Cooking oils are a necessary kitchen staple. They’re essential for whipping up homemade dressings and sauces, sautéing or roasting veggies, pan-frying various proteins, baking better-for-you desserts, and more. But not all oils are created equal—and with so many options available, picking the “right” one can feel downright confusing.
Tag: coconut oil
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Healthy Chocolate Truffles | Kitchen Nostalgia
Healthy Chocolate Truffles | Kitchen Nostalgia
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Kitchen Nostalgia
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The 10 Best Avocado Oils Of 2023, Taste-Tested By An RD
Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil has a neutral taste and high smoke point, making it a great choice for almost any cooking method. Plus, it’s relatively affordable and widely available in most grocery stores.
This oil is centrifuge extracted, meaning it’s separated by centrifugal or pressure forces. This method is much safer than traditional solvent extraction, which uses chemicals like hexane to separate the oil from the avocado fruit. Hexane has been shown to have toxic and carcinogenic properties. Plus, traditional solvent extraction uses high temperatures, which can negatively impact the oil’s nutritional value, taste, and more.
Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil is made with avocados sourced from Mexico, though the company doesn’t go into too much detail about its sourcing methods. The oil is Non-GMO project verified, Certified Paleo, and Whole30 approved. Keep in mind that Primal Kitchen doesn’t currently offer organic avocado oil, so it’s not the right choice for people who follow an exclusively organic diet.
Primal Kitchen suggests that its avocado oil lasts up to 18 months unopened and suggests consumers use the oil within six months after opening. Keep in mind that studies show that most avocado oils have a shelf life of less than seven months, which is significantly less than the shelf life Primal Kitchen suggests.
Jillian Kubala, MS, RD
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Why Vegetable Oil Is Bad For You + What To Use Instead
According to Jenna Macciochi, Ph.D., an immunologist who specializes in understanding the connection between lifestyle and immune function, vegetable oil tends to be high in omega-6 fatty acids. “These are the raw materials for our cells to make inflammatory mediators like prostaglandins,” she explains.
Macciochi notes that regular consumption of omega-6 fatty acids could theoretically increase inflammation3, which could contribute to chronic conditions like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
However, she also points to research in humans4, which suggests that this is not always necessarily the case. “This tells us that data from mechanistic studies doesn’t always translate to the complex system of a human,” says Macciochi. “It also shows that context is important. Omega-6 intake in a person who is eating a healthy diet with plentiful omega-3s doesn’t seem to be a major issue.”
To break this down and keep things short and sweet: if you’re following a balanced diet and eating plenty of foods rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, consuming vegetable oil from time to time is probably just fine.
On the other hand, loading up on omega-6 fatty acids without balancing them out with other healthy fats in your diet could increase inflammation.
Rachael Ajmera, MS, RD
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8 Science-Backed Benefits of Olive Oil + How To Find A High-Quality Option
“Knowing how to purchase high-quality olive oil actually takes some level of knowledge due to the higher rates of adulterated or rancid oils on the market,” says Crouch.
In order to increase your chances of scoring a high-quality olive oil, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
First, decide which type of oil you’d like to purchase. Remember that EVOO is considered the healthiest and highest quality olive oil. It has a distinctive flavor and aroma and contains the highest levels of beneficial polyphenol antioxidants30. Unfiltered EVOO contains more polyphenols than filtered EVOO, but it’s more prone to oxidation, which means it has a shorter shelf life.
Refined olive oils and products labeled “olive oil” are lower30 in vitamin E and other antioxidants due to the refinement process, but they have a higher smoke point than virgin olive oils.
Heat, oxygen, and light exposure can degrade the oil, so it’s best to choose olive oils in dark green28 or opaque containers.
Another tip is to look for a harvest date on the bottle. “You’ll find that most bottles don’t specify,” Armando Manni, olive oil producer and founder of Manni Oil, previously told mindbodygreen. Choosing an oil with a harvest or production date lets you know how long the oil has been sitting on the shelf.
Manni also suggests looking for oil with an organic seal and the DOP or PGI designation: DOP stands for Denominazione di Origine Protetta (Protected Designation of Origin), while PIG stands for Protected Geographical Indication. “The DOP designation ensures that products are locally grown and packaged. It’s a guarantee that the food was made by local farmers and artisans, using traditional methods,” shares Manni. “Both designations provide quality assurance and indicate where the oil is coming from.”
Crouch recommends purchasing single-origin olive oils, and, if purchasing olive oil from California, to look for the California Olive Oil Council (COOC) Seal. Oils with the COOC Seal have passed strict quality assurance testing and are 100% California grown.
If you need a little more help picking out high-quality olive oil, check out this list of mindbodygreen’s top olive oil picks for 2023.
Jillian Kubala, MS, RD
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Is Sesame Oil Good for You? Here’s What The Research Says
“Sesame oil has anti-inflammatory properties, which can make it a great way to help lower cholesterol,” says Amy Shah, MD, a double board-certified integrative medicine doctor.
The lignans, tocopherols, phytosterols, natural antioxidants, and bioactive compounds in sesame can contribute to protecting heart health6 and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially when used in place of saturated fats.
A separate study found that when patients were given a blend of sesame and rice bran oil with the antihypertensive drug nifedipine, they significantly reduced total cholesterol7, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.
An important point, however, is while sesame oil (in addition to other vegetable oils) can improve and protect heart health, it’s not a magic bullet. Diet, exercise, and healthy lifestyle habits are still the cornerstones of cardiac health, but sesame oil can add protective properties thanks to the vitamins and compounds found in it.
Colleen Travers
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Is Peanut Oil Healthy? Pros, Cons + How It Compares To Other Oils
Moral of the story: Peanut oil can be a part of a healthy diet, but it shouldn’t be your main source of fat.
Fried foods, no matter if they’re fried in peanut oil, lard, or another vegetable oil, should be limited in order to reduce disease risk and promote overall health.
Unrefined peanut oil provides a good source of vitamin E and phytosterols and can be used to make flavorful salad dressings, marinades, and sauces, but it’s important to include other sources of fat in your diet as well.
In order to make sure you’re taking in enough nutrients, including an array of healthy fats, it’s essential to follow a diverse diet that’s rich in foods known to promote health like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and seafood.
Jillian Kubala, MS, RD
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The Healthiest & Unhealthiest Cooking Oils, According To Experts
Extra virgin olive oil is rich in oleic acid, a type of MUFA, and retains a high level of nutrients such as vitamin E, phytosterols, and at least 30 phenolic compounds11 (many of which function as antioxidants), thanks to its low level of processing. In terms of proven health benefits, “it’s the best researched oil we have,” says Nielsen.
Studies12 show that olive oil serves as a protective factor against cardiovascular disease by reducing LDL cholesterol and raising beneficial HDL cholesterol, curbs inflammation, and may even help bolster intestinal health by promoting optimal microbial biodiversity and balance within the gut (the polyphenol oleuropein seems to function as a prebiotic).
Olive oil has also been linked to “incredible mental health benefits13, including reduced stress, improved mood, and reduced risk of neurodegenerative disease,” says Naidoo, “largely due to its high polyphenol content, which reduces inflammation and fights the damaging effects of oxidative stress.”
Consuming more olive oil—especially in place of other fats—could even extend your life14, according to some research.
EVOO’s high levels of polyphenols also help it resist degradation and oxidation when heated—and, while levels of these compounds go down a bit after cooking, there are still enough left to confer meaningful benefits, according to one study15. A good EVOO rich in polyphenols will taste fresh, a bit grassy, and pleasantly peppery.
Stephanie Eckelkamp
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Refined Vs. Unrefined Coconut Oil: Differences & When To Use Each
In the dry method, Chaudry adds, fresh coconut is heated, then a machine presses the coconut oil from the flesh. In the wet method, coconut oil is pressed out with the milk and then the two are separated.
You may also see unrefined coconut oil labeled as cold-pressed. This means the coconut oil was extracted from coconut milk without any heat. To do so, the outer husk of a matured coconut, which can yield more oil2 than young coconuts, is removed and then pressed to slowly pull out the oil.
Aside from having a better nutritional profile, this method helps reduce production costs and takes less energy, which makes it more environmentally friendly. The downside for producers is that cold-pressing creates lower yield than other methods of extraction. That’s why this type of oil is often more expensive than refined or expeller-pressed varieties.
“Because it hasn’t gone through a lot of processing, you’re still getting a strong coconut flavor and smell, so that means when you’re cooking with it or using it in recipes, you’re going to taste it,” says integrative dietitian Jessica Cording, RD.
Lindsay Boyers
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7 Best Natural Ingredients for Your Skin
SOURCES:
Jeanine Downie, MD, dermatologist, Montclair, NJ.
Laurel Naversen Geraghty, MD, dermatologist, Medford, OR.
Papri Sarkar, MD, dermatologist, Brookline, MA.
Michelle Wong, PhD, cosmetics chemist and creator of the Lab Muffin Beauty Science blog.
Shaun Surething, lead stylist and co-owner, Seagull Salon, New York City.
National Eczema Association: “Get the facts: Coconut oil.”
Prevention.com: “23 Coconut Oil Beauty Benefits Your Skin and Hair Will Love.”
Dermstore blog: “Meet Gotu Kola, the Ancient Herb with Amazing Anti-Aging Benefits.”
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Food Allergy Research and Resource Program: “Shea nut butter does not pose a risk to tree nut or peanut allergic consumer.”
Skin Type Solutions: “Cosmeceutical Critique: Soy and Its Isoflavones.”
Lin, T., International Journal of Molecular Sciences, January 2018.
Gohol, K., Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sept.-Oct. 2010.
Somboonwong, J., Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, July 2012.
Chacko, S., Journal of Chinese Medicine, April 2010.
OyetakinWhite, P., Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, June 2012.
Katiyar, S.K., Current Drug Targets Immune, Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders September 2003.
Stallings, A. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, January 2009.
Sur, R., Archives of Dermatology Research, November 2008.
Kurtz, E.S., Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, February 2007.
Fowler, JF Jr., Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, October 2014.
Draelos, Z.D., Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, June 2016.
Thornton, M., Dermato Endocrinology, April 2013.
Hollinger, J., Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, February 2018.
Wei, H., Journal of Nutrition, November 2003.
Carson, C.F., Clinical Microbiology Reviews, January 2006.
Enshaieh, S., Indian Journal of Dermatology, January 2007.
