower
Oil
- Extracted from sunflower
seeds.
- Pale yellow color. Almost
tasteless.
- Good for salads and high
temperature cooking
- High in polyunsaturated
fats.
- Smoke point: 440F
(refined).
|
Vegetable
Oil
- Blended oil. Can be a mixture
of soybean, canola, sunflower, safflower or any other
light-flavored vegetable oil.
- Can be used for baking,
sautéing and deep-frying.
- Smoke points will vary
greatly. Assume 350F-375F.
|
|
back
to top
|
Flavoring
Oils |
Flaxseed Oil
- Extracted from flax, an
ancient grain known as linseed in Europe.
- Bright orange-yellow color.
Appealing, fresh smell. Grassy, nutty taste.
- Flax is the richest plant
source of omega-3 fatty acids. Not suitable for cooking or
heating. Add to salad dressings, diluted with a milder
tasting oil. Drizzle over soups or cooked dishes just before
serving.
- Keep refrigerated for up to
eight weeks.
|
Hazelnut Oil
- Extracted from
hazelnuts.
- Toasty, light brown color.
Strong, deep flavor, with rich hazelnut aroma.
- Usually imported from
France.
- Use in salad dressings, or
whisk into cooked dishes at last minute to preserve its
flavor. Great on cooked vegetables instead of butter.
- Refrigerate up to three
months.
|
|
Hempseed Oil
- Extracted from hemp seeds,
which do not contain the psychoactive compound THC that is
found in marijuana.
- Great olive-green color.
Smells fresh, with a hint of sprouts. Delicious, slightly
nutty flavor.
- Good in salad dressings,
marinades, sauces, juices, breads and dips.
- High in polyunsaturates.
- Keep refrigerated up to
eight weeks.
|
Sesame Oil
(Asian)
- Extracted from toasted
sesame seeds. (Not to be confused with light, untoasted
sesame oil.)
- Dark amber color. Syrupy
consistency. Highly aromatic.
- Use sparingly in stir-fries,
noodle dishes, marinades, vinaigrettes, sauces and dips. Can
be heated briefly; add to cooked dishes at the last
minute.
|
|
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|
Oil
Conversions |
NOTE: These only apply to recipes that call for melted
shortening, lard, butter, or margarine. These are starting
guidelines - there is no sure magic formula and you may find that
recipes still need adjustments.
|
|
Solid Fat |
Oil substitution |
1 cup (16 tablespoons)
3/4 cup (12 tablespoons)
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons)
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons)
|
13 tablespoons
10 tablespoons
6-1/2 tablespoons
3 tablespoons
|
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