2011-01-17

Vegetable Oils.

- Olive oil is light sensitive. When purchasing olive oil, aim to buy it in a black or darkly colored bottle to protect it from light exposure. Also aim to store it in a cupboard.
- Flax oil should always be refrigerated to prevent it from going rancid. If you find flax oil being sold on a shelf and not in a fridge, then it has likely gone bad before you even buy it. It is best to consume flax oil within a month of opening it. If you are consuming flax oil more than a month after being opened, ensure you consume it with some anti-oxidants (citrus, vegetables, berries, etc) to prevent the potentially rancid properties from harming the body.
- There are many pros and cons to consuming Canola oil. I generally do not use it because I've found vegetable oils that I find superior. To help you choose whether or not to use it, here are three of its pros and cons:

PROS
- It is a Canadian oil (named after it being a Canadian oil, low acid)
- It contains the super beneficial omega-3 fatty acids
- It can be cooked at a high heat

CONS
- Cooking it at a high heat does destroy its omega-3s
- It is derived from corn, which is a common allergen
- It is usually genetically modified because it is derived from corn, which is one of the most genetically modified crops on Earth

2 comments:

  1. Are you sure about Canola's corn-base?

    When I was travelling in Germany a few years ago I saw fields and fields of beautiful yellow flowers. I was told when I asked that they were canola. I always thought that canola oil came from that plant, rather than corn...

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  2. You're right! I confused CanOLA oil with MazOLA oil (http://www.mazola.com/). That means the last two cons I presented don't apply to Canola oil. Hmm, this makes Canola oil seem a lot better now, doesn't it? Thanks for keeping me honest :)

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