Canola Oil?

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harvest_table
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Canola Oil?

Post by harvest_table »

Seems that there is information out there that this is really bad stuff for us. Then there is some that says its okay.

I ask because I use Drew's dressings and marinades and the first ingredient is expeller pressed canola oil.

Anyone have any comments or experience on Canola Oil?

Love,
Joanna
Lucy
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Post by Lucy »

Welp, the Urban Legends people say that some of the stuff about canola oil is not true, but Dr. Mercola apparently has a more balanced explanation. Wish I had that article I read to show you.

I like those salad dressings as well. One thing about canola oil is that it's not as stable as some of the other oils, I've noticed, so be sure to keep it refrigerated, and if it sits unused too long, it'll begin to not taste as good. Really do like the Italian version!

What I try to do with oils, is make sure that I'm not going to use them above the smoke point, temperature-wise. I try to use different ones for different things, so as not to just be using the same ones all the time.

I use good olive oil as much as possible, but it has a fairly low smoke point. What it's good for is to give you some monounsaturated fat, but if it exceeds the temp of it's smoke point, that converts it to an unhealthy saturated form, and that defeats the purpose. Same for any other oil that's ordinarily healthy if you exceed it's smoke point. Anyway, olive oil is particularly good for drizzling on top of things after they're cooked or else on salads for the above reasons.

Spectrum brand oils has these little thermometer looking pictures on the back of their labels that give the smoke points of each oil. They also state on the front, what heat they are designed to tolerate -- high heat, medium-high, low, etc. Note that there may be a difference in the same oil that is unrefined vs refined, and this brand will also list that on the front.

One oil that I've found to be very healthy in small amounts the way I use it, is Macadamia Nut oil. It comes from Australia, I believe, and has a yellow label. It's expensive, but the smaller bottle has lasted me forever. I keep it in the frig where part of it gets a little solidified, especially toward the bottom, so to make it less solid before using it, I just run a little warm water over it from the faucet, and it turns clearer again. What I like about this oil, besides the high monounsaturatedness of it, and the apparent high smoke point, is that it doesn't impart a strong enough taste into anything (meats only, thus far) to even be recognized.

Haven't seen a toasted/roasted version of the Mac oil, but like the LORITA brand roasted, or was that toasted peanut oil. We leave a bottle at our local Chinese restaurant, so that when we arrive, they know to start doing our stirfry dish with veggies and shrimp and a little cornstarch.

We don't want either the wheat OR the soy in any soy sauce, but this gives the stirfry an excellent taste. Even the occasional guest who tries it likes it. This brand also has a few other oils that I've not tried. I don't know for certain whether or not when peanut oil is roasted/toasted if that changes any of it's characteristics. Before roasting/toasting, it's supposed to be high smoke point, and think it's got the criteria to be good for the heart in terms of the kind of fat it's highest in.

I think that the BEST Italian dressing would be made with olive oil of good quality (first press extra virgin, Italian origin) and some Italian spices. Think I've made salads by sprinkling on some Adam's Italian seasoning (safe) out of a jar onto the salad along with just enough olive oil to coat lightly, and a little Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste, and then toss, and it's pretty good. If you could do it with fresh
herbs, that might be even better, but with fresh, it takes more for the same taste, right?
I add Adam's Italian seasoning to my spagetti, even when I use a bottled version that has fresh stuff added to it.

Take care.
Yours, Luce
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Post by starfire »

Hi Joanna,
This is rather lengthy, but you might find it interesting. Has a lot of info about Canola.

http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/conola.html

Love, Shirley
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tex
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Post by tex »

Hi Joanna,

Here's the article that Luce is referring to:

http://www.mercola.com/2000/jan/16/dang ... la_oil.htm#

A lot of products are used for industrial purposes. So what? There's no reason why that would mean that the product is unfit for other uses.

Love,
Wayne
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Post by Jean »

Joanna,

I use canola oil and have never reacted to it. I like it because it heats up hotter than olive oil for deep fat frying. I also use mayo made from it.

Love, Jean
Be kind to everyone, because you never know what battles they are fighting.
Lucy
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Post by Lucy »

Jean,
Does your mayo contain eggs?
Thanks, Luce
Matthew
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Post by Matthew »

I believe that the definition of Mayonnaise is an emulsification of eggs and oil so unless it is fake Mayonnaise it would have to have eggs.

Hahaha. Which came first the chicken or the.........

Check this out for more than you want to know

http://home.howstuffworks.com/question617.htm

Hope this helps

Matthew
Jean
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Post by Jean »

Yep Luce,

It does contain eggs. Sorry!

Love, Jean
Be kind to everyone, because you never know what battles they are fighting.
harvest_table
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Post by harvest_table »

Thanks for the replies, you guy's.

I don't appear to be having problems with the Drew's dressings. I was really curious about your take on the Canola controversy. I don't see what the big deal is either.

Love,
Joanna
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Post by Polly »

Hi All!

I have a comment about canola oil - something I just read today. Almost all of the rapeseed used to make canola oil comes from Canada, and 60% of those rapeseed crops have been genetically modified.

The more I learn, the more determined I become to buy and eat only natural, organic foods. Even if they are more expensive. Did you see the study recently that showed that children raised on organic food have much lower levels of pesticides, herbicides, and other pollutants and thus are at lower risk for potential health problems?

Love,

Polly
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Post by Lucy »

Polly,

That's what I'm beginning to think, and just about do that anyway, since beginning this foodie education with you M.C.'rs.

Must've seen a similar article, and did yours mention that it was particularly important to buy organic apples and strawberries, as they are most likely to have the most pesticide content.

Which vegetables tend to contain the most pesticides? Did your article say anything about those?

Yours, Luce
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Post by Polly »

Hi Luce,

I did have an article about that......I'll see if I can find it in my files. Yes, I do believe strawberries are the most contaminated.

Love,

Polly
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
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