Oils: How to choose 'em, how to use 'em

If you’re not already an oil whiz, and have oft wondered why everyone doesn't just pick up the big jug of olive oil that’s on sale and use it until it’s gone, read on.

There is so much to know about oils that this post will barely scratch the surface.  But since my readers are time-crunched people who like to cut to the chase, I’m going to attempt to remain firmly off my soap box and stick to the key takeaways.  There is even a bullet point summary at the end if you’re pressed for time.

3 things you need to know about your oil:

1. Fat type and ratio
2. Extraction method
3. Smoke point (for cooking)

1. Fat type.  Natural fats (oils) contain saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat.  Side note of which you’re aware: trans fats (hydrogenated) are not from natural sources, and should not be part of your diet at all.

Saturated fats come primarily from animal sources, are associated with higher cholesterol and diabetes risk, and should exist in your diet in limited quantities.  These guys are typically solid at room temperature.  Think butter, shortening, pork fat.  Mono and polyunsaturated fats on the other hand are generally beneficial to your health, can actually improve cholesterol and lower diabetes risk, and therefore should be added to your diet with care.  These guys are typically liquid at room temperature (e.g. olive oil).

One of the most important kinds of polyunsaturated fats are Omega-3’s.  You’ve no doubt heard of these, and maybe you even take a fish oil supplement or better, you make sure to get your fill of salmon, sardines, flax, and walnuts.  They help just about every part of your body since they are an integral part of cell membranes, are linked to heart, brain, and eye health, and have shown promise in lupus, eczema, arthritis, and yes, even cancer.  Whew!  Quite a resume.  Omega-3’s are not made in our bodies, so we have to get them elsewhere.  That’s why they’re referred to as “essential” fatty acids.

Fat ratio.  Omega-6’s are also essential fatty acids, but you don’t see those supplements on the shelf at the health food store next to the Omega-3 supplements.  Why not?  Because these guys are WAY too present in the Standard American Diet (aka SAD).  According to this study, humans evolved on a diet with a 1:1 ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids, whereas today’s Western diet is around 16:1.  Excessive Omega-6 fatty acids basically undo all the benefits aforementioned on Omega-3’s.  These are found in refined vegetable oils that land in tons of processed foods (think snacks, cookies, and crackers), and in fast food.  So the key is to find fats with a good ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids.

2. Extraction method.  You might have heard the terms “cold-pressed” or “expeller-pressed.”  If you don’t see one of those phrases on your cooking oil, by the way, you probably shouldn't buy it.  Those terms indicate that the oil has been mechanically extracted from the seed rather than chemically extracted.  Many of the oils you see on the shelf at the grocery store are extracted using a chemical like hexane gas.  When that’s the case, they then go through even more refinement to make sure the hexane itself gets removed.  Needless to say, these will be much less flavorful, not to mention nutritionally deficient at best.  Do your body a favor: pay the extra few bucks, and look for cold pressed or expeller pressed oils.  Also, since I can’t get through most posts without saying it, go for organic if you can find it.  Canola is one of the most genetically modified crops, so if you’re not buying organic canola oil, you’re almost certainly getting GMO’s with your stir fry.  Olive oil is also easy to find organic.  Organic grapeseed oil is hard to find, mostly because it’s incredibly hard to get the oil out of the tiny grapeseed without using the hexane, though you can find brands that do not use hexane even though they aren’t organic – that’s what I look for.

3. Smoke point.  Here’s the important part most people don’t consider.  Some oils are better for cooking than others due to their smoke point.  My Italian relatives would cringe to hear me say so, but cooking everything in olive oil is not the way to go.  It has a low smoke point, so if you’re stir frying in olive oil, you’re likely killing the phytonutrients you would’ve gotten from the oil had you drizzled it on salad.  Worse, the decomposition process can create oxygen radicals, which are linked to cancer.  So it’s important to note the smoke point and cook accordingly.  See table below for smoke points of commonly used oils.

In summary:

• Unless you’re a serious chef, you can probably get by with 3 kinds of oil in your kitchen: olive, canola, and grapeseed.
• Use organic extra virgin cold- or expeller-pressed olive oil for drizzling, not cooking.
• Use organic cold- or expeller-pressed canola or cold- or expeller-pressed grapeseed oils for cooking and sautéing.
• Use organic coconut oil in place of butter (yes, it’s high in saturated fat, but also good for heart health, immune system, skin and metabolism, among other things!)
• Use organic flax oil in your smoothies or drizzled on salad, but never heat it.
• Use other organic, cold- or expeller-pressed oils with decent omega 6-3 ratios in moderation (e.g. peanut, sesame, walnut).
• Try to limit all other oil intake (e.g. corn, cottonseed, sunflower, palm), and remember, they aren't just in a bottle on the shelf.  In fact, they’re mostly NOT there.  They’re in chips, dried fruit, peanut butter and lots of other places.  Read the label!

Here is a nice summary on smoke points and uses from PCC Natural Markets: 

Oil	Raw	Low heat	Med. heat	Med. High heat	Very	Characteristics and uses
					high heat
Low heat = 275º to 325º F • Medium heat = 325º to 350º F • Medium-high heat = 350º to 400º F • Very high heat = 400º to 495º F
Avocado (expeller-pressed), refined	X	X	X	X	X	Lovely texture, wonderful for searing meat, whipped potatoes and stir-fries. Smoke point 450º F.
Avocado (cold-pressed), unrefined	X	X	X	X	X	Lovely texture, wonderful for searing meat, whipped potatoes and stir-fries. Smoke point 500º F.
Canola (medium-high heat), refined	X	X	X	X		Neutral flavor, all-purpose, good for baking.
						Smoke point 425º F. May be genetically modified if not organic.
Canola, unrefined	X	X				Mild flavor, may be genetically modified if not organic.
Coconut (virgin/extra virgin), unrefined		X	X			Lovely for cakes, pie crusts, light sautéing.
						Cholesterol-free. Smoke point 280º to 350º F.
Grapeseed (expeller-pressed), refined	X	X	X	X	X	Clean, neutral taste. Smoke point 485º F.
Olive (extra virgin), unrefined	X	X				Ideal for salads, raw foods, pesto and dipping bread. Smoke point 325º F.
Peanut (expeller-pressed,	X	X	X	X		Adds flavor to lightly cooked foods and cold dishes. Smoke point 212º to 400º F. Potential allergen.
Safflower (high heat), refined	X	X	X	X	X	Mild flavor for high-heat cooking. Smoke point 450º F.
Safflower, unrefined	X					Delicate flavor.
Sesame, refined	X	X	X	X	X	Adds smoky flavor to seared meats, stir-fries.
						Smoke point 445º F.
Sesame, unrefined (including toasted)	X					Aromatic, nutty, best in dressings and sauces.
Sunflower (high oleic), refined	X	X	X	X	X	Nearly neutral flavor. Smoke point 450º F.
Sunflower (expeller-pressed), refined	X	X	X	X	X	Multi-purpose. Smoke point 460º F.
Sunflower (cold-pressed), unrefined	X					Rich flavor, best in cold dishes.
Walnut, refined	X	X	X	X		Adds character to salads, marinades and sautés. Smoke point 400º F. Potential allergen.

Dear broccoli, let’s be friends.

Make nice with this cruciferous gem if you haven’t or don’t regularly.  Your body will thank you!  So first things first: a disclaimer of which I’m not proud.  I don’t like the taste of broccoli.  Gasp!  But I don’t!  I find it to be overly strong in flavor that I don’t much like, and I don’t enjoy munching on the leaves of this little tree.  I’m not a “texture person” but it’s a texture thing I guess.  In case you’re like me, this blog is for YOU!  I have a simple and tasty recipe that may just make you a convert.  First let’s get aligned on WHY YOU SHOULD EAT IT often.

Key nutritional benefits include:

Vitamin C to aid iron absorption, prevent cataracts, and fight cold symptoms

Vitamins A and K in such a combination as to help keep our vitamin D metabolism in balance, critical given how many of us are vitamin D deficient!

Folic acid to sustain normal tissue growth, especially in pregnant mammas

Calcium (stock up, dairy-free friends!) 

Both soluble and insoluble fiber to strengthen that GI tract that serves you every day

More importantly, broccoli has big time cancer prevention and cancer fighting ability.  Like its cruciferous counterparts, broccoli contains an active phytochemical called sulforaphane.  Technically, broccoli contains a phytochemical (isothiocyanate) from which another can be isolated (sulforaphane), and it’s the latter that increases the activity of enzymes that trample cancer-causing stuff in our bodies. I think.  The doctors out there might correct me.  But anyway, it’s a good thing!  

Some sources for those of you interested in reading more are here.  Note that there are more than 300 studies out there linking broccoli to cancer.  It is thought to interrupt cell division and produce cell death (a good thing if we're talking about cancer cells), in addition to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and detoxification properties.  If you’re interested in learning more about the science, click here or here for some articles.  Click here for a study from Oregon State or here for one from Johns Hopkins to see just a quick sample of what’s out there on broccoli and cancer. 

As if the above isn’t plenty of reason to partake regularly in these small green trees, it may also have beneficial impacts on cardiovascular disease and aging.  What a show off this little vegetable is.

One last important note before I get to the recipes: overcooking broccoli will kill the sulforaphane (the good stuff you don't want to kill).  A rule of thumb we use is to steam or sauté it for no longer than 4 minutes.  Don’t boil it unless you’re going to drink the water.  If you can stomach it, go raw.  But for some, the high amount of cellulose and insoluble fiber makes it harder to digest, in which case, give it a little warmth, just not too much!

Broccoli spinach pureed soup

We adapted this one from Whole Living Magazine 

Makes 2 big servings

½ Tbsp canola oil

½ leek, white parts, sliced thinly

2 gloves garlic, minced

2 c. vegetable broth

½ bunch broccoli (3 cups), chopped

3 oz fresh baby spinach

1 Tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste, you can find it in most grocery stores)

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add leek and garlic and cook until tender, about 4 minutes.  Add broth, bring to a boil.
2. Add broccoli and cook, covered, 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Stir in spinach and tahini, and let cool slightly.
3. Working in batches, puree soup in a blender until smooth. 
4. Pour back into the pan, add a dash of salt and pepper to taste if you prefer, and stir until it's combined.  

Remember, we're looking to avoid overcooking the broccoli, so this is NOT the soup to let simmer on the stove for an hour.  Mushy broccoli = not so beneficial.

Enjoy!

Be an Ingredient Label Sleuth!

What’s the first thing you look at when you pick up a packaged item in the grocery store?  Maybe you scout out calorie count or grams of saturated fat or carbs.  Or maybe you’re drawn to claims about heart healthiness or anti-oxidant richness.  While all of this can be helpful information, it can also make healthy shopping a bewildering task.  Do I prefer higher saturated fat if it means I get more protein?  Is it better to up my fiber or lower my carbs?  What is an antioxidant and why do I care if pomegranate is such a great source? 

In the spirit of simplifying the shopping experience, let me suggest that the far more important, perhaps the only important, information on the label is contained in the words that make up the ingredient list.  Unless of course you’re buying something with no label at all, in which case you’re already Very Healthy!

So, about this list.  Here are some general tips, and below some ingredients to avoid.

• The first question to ask yourself is how long it is.  Are there just a few ingredients (say 3-5), or does the ingredient list itself require a full “paragraph?”
• Can you pronounce everything on the list?  Could your grade schooler?  If not, think about whether that's something you really want to consume.
• Is the first word what you’d expect it to be based on what you think you're buying (e.g. whole wheat flour on your 100% whole wheat bread)?
• How close to the top of the list is sugar?  (Ingredients are listed in order of predominance, with ingredients used in the greatest amount listed first.)

Here are my quick rules of thumb on ingredients to avoid.  If you’re not already a label sleuth in the grocery store, give it a whirl next time you have a few extra minutes!  My guess is you might be surprised (maybe even disgusted) by what you see…

Artificial color or flavor.  You don’t need it, it’s that simple.  Generally speaking, if you see “natural flavor” on the label, that indicates the flavor is derived from natural (as opposed to synthetic or chemical) sources.  That’s better, but if you’re eating good and whole foods, they shouldn’t need any added flavor. 

Aspartame.  This is an artificial sweetener that has been the source of much controversy.  The FDA regards it as generally safe, but many others beg to differ.  Since 1997, various countries and some US states have introduced legislation to regulate or ban its use, and the debate rages on about whether or not it’s safe.  For me, much better to just avoid it.  Common culprits include yogurt, soft drinks, gum, puddings and “sugar free” items.

Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.  Luckily, most of the trans (hydrogenated) fats are largely gone from our food supply due to the overwhelming evidence of its links to coronary heart disease.  But I’ve been surprised in the grocery store more than once to see hydrogenated oils sneak into foods, even some touting health like vegan cream cheeses and several popular peanut butters, so make sure that if you’re buying a spread of any sort you’re reading that label!  (I say spreads because this type of oil was first introduced to make oils spreadable and more stable on the shelf - enter margarine - and that's where it's still most commonly found).

High Fructose Corn Syrup.  Of late, The Corn Refiners Association has put a lot marketing money into convincing the public “it’s just sugar” and “your body can’t tell the difference.”  You’ve probably seen the ads on TV.  I won’t get into the political debate but if you’re interested in an opinion that is not political in nature, but is thought provoking, watch this video which is a fascinating presentation by Robert Lustig, MD, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology and decide for yourself.  Regardless, high fructose corn syrup, in my opinion, is at a minimum a marker of a highly processed food, and you can usually find plenty of alternatives.  BBQ sauce, salad dressing, condiments, and soft drinks are some of the places it shows up, but it’s become rather ubiquitous.  See right where it shows up in "healthy" bread and big name ketchup.

MSG and its variants.  Many of us remember when Chinese restaurants starting banning the use of MSG.  That was because it’s known to cause reactions like migraine headaches, upset stomach, heart irregularities, and asthma.  But did you know MSG goes by many other names?  Well, technically, the processed free glutamic acid that causes these reactions goes by other names, but the outcome (side effects) is the same.  I was saddened to learn that one of the broths I formerly used contained MSG, but it wasn’t called “monosodium glutamate” on the label, it was called something else.  Look for glutamic acid, monopotassium glutamate, yeast extract, anything “hydrolyzed,” and autolyzed yeast, and avoid products that contain them.

Enriched flour.  We generally think of “enrichment” as a good thing.  In the case of these flours, typically found in breads and other grains, the health profile is actually worse than it is in whole, unrefined (e.g. not enriched) grains.  The grain refining process makes products more stable on the shelf, which is why food manufacturers like it.  To compensate for the fact that this refinement strips away many vital nutrients, enriched grains are then "fortified" with iron, B and some other vitamins.  But they remain higher on the Glycemic index, which means they quickly raise blood sugar (a bad thing, especially for diabetics), and they never get back the fiber they lost.  A later post will discuss the critical nature of fiber.  Look for “whole wheat” or “whole whatever grain” and skip the enriched!

For more tips, I recommend Michael Pollan's "Food Rules".  It’s a quick read, a good laugh, and a great reminder to eat real food. 

Valentine’s Day chocolate: why you should spend more and eat less.

Whether you love Valentine’s Day or prefer it go back to Hallmark for good, it’s a day during which chocolate is likely to cross your mind.  So when it does, I want you to go there.  Go there, fully into the realm of chocolate, and then get yourself some!  But just one piece please, and make it a good one...

If you saw my post on brownies and ice cream then you know some of the health benefits of real chocolate.  Raw, unprocessed, nothing-added cocoa powder is an incredibly powerful antioxidant.  Even though you already know, let’s quickly recap what antioxidants are and why we care.  I like the NIH's explanation for its simplicity so I’m quoting it directly: “Antioxidants are substances that may protect your cells against the effects of free radicals. Free radicals are molecules produced when your body breaks down food, or by environmental exposures like tobacco smoke and radiation. Free radicals can damage cells, and may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases.”  Antioxidant substances include: beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, selenium, and vitamins A, C and E.

As is often the case, I feel that it is best to get antioxidants from food, not supplements.  It’s easy to do because antioxidants are abundant in fruits, vegetables, green tea, nuts, grains, chocolate, and even coffee, so you have plenty of delicious options for getting them every single day.

So, back to chocolate.  My husband and I decided to limit our Valentine’s Day spent to $10 each this year.  With that limit in mind, I hit the Ferry Building in San Francisco, which is full of local shops and eateries, to select some quality chocolate.  $17 later, I caught myself wondering whether I should have just bought the Reese’s.  But no, I should not have.  The key to eating chocolate is, according to me, spend more and eat less! 

Shopping Tip:  When you’re out shopping in health food stores, look for bars that are 70% or higher dark chocolate.  Most, but not all, will have sugar.  Besides the chocolate, other ingredients you might see that you can feel good about are cocoa butter, nuts, sea salt, vanilla, and some maybe some natural flavors if you trust the company (but never artificial colors or flavors!)

I feel somewhat badly doing this because I used to love these little guys, but for comparison purposes, let’s have a look at the ingredients in a Snickers bar: milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate, lactose, skim milk, milk fat, soy lecithin (see disclaimer below), artificial flavor (eek!)), peanuts, corn syrup (why?), sugar, skim milk, butter milkfat, partially hydrogenated (eek!) soybean oil, lactose, salt, egg whites (huh?), and artificial flavor (eek!)…

Very healthy:

• One Lucky Duck – raw, vegan, organic, really really really expensive but you’ll feel justified.  WARNING: they don’t add sugar, so this is pure, unadulterated cocoa…it’s bitter, not sweet, and it’ll knock your socks off.
• Skout Trailbars - organic Chocolate-Peanut Butter.  Impeccable ingredient list.  Go.  Eat one.  That is all.
• Dip fruit in chocolate – go back to the ice cream recipe, make it but don’t freeze it, and then use it as a drizzle over fresh fruit!  You can always feel good about homemade treats, and when they're delicious it's that much more gratifying.

Almost healthy (for those who just can’t kick it with bitter):

• Bug Bites - organic, small, and have a cute little bug factoids on each wrapper 
• Garden of Life – chocolate raspberry greens bar.  These are amazing, and packed with greens and probiotics to boot, but they’re down here in “almost healthy” because the first ingredient listed is honey. 

  Disclaimer: I can't fully endorse eating most chocolate bars on any regular basis.  That is in part because most of them contain sugar, but most also contain soy lecithin, which is an emulsifier that helps hold the bar together.  As is the case on many topics I discuss in this blog, the jury is out on whether soy lecithin is bad for us or not, but I don't think it's doing us any good either.  That all being said, I can and do fully endorse LIVING LIFE to the fullest, and if that for you includes eating chocolate on Valentine's Day, then by all means do so, just follow some of the tips above to make sure you're helping, not harming, your body during your indulgence! 

The Sun and Vitamin D.

You may already know that Vitamin D is important for bone health.  If you follow health news, then you’ve also heard a lot lately about the many other benefits that touch health concerns ranging from asthma to cancer.  But did you know that despite all of these benefits, most Americans are deficient in Vitamin D? 

Vitamin D 101:

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium from food, so we’ve long known its association with bone strength and osteoporosis.  But today we know a lot more about the benefits of Vitamin D, and they are vast.  It’s now associated with lower risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer.  It’s also showing promise in preventing or curing Crohn’s disease, in improved memory function and potentially in decreasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.  For a full fact sheet from the NIH, click here.

We are a deficient nation

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for children and adults is currently 600 IUs of vitamin D per day, though I’ve heard talk of that recommendation increasing which I think would be great.  Nevertheless, let's assume that's the right number.  By that standard, 60-75% of Americans are Vitamin D deficient.  Recently, a study showed that for trauma patients with broken bones or fractures, that number reaches 77%.  

 

One of the leading hypotheses on the reason for our deficiencies is our obsession with sunscreen.  We have done a great job reducing skin cancer risk, but we’ve inadvertently “protected” ourselves from the essential rays of the sun that allow our own bodies to create vitamin D.  In fact, sun light is our primary source of the vitamin!  To learn more about how sunlight is used in your body to create vitamin D, click here.

So what do we do now??

Easy Tips to Protect Yourself:

1. Eat food that contains Vitamin D.

As with any vitamin, I think it’s best to get all you can from food as opposed to supplements.  For vitamin D, the best sources are fatty fish (think salmon, tuna), but mushrooms, beef liver, cheese, egg yolks and several others also contain small amounts.  See the table below for more foods that contain vitamin D.  If you've read my other posts, you know I would not vote for the dairy sources of food to get your vitamin.  Why not dress up your eggs with leafy greens for breakfast?  One of our favorites!

2. Take a high quality supplement.

You'll notice as you peruse the table below that it's VERY hard to get enough vitamin D from food alone unless of course cod liver oil is your weakness, in which case, drink on, brave soul!  If you also live in a place where you don’t get year round sun (man, that’d be nice), then you probably need to take a supplement.  Some multi-vitamins now have 1000 IUs of vitamin D, which is great.  Otherwise, you can pick up a high quality Vitamin D3 supplement from your local store.  Try to take it with food that contains fat (olive oil, eggs, nuts, etc) since it is a fat soluble vitamin and doing so will help you absorb more.  

3.  Get some sun!

The guideline is to get 15-20 minutes of direct sun exposure every day if you can to help ensure you reap all of the health benefits discussed above.  It's hard in places with very long winters to get that much direct sun exposure, so supplementing is especially important in winter months.  If you live in a place with year-round sun, then direct sunlight will give you all you need - no supplementing for you! But remember, after you get your 15-20, go inside and apply sunblock.  

4. Talk to your doctor.

Vitamin D levels can easily be tested in your blood.   Simply ask your doctor to run the test for you.  This is especially important if you’re older, or at a higher risk of bone fracture.  If you are deficient, your doctor will likely prescribe you a high dose (e.g. 50,000 IU) supplement to take weekly for a month and you’ll be back to good in no time!  Just remember to keep supplementing with normal doses (or food, sunlight) after that.

Table from the National Institutes of Health:  Selected Food Sources of Vitamin D
Food	IUs per serving*	Percent DV**
Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon	1,360	340
Swordfish, cooked, 3 ounces	566	142
Salmon (sockeye), cooked, 3 ounces	447	112
Tuna fish, canned in water, drained, 3 ounces	154	39
Orange juice fortified with vitamin D, 1 cup (check product labels, as amount of added vitamin D varies)	137	34
Milk, nonfat, reduced fat, and whole, vitamin D-fortified, 1 cup	115-124	29-31
Yogurt, fortified with 20% of the DV for vitamin D, 6 ounces (more heavily fortified yogurts provide more of the DV)	80	20
Margarine, fortified, 1 tablespoon	60	15
Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 2 sardines	46	12
Liver, beef, cooked, 3 ounces	42	11
Egg, 1 large (vitamin D is found in yolk)	41	10
Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified with 10% of the DV for vitamin D, 0.75-1 cup (more heavily fortified cereals might provide more of the DV)	40	10
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce	6	2

* IUs = International Units.

** DV = Daily Value. DVs were developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help consumers compare the nutrient contents among products within the context of a total daily diet. The DV for vitamin D is currently set at 400 IU for adults and children age 4 and older. Food labels, however, are not required to list vitamin D content unless a food has been fortified with this nutrient. Foods providing 20% or more of the DV are considered to be high sources of a nutrient, but foods providing lower percentages of the DV also contribute to a healthful diet.

Source: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind/