Cooking Oils Reviewed

Healthy oils are essential to achieving good health by assisting absorption of nutrients and for healthy brain function. The opinions vary on the use of oils regarding the best ones to use and the ones to avoid.

Canola Oil

Canola oil is a popular oil, that doctor's claim has the ability to lower the risk of heart disease. Canola oil can be found in a large variety of prepared foods that contain oil because food producers use the cheapest ingredients available.

According to information from an online source entitled: Canola: Canada's Oil "The name "Canola" was registered in Canada in 1970. The name comes from Can as in Canada and ola as in oil." Therefore Canola is the name given to a genetically engineered plant derived from the rapeseed plant.

In nature rapeseed oil is toxic to animals and humans. It was engineered for industrial use as an insect repellant, a lubricant, fuel and other similar uses.

In animals and humans it can cause respiratory ailments, anemia and blindness. Rapeseed oil was widely used in animal feed in England until "mad-cow" disease was discovered in late 1980's when the practice of using it in cattle feed was halted.

Olive Oil

Olive oil a delicious healthy oil with a distinct flavor that is rich in monounsaturated fat and antioxidants. Olive oil is heart healthy lowering cholesterol and reduces the risk of cancer. Although delicious when used for cooking, it is the healthiest when used uncooked, such as in salad dressings or dipping sauces.

Olive oil is also a healthy moisturizer for your skin with the added virtue of supplying Vitamin E, and makes a great warm oil treatment for your hair.

Butter

Butter is a food that has recently been noted to be a better choice than margarine. A natural food that is not chemical or artificially processed butter tastes good and offers excellent sources of Vitamin A, E, K and D. Butter is not only a delicious spread on toast it can also be used with cooking and baking.

Margarine

Margarine, also known as oleo, was first introduced during WWII, as a cheap substitute for butter. The length of the war created food shortages in the United States and Europe.

It was a lard base packaged with a capsule of yellow food dye, that the cook stirred in

to give it a pale yellow hue resembling butter. In recent years margarine producers claim it is much better than it was at it origin. Some agree that as a cooking oil, margarine tastes good with the flavor of butter.

The debate on the evils and virtues of cooking oils remain. Perhaps some people are uneducated and follow along like sheep, while others prefer to search for the best foods available to maintain a healthy diet.

Many will hold to using only natural totally unmodified foods whenever possible.

Resources:

Canola Council of Canada http://www.mcgacanola.org/documents/Canola_Glossy.pdf