The Definitive Guide to Oils
Before you can hope to make it as a speculator and start slingin’ barrels for big money, you’ve got to understand exactly what’s gushing forth from the earth’s crust. Yes, that’s right – it doesn’t start and stop just with crude, and there’s far more to oil than dinosaur bones. In fact, most experts agree that the bulk of crude oil is derived from prehistoric single-celled plankton remains. Then you’ve got the abiogenic theory, which posits that…
Er, wrong oils. Sorry.
Today’s post is actually about edible oils. Well, they’re all technically edible – they can all be swallowed and digested – but as for being palatable, let alone healthful? That remains to be seen. Not all oils are created equal, especially given the fact that most of the ones people use nowadays are actually created in an industrial laboratory. No oil “exists naturally,” mind you. Olive oil isn’t harvested by leaving open containers under leaking, dripping olives on the branch, nor is that liquid sloshing around inside a coconut pure oil. I’m not trying to disparage processing in and of itself. It takes a certain amount of processing to get any sort of oil, but a good general rule is to avoid consuming the oils that require processing on a large scale. If it involves an industrial plant, multiple stainless steel vats, a deodorizer, a de-gummer, and the harsh petroleum-derived solvent known as hexane, I wouldn’t eat it. But that’s just me (and Grok, who probably wasn’t processing wild rapeseed to get the precious canola oil).
But this is the Definitive Guide to Oils. Everything goes. No stone left unturned. No oil left un-tasted and bereft of analysis for fatty acid profile, oxidative potential, and rancidity proclivity.
Canola
Canola oil comes from rapeseed, a completely unpalatable seed rich in erucic acid, which is bitter and rather toxic. Canola oil is rapeseed oil stripped of erucic acid, as I detailed in this previous post. It gets a lot of attention from doctors as a “heart healthy” oil (one of the “good” fats) rich in omega-3s, but the fact that canola processing generally uses upwards of 500 degrees means a good portion of the Omega-3s could be rancid on the shelf.
61% MUFA
21% Omega-6 PUFA
9-11% Omega-3 PUFA
7% SFA
Flax Seed
I mentioned the seed and its oil a few times, and, after being initially supportive of flax consumption, I now recommend minimizing intake. People generally use flax oil as an Omega-3 supplement, rather than for cooking – and this is a good choice, seeing as how flax is almost entirely made of PUFAs, which are prone to rancidity and oxidation when exposed to heat. Meat eaters, though, would be better off just taking fish oil. The DHA and EPA in fish oil are far more useful than the ALA in flax seed oil. Strict vegetarians, have at it – just don’t use flax seed oil to sautee your tofu.
19% MUFA
24% Omega-6 PUFA
47% Omega-3 PUFA (from ALA)
8-9% SFA
Corn
Corn oil boggles my mind. I can’t wrap my head around how extracting gallons upon gallons of liquid oil from a lowly corncob is actually possible. How isn’t it too much work for the payoff? I mean, I’m no corn eater, but I’ve chomped a few kernels in my day, and I don’t understand how squeezing oil out of this non-vegetable sounds like a good idea to anyone.
24% MUFA
59% PUFA (mostly O-6)
13% SFA
Olive (and variations)
Olive oil got a pretty good breakdown last year, so unless I’m leaving out some recent momentous news breaking out of the highly secretive olive oil world, there’s not much more to say. It’s a delicious salad oil, a decent sautéing oil, and it can even be used as moisturizer and shaving lotion. Olive oil is one area where CW gets it right. Enjoy this one, and keep a bottle of extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil on hand for salad dressings. It also does a decent job standing up to heat, but will lose it’s delicate flavors if heated too high. This is a good enough reason for me to use a different fat/oil when cooking at high temps. (Why waste precious (and often expensive!) olive oil when lard, for instance, will do the trick?)
73% MUFA
3.5-21% Omega-6 PUFA
1% Omega-3 PUFA (not even worth mentioning, really)
14% SFA
Coconut
MDA’s darling, coconut oil is truly a star. I went over why yesterday, and in past posts, but the gist of it is this: it’s a tasty, shelf-stable (no hydrogenation required) tropical oil with a ton of saturated fatty acids. In fact, it’s almost purely saturated, which is why most doctors and nutritionists will probably advise against its consumption. Not us, though. We love SFA. The refined coconut oil stands up to heat a bit better, and it doesn’t have a distinctive taste, but I can’t recommend it. Unrefined virgin oil is a murky, cloudy mess – but a delicious, creamy mess. Eat the unrefined by the spoonful.
6.2% MUFA
1.6% PUFA
92.1% SFA
Palm
Palm oil is controversial; just check out the comments section on my last post on the subject. Many palm oil plantations encroach upon the rapidly dwindling natural habitats of the orangutan, which are already in short supply in this world. The consensus seems to be that sustainable palm oil, especially the more complex, nutritious unrefined red palm oil, can be found. You’ve just got to look a little harder at the labels. West African red palm oil, for example, is considered to be pretty safe environmentally. Oh, and palm oil is also highly saturated and heat stable. Red palm oil is also stable, but it deserves special mention for its nutrient density – lots of CoQ10, Vitamin E, and SFAs.
39% MUFA
11% PUFA
50% SFA
Fish
Fish oil is another one of the widely accepted “good” fats. This time, though, we agree with Conventional Wisdom. The Omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, are unequivocally beneficial to us. They help balance our O6-O3 ratios (to a more appropriate, pre-agricultural level), while they also promote proper cell function, good lipid numbers, and improved insulin sensitivity. To bone up on more fish oil information, check out my Definitive Guide on the subject.
EPA and DHA levels vary by brand and type of fish. Check the label for yourself, or look at this handy table if you’re getting your fish oil from actual seafood.
Avocado
Who doesn’t love a plump avocado with the right amount of give? If you can’t get your hands on a good one, the next best thing might be a bottle of avocado oil. Its fatty acid profile is similar to that of olive oil, but it has an even higher smoke point, making it a decent choice for cooking. Personally, I still wouldn’t use it for high heat cooking. The light, subtle taste lends itself far better to salad dressing, if you ask me. Buy in dark bottles to minimize oxidation.
70% MUFA
12% Omega-6 PUFA
1% Omega-3 PUFA
12% SFA
Walnut
Walnut oil is one of the better tasting nut oils. It is high in Omega-6s, sure, but walnut oil isn’t something you’re going to use every day, or even every week. The stuff tastes great, though, and a small splash goes a long way at the end of a cooking session or onto a tossed salad. I definitely would advise against using this on a regular basis, especially for cooking, and you should always store it in a dark, cool spot in the house. For those that “do dairy”, try mixing a bit with some full-fat Greek yogurt, or unsweetened fresh whipped cream and berries: amazing.
23% MUFA
53% Omega-6 PUFA
10% Omega-3 PUFA
9% SFA
Macadamia Nut
I love this oil, but I also love the parent nut. The oil assumes the buttery, smooth, rich flavor of the macadamia nut, making it an interesting – but favorable – choice for salad dressings. It’s also remarkably high in MUFAs and low in PUFAs, so it won’t throw your ratios all out of whack. Makes a surprisingly good homemade mayonnaise, and can be used to sauté and cook in a pinch. The only drawback is its price; macadamia nut oil can get expensive.
71% MUFA
10% PUFA
12% SFA
Sesame Seed
The premier “flavor oil.” Sesame seed oil, especially the toasted variety, offers an unmatched and irreplaceable flavor profile. Certain Asian dishes work best with a bit of sesame oil, but if you’re wary of using it over high heat (which you probably should be), you can always add it to the dish after cooking. Despite the high PUFA content, sesame oil also contains a ton of antioxidants that can help minimize heat oxidation. I wouldn’t use this more than semi-regularly, though. Good to keep in your pantry (or fridge), but not an everyday item.
43% MUFA
43% PUFA
14% SFA
Peanut
Restaurants like to tout that they use “healthy” peanut oil in their deep fryers. Okay, the relatively MUFA-rich peanut oil may be a better choice than corn or sunflower oil for high heating, but it’s still a legume (already off limits) oil prone to rancidity. In the UK, it’s known as groundnut oil. Avoid both.
46% MUFA
32% PUFA
17% SFA
Sunflower Seed
Insanely high in PUFAs with little to no Omega-3s to balance them out, sunflower seed oil is a pretty bad choice for sauteeing, baking, roasting, and even salad making. Trouble is it’s everywhere, and it has a reputation for being healthy. Just don’t keep the stuff in your house (not a problem; it’s flavorless, odorless, and completely boring), and keep dining out in cheap chain restaurants to a minimum (or you could do what I do and request everything be cooked in butter), and you should be able to avoid sunflower seed oil.
19% MUFA
63% PUFA
10% SFA
Safflower
Like sunflower seed oil but worse, the oil derived from the “bastard saffron” is about 75% Omega-6 PUFAs with not a speck of Omega-3 in sight. It’s also lower in MUFAs and SFAs. What’s not to dislike?
14% MUFA
75% PUFA
6% SFA
Cottonseed
At least most of the oils I’ve mentioned come from technically edible plants, in some form or another. Cottonseed oil, however, comes from cotton. You know, the stuff that shirts are made of? Yeah. It’s everywhere, from margarines to cereal to shortening to frozen desserts to bread, because it’s cheaper than other oils (you can thank its status as one of Monsanto’s big four genetically modified crops for that) and it only needs “partial hydrogenation” to maintain stability. Luckily, that won’t be an issue for PBers who already avoid all that stuff in the first place. Warn your friends and family, though.
17% MUFA
52% PUFA
26% SFA
Grape Seed
Skip this stuff. It does have a buttery taste, and it gets a lot of hype as a worthy replacement for olive oil, but it’s got high oxidation potential, especially if you follow the recommended instructions and use it for deep frying or high heat sauteeing. It’s rather pricey, too, so there’s no good reason to use it.
16% MUFA
70% PUFA
9% SFA
Soybean Oil
Soybean oil is about as ubiquitous as corn and canola (again, thanks to Monsanto). In fact, you’ll often see an ingredient list include “canola and/or soybean oil.” Huh? Do food manufacturers honestly not know what kind of fat is going into their product? Best avoid the crapshoot and skip anything that “might contain” soybean oil altogether. The fact that it’s often partially hydrogenated suppresses my appetite even further. No thanks.
23% MUFA
51% Omega-6 PUFA
6% Omega-3 PUFA
14% SFA
As you can tell, seed and nut oils probably shouldn’t make up a significant portion of your diet. Some, like coconut, olive, macadamia, palm, avocado, and fish, are great, but the vast majority of oils are unnatural and way too high in PUFAs. And just remember, with some of the more questionable/borderline oils, a little bit goes a long way.
I haven’t covered every edible oil known to humankind in this article. For information on other oils reference these tables and start up a discussion in the comment board or the forum.
What are your preferred edible oils and why? Let me know your thoughts. Grok on!
P.S. If you liked this article share it with your friends by clicking the “Share This” link below.
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Posted By: Mark Sisson
About the only oils I use with regularity are coconut oil (for cooking) and olive oil (for salads). We did make the mistake of buying a bottle of sunflower oil, on the basis that “if sunflower seeds are okay, the oil must be too”. Must remember to throw that out at some point – is there a safe way to dispose of oil, instead of just throwing it down the drain?
Nah, don’t throw it out – put it with your tools. Next time you have a squeaky hinge or a stuck nut break out the sunflower oil and have at it. That’s how I’m getting rid of my old canola oil and the “light” olive oil I received as a gift.
In a similar light, I’ve also found that canola oil works great for cleaning paint brushes (for all you artists out there.)
Darrin, I am a portrait painter, are you using this to condition your brushes before and after use or literally for cleaning? What medium?
the great oil debate… Ha I associate (don’t eat with them)with ppl who think becel is healthy. Canola is in everything!!! have to make from scratch until it gets worked out, like sacrine, if I had any of that s**t i whould clean my brushes with it,I use mineral oil ;o)
I also do oil painting but I’m nervous about using any kind of oil long term on the brush that might oxidize and harden over time like linseed. Usually I just use mineral oil to maintain the condition of the hair while the brushes are just sitting around.
Wait, what’s wrong with “light” olive oil? Light refers to color for olive oil, is there some heated processing to change its color or is it (my assumption) a natural variation thing?
I think “light” olive oil is refined. I know it’s not extra virgin (or it would be labeled as such), and it doesn’t have any flavor.
In my opinion, applying “light” was just a way to make the lower quality oil sound more healthful and appealing.
Basically, “light” means heavily-refined olive oil, removing much of its flavour and possibly damaging the good stuff within. Sometimes it’s olive oil that’s been adulterated with other, lesser oils such as canola.
Wow, interesting. I shouldn’t be so surprised.
That’s not olive oil at all.Watch this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzidE1DbzFY
hey, so what’s wrong with the light olive oil. i like it for cooking when I don’t want an olive oil flavor. is something in the processing making it out of favor for you?
Melissa, from The Clothes Make the Girl and Author of Well Fed, says she uses light Olive Oil to make her homemade mayo so it doesn’t get bogged down with a heavy olive taste.
Use it in your diesel engines
If you [ or your friends] have a diesel car you could use it as fuel.
I made the same mistake – came across some organic cheap sunflower oil and stocked up – I’ll pass it on to friend
and he can pour it in his fuel tank.
What do you know about Rice Bran Oil?
I love the way it cooks and how I can bake with it. And due to it high smoke point I can even deep or stir fry with it. It also is very high in antioxidents.
Rice Bran Oil is not good.
Nice post.
One oil I have used extensively in the past but have never found a mention of on MDA is Carotino oil….. thoughts?
As I understand, carotino oil is a blend of red palm oil and canola oil. See Canola Oil above…
I can’t seem to find coconut oil anywhere around here, so I’ve been cooking with butter, but I keep reading bacon grease/fat. How long is this stuff good when kept in the back of the fridge?
Not sure about how long bacon fat keeps, though I know people use/used duck fat to preserve cooked duck for quite a while. But you should be able to find coconut oil on the shelf at any health food or grocery store. I have even seen it on the shelf at walmart, in the baking section. It isnt an actual “oil” that is clear and in a bottle. It will most likely be in a jar of some sort.
Until I started using coconut oil last year, I used corn oil in just about all my cooking, thinking I was making a good choice! I figure that has to be the biggest dietary change for the better since coming to this forum. (Tied with giving up wheat.)
I use corn oil when I make corn muffins because corn oil tastes heavily of corn. I make them about once a year.
What about almond oil? I haven’t tried it yet, but was curious if anyone here uses it, or has thoughts on whether its healthy or not.
I use it almost everyday in my smoothees, or when I’m craving a bit of fatty goodness! Hmmm….
I mix it with olive oil, balsamic, cumin and oregano for salad dressing…
Thanks for this, Mark. Very helpful! My mother and I were debating the use of Palm Oil just the other day. We use a host of these good oils in our home – with the exception of Walnut oil. Going to have to try that!
What, no entry for “cooking oil?” That mystery meat of oils that costs a buck a gallon? …Actually, I don’t wanna know what goes into that. I figure it’s probably the dregs of the vats they make corn, soybean, and canola oil in all mixed together. Ew…
Anyways, extra virgin olive oil is my go-to guy whenever I want an oil but don’t want to cook it. (I use butter or coconut oil for that. Don’t wanna risk the EVOO going rancid.) I also take fish oil supplements. Haven’t had sesame oil in a while, but that stuff is mighty tasty as well.
If you mean “vegetable oil” that’s usually soybean, sometimes corn.
Great overview! Your efforts are appreciated.
Hello Mark. Great list! I have a queston: is it okay to take olive oil “shots”? I have about 5 tablespoons a day, sometimes in shot form, to up my fat intake.
Over here it’s probably something close to blasphemy, but I know that over in Italy some women take a spoonful of olive oil several times a day to help their complexion, if that helps?
I wouldn’t recommend it. If you have decided that it’s necessary to consume that much oil for some reason, use spoonfuls of coconut oil instead.
I would highly suggest to use Virgin Coconut oil (unrefined) like Tropical Traditions green or gold label for oral consumption. Many other brands out there as well. Great for complexion and anti-viral properties. Not only that Coconut oil is a medium chained fat as such is not processed by the liver, as such no bile is needed to break it down. Coconut oil is by far superior to Olive oil in for this purpose. In fact a topical mixture of honey, coconut oil and cinnamon is great for clearing up acne. depending on your skin type you may have to experiment with these combination’s and or eliminate one.
I’m thinking a mixture of coconut oil, honey and cinnamon would also be a delicious way to ingest it! Yum!
Olive oil is my basic “go to” oil in the kitchen, but for anything more than medium heat it’s coconut oil or animal fat.
I also have a daily shot of cod liver oil.
I have to back up the merits of Fish Oil. As I have stated before, I’m prone to sinus infections (at least 4/year) and end up taking antibiotics each time only for it to take up to 3 weeks to dissipate.
Once I started taking Fish Oil about 2 weeks ago, I safely averted an impending infection and I hope to say that record holds true. Please say it’s so! Omega 3′s – I Love You!
For best quality and high concentration fish oil liquid, use Nordic Naturals. Since fish oil is prone to oxidation, you need to make sure you consume adequate anti-oxidants and Vitamin-E.
This shouldn’t be a problem if you eat primal.
Nordic looks good. I can speak for Mark’s fish oils as well. His Vital Omegas have been doing me right for years now.
Also keep in mind that it’s nice to rotate the fish oil sources. There is some adaptation that develops from obtaining Omega-3s from the same source day in day out.
Green Pastures makes a wonderful fermented cod liver oil and also CLO blended with high vitamin butter oil. IMO it is even better than NN. They are VERY committed to having the purest, best oil around. Wonderfully ethical company.
Did you say fermented cod liver oil? Are you kidding? They’re actually selling rancid oils?
Fermented =/= oxidized. In fact, it’s the opposite.
Fermentation, like yogurt and pickles, is an anaerobic process (i.e. no oxygen). Going rancid requires oxygen. Plus, it helps protect the oil from going rancid.
From Wikipedia: Fermentation in food processing typically is the conversion of carbohydrates to alcohols and carbon dioxide or organic acids using yeasts, bacteria, or a combination thereof, under anaerobic conditions.
I think that the concept of “fermented” oil is impossible since, by definition,(see above) fermentation requires carbohydrates and oil is not carbohydrate.
However, there may be some non-scientific use of the word “fermented” that makes some kind of sense in some context that is not obvious to us.
cheers.
Yogurt and pickles can be fermented because they are carbohydrates. That would not be possible if they were oils.
Eating the fish is best
http://jackkruse.com/brain-gut-5-paradigm-drifts-paradigm-shifts-epi-paleo/
http://jackkruse.com/brain-gut-6-epi-paleo-rx/
Selenium Binds to Mercury if your worried about that issue…its not a big issue in most fish unless they have lower Selenium to Mercury ratios like Swordfish and other exotics.
Flushing your nasal passages with warm saline solution (with a pinch of baking soda as well) with a neti pot will go a long way to preventing and relieving sinus infections and other upper-respiratory problems. Neti pots, which look like little Aladdin’s lamps, are typically found at a health food store or yoga studio. The salty water both kills germs, flushes out allergens, and soothes nasal passages.
Neti pots are wonderful. Interestingly, Ayurvedic medicine recommends oiling your nostrals after flushing to keep them moist. And I use coconut oil as a face moisturizer since I went all natural-thanks to Gill Deacon’s book There’s Lead in Your Lipstick.
I also use Nordic Naturals strawberry DHA. Love that it doesn’t repeat & I notice a huge difference if I don’t take it (migraines & moodiness).
Thanks to Kishore for the rotating your fish oil advice. I’ll have to try that.
Thanks so much for a fabulous round up of oily goodness. :O)
Just make sure to always use filtered water or distilled with the Neti Pot.
Yes, definitely use sterile water in neti pots. Some, albeit very few, people are using tap water and getting deadly infections.
Using distilled water in the neti pot is CRUCIAL: a couple of people in Louisiana died from brain infections after using tap water for their neti pots. http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/12/19/143960631/second-neti-pot-death-from-amoeba-prompts-tap-water-warning Read the news if you dare: it reads like a horror story.
You’re using a saline rinse for your sinuses like I do, right?
I used to snort water in the shower, but straight tap water has too low of gravity and is actually damaging to already injured sinus passages.
Imagine how different life would be in the US if we put all the canola, corn, soybean, and other bad-guys in our cars instead of our bodies.
I’d rather we used all that land to grow healthy foods. The energy profile to use cropland to grow fuel to replace petroleum products is dreadful – it takes more energy to produce than you get out of it.
Total truth Darcy. They will use far more petroleum planting, harvesting, processing and transporting the ‘green’ fuel than they will ever recover in energy. Not to mention all the toxic pesticides they are allowed to use because it’s not a crop grown for human consumption.
States that grow corn sure love the pork barrel subsidy from government taxation of our wages.
From a technical standpoint, using crops as fuel is about a 60% energy gain. It isn’t a loss, thermodynamically speaking, but it is horrible. When you take into account externalities such as pesticide exposure, loss of biodiversity, and soil erosion… When you take that into account is when it becomes an obvious loss. Although, I do know of people who grow oil crops in ways that are high management, high yield, low environmental impact. But then you’re talking about max size of mechanized equipment being a 10 hp walk behind tractor, and the highest input fertilizer being manure. There’s ways of doing it, just not within industrial ag.
Or stopped using all that land to grow it and grew real food instead.
Hey Mark,
Great post. I just came across an interesting article and wanted to get your thoughts as it’s based on fats.
http://wcco.com/health/high.fat.diet.2.1436243.html
Thanks!
Yes, the connection between a high fat, low carb diet and epileptic seizures has been known for quite a while, though the precise mechanism remains unclear. See here: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/119/3/535
I’ve had epilepsy since I was 15 and a ketogenic diet is supposed to help. I recall asking my doc about it many years ago, but it was never presented as an option. I was told (ready for this?) that I would gain a tremendous amount of weight and be at very high risk for a heart attack! Besides that, once I stabilized on a med (depakote) I did well, and I’ve been seizure free for over 20years.
All that being said, I’m considering taper off the med. I think a primal diet full of good fats will facilitate this. I’m still unsure though. One seizure at the wrong time can pretty much ruin your life, and I’ve never had any side effects from the med. I could be the Depakote poster boy, since I’ve been on it since it’s been legal in the US.
More on this:
“An obvious question the Irvines had was whether the cholesterol would create a new problem for Max’s health”.
“We monitor the children very carefully,” Wirrell said. “We monitor their blood for cholesterol problems. And in truth very few children actually end up with cholesterol or lipid problems on the diet.”
I like that! We feed the kids large amounts of fat and they still end up with no arterycloggingsaturatedfat issues!
Hear the Jimmy Moore podcast of his interview with Dr. Deborah Snyder on the ketogenic diet for epilepsy, link here:
http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/781/dr-deborah-snyder-on-the-low-carb-cure-for-epilepsy-episode-282/
Is it the sort of med that needs to be taken consistently for it to work? Or is it a sort of when it’s on it’s on? If it is the former, then if you aren’t experiencing any side effects (and the med doesn’t exert an overly large load on thee liver or kidneys or anything), why tinker with it? There’s no point in risking harm to yourself if it’s working.
Also, not *everything* is cured by good living. Sometimes things wouldn’t have any evolutionary pressure to weed out the traits in a preagrarian society, sometimes genetic factors are set, a lot of the time there are congenital factors that are set early on, and there simply isn’t a whole lot we can do about it. A few examples:
Bad teeth. Yes, you can avoid cavities by not eating sugar. Yes, toothpaste is probably silly and unnecessary. On the other hand, there are other tooth problems that past 5 or 6, or even earlier, you can’t do anything about. Most people in the US have had to have their wisdom teeth out. I have these holes in my teeth (not canaries) where when I was young, I got sick for a couple of weeks, when the enamel was developing there, and it turned out soft. So, the enamel there wears through faster, and I have holes in my teeth. Does that mean I shouldn’t get them filled? Sure I might not get spreading decay or anything, but it still makes my teeth susceptible to damage.
I have ADHD. It appears at about a 3-6% prevalence in practically every population it’s studied in. There’s nothing linking it to diet. I have noticed it gets worse if I don’t take care of myself, but taking care of myself doesn’t fix it. In a preagrarian setting, there probably wouldn’t be a whole lot of pressure forcing it out of the gene pool. Hunting is exciting and stimulating, and any ADD Grok would probably not have many problems with things like that. ADD Grok sleeping in until noon wouldn’t be so much of a problem if it only takes 20 or so hours a week to provide for basic needs. It might even be a positive thing to have someone who tends to sleep on a different schedule from the rest of the tribe, so there’s someone awake late at night. Sure it might be difficult to get him up if everyone has to move early, and sure he might be kind of impulsively annoying, but it’s likely harmless in that setting. In a modern society (or even an agrarian one) it’s a big problem. So, I take stimulant medication for it. There’s no point in not taking it. I feel better, I function better, I get minimal side effects (a bit of dry mouth if I’m starting after a hiatus, but that’s it), and the safety profile for the meds are fantastic.
My point being, not that there’s any right or wrong answer, but that while primal living fixes a lot of things, it doesn’t fix everything. If your life is better as a result of this med, and there’s no problem, why tinker with it? There’s worse things than taking a pill every day.
In India, almond oil can be bought freshly cold pressed from vendors which is called ‘sweet almond oil’ as the taste is much sweeter than conventional almond oil. It’s used as a health food and is swallowed directly or stirred in hot milk and given to children before exams! It’s meant to make them more intelligent. It’s also considered a remedy for weak eyesight.
I’ve also heard of it curing and healing scars from burns and I suggested it to a friend involved in an accident who had thin black line marks on her face from surgery and they cleared up.
Traditionally in North India everyone used to cook in ghee and you still have restaurants that advertise that all their fried food is fried in ghee for the general population this was replaced by ‘vanaspati’ which is a disgusting hydrogenated oil that is very cheap and used everywhere now there is an explosion of heart and diabetic problems in the country. I have personally noticed in Delhi that women who consume bad oils tend have very dull rough skin.
Traditionally the most common oil in the north except Punjab and beyond for cooking purposes is the Mustard Oil.
This oil is pretty pungent and people wouldn’t find the taste of food good without it
.
It is also used in a lot of religious festivals, and marriage ceremonies, as a required item.
It has n3:n6 ratio of 1:1.4, very near ideal but contains around 23% total. If we are only looking at n3 and n6 its not a bad oil. Whether the erucic acid is bad is controversial.
Considering it has been part of Indian diet for a long time, it must have some benefits. Still it would not be better than the favoured oils.
One note about flaxseed oil – the flax crops (at least here in Canada, where I live) are currently “at risk” due to invasion by a genetically-modified variant known as “Triffid” that was supposed to be destroyed 10 years ago. Only about 0.01% of the flax is so affected, but that’s enough to keep Canadian flax banned in the EU.
So other than lard, what can I roast with at about 425 degrees?
See this chart for “smoke points” of various oils, and look for one with a smoke point above 425:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_point
Mark (or anyone else), do you have any thoughts on high heat sunflower and safflower oils such as those offered by Spectrum? They have a much higher MUFA content than the typical stuff that you listed in the article.
79% MUFA
14% PUFA
7% SFA
http://spectrumorganics.com/?id=6#j54
All I can say is: Excellent article!
What’s the take around here on rice bran oil? Decent 3/6, high smoke point? It’s often what I use for high temp cooking, when coconut or lard isn’t quite right.
Great info, I had no idea that sunflower oil was a poor choice. On that vein, what about eating sunflower seeds, are they OK?
I use butter, coconut oil, several types of EVOO, and I recently received some pecan oil. Does anyone know about pecan oil?
A great lesson in Oil-ology. I made the switch to EVOO and Butter a long time ago and got rid of all forms of other oil. The one I have added since living the PB lifestyle is Extra Virgin Coconut Oil.
Excellent overview of oils.
The toughest part for my wife and I is knowing which “good” oil to use in place of the “bad” oil in whatever recipe we are making.
Thanks, Mark!
I use this rule: replace with regular olive oil if its going in the oven, replace with butter or coconut oil if it’s going on the range.
I’m looking for a healthy, neutral flavored oil that can handle high heat, but I don’t really see one in that group.
Define “high heat” – the smoke point of avocado oil, at over 500 degrees F, is the highest of any oil. Coconut oil has the same smoke point as most “household oils” (i.e. peanut or corn oil – 450F).
Are coconut and avocado oils neutral? I’d imagine not. Looking for a healthy oil that won’t affect the flavour of the cooked food too much.
The flavours are subtle, at least to me. All oils have some taste to them, even things like corn oil.
I am looking for the same information – best oil to use for high heat cooking (>450F). I thought I had this straight before stumbling upon MDA, I was using 100% mechanically (expeller) pressed naturally refined organic coconut oil for med-high heat (smoke point 365F) and 100% expeller pressed naturally refined avocado oil for high heat (up to 510F). This post suggests refined oils are not the way to go (although perhaps this did not include what I understand is a healthier expeller pressed method?) But I don’t see a recommendation in this post for a high heat cooking oil. Unrefined coconut oil has a smoke point of 280F (medium heat). Should I be using Macadamia nut oil for high heat cooking? Palm oil? Recommendations would be most appreciated!
Lard or similar animal fat. This is only oils. If you’re cooking at high heat, that’s a great way to go. And if rendered properly, it doesn’t taste meaty. Also lard in my experience, does well once the product has been cooled, and doesn’t congeal unless there’s a lot of it or it’s very cold.
“Wait, what’s wrong with “light” olive oil?” I didn’t see this addressed yet, so Matt, my understanding is that the “light” label means more refined. “In the U.S., flavorless and often low quality (refined) oil is sold as “lite” or “light” oil. ” That’s lifted from oliveoilsource.com, which also says that there’s much oil “of such poor quality that it must be refined to produce an edible product”, and so they put a word that has positive connotations (“light”) on the label and sell it here.
As I noted above a few seconds ago, “light olive oil” can also mean olive oil mixed with something like canola oil.
What I’m actually referring to is carapelli brand, made in Italy. The make an extra light, a mild, a regular, and evoo. Here’s the website, what do you think? Seems usable to me. http://www.carapelliusa.com/product.html
I’m not easily imepssred. . . but that’s impressing me!
Im glad you mention red palm oil, I just saw it in the health food store the other day and the bottle (of course) was all rah! rah! red palm oil! Good to know it’s good, but has anyone tasted it? A little pricey for me to just jump in and buy a huge jar of it!
I don’t like the taste of it at all. I bought a jar of Jungle brand (if I remember correctly) and it’s supposed to be the good kind, from West Africa, but it tasted and smelled weird to me, almost rancid. I can only use it mixed with ghee and coconut oil (see my post on that below) to dilute the strong flavor and odor. It also colors the food, which can be helpful with some dishes, but it’s not exactly a neutral oil.
rpo smells and tastes a bit like violets. i like to use it in stews and thick, meaty dishes.
i like to fry eggs in it too.
I like it. Don’t use it all the time, but nice for the occasional flavor change.
I think it give a curry flavor? I dont know? There is a post on MDA. Follow the link above.
I wouldn’t add palm oil to something where you experience the flavour directly, like a mug of tea. (I’m guilty of dropping in a dallop of VCO to my tea) but for frying eggs in, it’s alright. It gives a distinctive taste, but it’s more subtle when used as a part of something.
Also, don’t cook with it wearing a shirt you like, it’ll stain everything including your countertop.
My husband is west african, and red oil definatly has a distictive taste. they eat it with different types of greens, so i would try it with any leafy greens! If you can find a west indian/african grocery store its not too expensive.
Is anybody concerned about the 3:6 ratio here? None of them seem to really be favorable aside from flax and fish oil!
Omega-3 from Flax is not the best absorbed form. You need a high quality fish oil. Based on a survey, 44 out of 47 bottles of flax seed oil sold in stores are rancid (oxidized)!
Dr Barry Sears does not like flax seed oil.
Mark,
One caution when asking for foods to be cooked in butter: I’ve been to a lot of restaurants that treat margarine and butter as completely the same! I ask for butter, the waiter brings a glob of hydrogenated corn oil and I can tell just by looking that it isn’t butter.
I’ve had managers come to the table to ask what I was wanting, and I told them I wanted butter, not margarine. It’s amazing the number of restaurant managers who will look like a deer in the headlights and say “What’s the difference?”
Well, one comes from cows, one comes from corn.
And there have been a few restaurants in which I’ve told the manager I won’t eat there again until they have butter. Steak dipped in melted MARGARINE? Good Lord! What an offense to the cow that steak came from!
Ha! Great comment, Bill. It’s true. You have to be careful. I usually try to make the distinction very clear.
On a similar note, I recently went to a fancy little tea house and got skim milk for “cream.” They didn’t even have half and half! If I hadn’t been with my little girl, I would have walked right out.
The next thing you know they might have only soy milk!
This happened to me recently at a cafe! I ordered a hot chocolate and was asked if I wanted some milk in it and I said, “No, but I would love some cream.”
Cue the blinking and stare. “But we have nonfat milk, soymilk, rice milk.”
“No, I’ll have cream, please.”
Then they tried to offer me that “cream” from the aerosol can. x__x
Hahahahaha, I liked this one so much that I nearly fell off the chair!
Keep up the good comments!
P.S. Hi, Mark,…it’s nice to see ya here!!!
)))
I love that here in Portland, there is not only half and half, and all of the lowfat rice/soy/nutmilks, but they are also starting to offer coconut milk in he coffee shops. I’m guessing it’s the stuff in the carton and not in the can, but it’s progress. There are so many food allergies and special ways of eating in this town, pretty much anywhere a foodie would eat is covered. We even have restaurants like “Dick’s Kitchen” that are ALL real food, including game and grassfed meats, and they make their own ferments. They even have more than one “Paleo Bowl” . LOVE that place.
Good list, but one big entry was left out that I always recommend, because it’s an exceptional high-heat oil. I never see any of the primal/paleo bloggers mention it, so I will:
Tea oil
http://is.gd/6GJao
This is the Asian version of olive oil, having been around for 1000+ years, and like EVOO, it’s full of healthy polyphenols.
More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_oil
BTW, I never recommend any oil/fat with greater than 12 percent polyunsaturated fatty acids — that’s a great rule of thumb that’s easy to follow.
Handy chart on good versus bad oils (avoid oils with combined red and green area greater than 12 percent):
http://is.gd/6GKzR
Hi Mark,
I loved this post!
I put this in the wrong place before so am reposting. You asked what edible oils readers prefer, and why.
I use what I call “coconut ghee.” I make clarified butter from the best quality butter (preferably unsalted) that I can find, and do it ghee-style, that is, cooked longer to develop antioxidant compounds and more flavor. After skimming the whey from the top and pouring the butter oil (ghee) off the casein clumps that have sunk to the bottom of the saucepan, I mix the warm ghee that results with unrefined coconut oil in approximately equal portions (or up to 2/3 to 1/3, either way). Keep stirring or shaking the mixture of ghee and coconut oil in jars so it stays blended as it cools and solidifies. Needs no refrigeration. This is the tastiest cooking fat around, very healthful, with a relatively high smoke point (though I never push the temperatures), and is quite neutral in taste. Neutral but yummy. It’s perfect for those who want to use more coconut oil but don’t like a coconutty taste. You can also mix in a shot or two of unrefined palm oil if you have some but are put off by the strong color and flavor.
Sometimes I’ll add a little olive oil to this mixture when cooking, depending on the recipe, but more often than not I use it alone. It is THE BEST.
Another great comment! Thanks for this, Jeanmarie. I had never heard of this before.
I invented it, that’s why!
Love your book, btw. I’m halfway through. If only I could get my sweetie to read it. He has read a bit of your blog and respects you, fortunately. He loved the marinade recipes.
Jeanmarie,
Green Pasture’s sells a “Blue Breeze Organic Coconut Ghee”. Hope they didn’t steal it from you!
Would you mind if I publish your recipe on Mark’s Daily Apple as a full blog post?
This is what I do when I want my dish to have the flavor of ghee but don’t have enough of it to use it exclusively.
Mark, no problem, I was just thinking how I should write this up as a full post for my blog. I’d be happy for you to republish or quote extensively from it. (I’m a very beginning blogger, and it would be an honor to contribute to MDA!)
Art, I did hear at some point that Green Pasture sells a “coconut ghee” but I swear I made up mine first! At least we came up with it independently. I haven’t even looked closely at theirs so I’m not sure what they do.
I hope it’s okay to post this link. I purchased some coconut ghee from here: http://www.greenpasture.org/retail/?t=products&a=line&i=coconut-butter that is absolutely wonderful!
I love this! Thank you for sharing this.
Does anyone know about Pumpkin Seed Oil benefits? Is it a good Primal oil?
What about Hemp Oil? Does anyone know?
There was a post about hempseeds recently. I don’t know about hemp seed oil it’s very high in PUFAs. I’d treat it just the same as I would flax oil. Okay on salads occasionally.