Good Oils vs. Bad Oils

I was going to rewrite this article but some sources mysteriously disappeared from the internet. So, please excuse the rambling.

All Oils listed below is the REFINED version except where noted! The smoking point is in parenthesis. 

Extra Light Olive Oil  (460 F)
Brown Rice Oil, refined? (450 F)
Almond Oil (495 F)
Avocado (450 F)
Cold Pressed Avocado/unrefined (500 F)
Grapeseed (485 F)
High Oleic Peanut Oil(450 F)
Safflower (450 F)
Sesame ( 445 F)
High Oleic Sunflower (450 F)
Sunflower expeller pressed (460 F)

First cold-press Olive oil smokes at 325 F. So, I wouldn't put this in a fryer! However, I have fried things in it to get a crispy Faux Chicken in a Wok and had no issues with smoking. I was also using a burner that is about 10,000 BTU.


With all the controversy over Oils, which Oils are really good for you and which are really bad for you? The short of it, Olive Oil and Coconut Oil is good for you, and Canola Oil really is bad. Why? Even Canadian researchers, where Canola Oil is made, has found that Canola depletes Vitamin E levels too a dangerous amount, and has killed laboratory animals. Olive Oil destroys LDL and raised HDL. Coconut Oil actually protects against heart disease.

Resources I've linked to, when writing this article. I highly recommend reading these articles in their entirety, as they provide much more information than what I have done here. And no, I do not believe everything I read and I am NOT a homeopathic!

Aspartame.ca
Michael Babcock,
The Oiling of America Written by Mary G. Enig, PhD and Sally Fallon. HIGHLY recommended as it proves my point concerning biased research and biased governments.




Olive Oil is actually good for you and helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and raises good cholesterol (HDL). It contains a high concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids and many antioxidative substances. What I've read is that 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil daily has this healthy effect. But, it needs to be the Extra Virgin cold-pressed Olive oil. I'd also recommend using the oil cold to get this benefit. I'm still researching which oils are safe at high temperatures. Olive Oil does burn at high temperatures, but I use it anyways, as its the only oil I like the taste of when making Tofu Scrambler.

Coconut Oil is a very good alternative to Canola oil, as the original study used HYDROGENATED Coconut Oil, which is NOT the Oil you would get. Accordingly to, Michael Babcock,
"Nearly 50% of the fatty acid in natural coconut oil is lauric acid, which converts to the fatty acid monolaurin in the body. Monolaurin has adverse effects on a variety of microorganisms including bacteria, yeast, fungi, and enveloped viruses. It [monolaurin] destroys the lipid membrane of such enveloped viruses as HIV, measles, Herpes simplex virus (HSV-1), influenza and cytomegalovirus (CMV). The usefulness lauric acid/monolaurin in treating AIDS is currently under investigation. Lauric acid is a main component of human breast milk and helps protect children from illness during infancy. Capric acid, which comprises another 7% of coconut oil fat content, also stimulates anti-microbial activity."

Partially hydrogenated oils- trans-fatty acids are never good for you. This is why I avoid margarines, at home. However, I'm supposed to be dairy free, so will use it at restaurants. So, what do I do? I use Earth Balance. However, it does contain Canola Oil which has been found to deplete Vitamin E as well as found to cause membrane damage. I use it in moderation, as I've not found a Canola Oil free Vegan alternative. Olive Oil can be used as a substitute but, who wants olive oil on everything? Sometimes you just want "butter" on that muffin that contains your Tofu scrambler. Warning: Earth Balance does contain Corn and Soy, but is Vegan, Gluten free, Lactose free, and no trans fats and is Non-GMO.

Canola Oil is believed to cause damage to the Myelin Sheath, if used over several years. One team of Canadian Researchers and another team of Japanese researchers has found that it depletes Vitamin E. One hypothesis for this effect is that Canola Oil is burning and may contain EFAs, which in turn may be causing the depletion of Vitamin E.[See Aspartame.ca ] Essential Fatty Acids have been known for many years (even in 1983), to not withstand heat very well and known to very easily turn rancid. This is why EFAs are taken out of foods. However, Canola Oil, after it have been cooked to 300 degrees +, may still contain EFAs. My science teacher thought it could, but was not as concerned, saying that in moderation is key. I think otherwise. I'd rather avoid it all together, where possible. Of course, my Earth Balance DOES contain it!

More on Canola Oil, an excerpt from the article.
From Aspartame.ca
"In 1996, the Japanese announced a study wherein a special Canola oil diet had actually killed laboratory animals. Reacting to this unpublished, but verified and startling information, a duplicate study was conducted by Canadian scientists using piglets and a Canola oil based milk replacer diet.

In this second study published in Nutrition Research, 1997, v17, the researchers verified that Canola oil somehow depleted the piglets of vitamin E to a dangerously low level.

In the abstract of the study, the Canadian researchers made the following remarkable statement: It is known that ingestion of oils containing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) of the n-3 and n -6 series results in a high degree of unsaturation in membrane phospholipids, which in turn may increase lipid peroxidation, cholesterol oxidation, free radical accumulation and membrane damage. All very bad attributes.

That statement is remarkable because PUFA is considered essential to a healthy diet. Yet none of the above listed results of eating it may be considered healthy. So now we have something seemingly brand new to the dietary health arena.

Here the Canadians are condemning any oil that contains essential fatty acids. EFAs cannot stand heat. They turn rancid quickly. Proper processing, i.e., cold pressing, and protection from oxygen for storage is paramount with EFAs. Mainstream toxic commercial food making requires complete removal of EFAs lest shelf life disappear in smelly rancidity."

About Researchers and their bias:

I can guarantee you that the government and other industries aren't going to give you unbiased information. Researchers are usually biased towards the beliefs of the people they are doing the research for, and governments are pushed by big industries to hush up some research and promote other research. These are the same heads of industries who are funding these politicians to remain in office. Its all about money and how they can make more of it. They have never had your health first on their minds. They have mouths to feed, and vacations to take. They live for and worship either money or power, and quite often both! Just read The Oiling of America Written by Mary G. Enig, PhD and Sally Fallon. Very informative history about the FDA and its ruling concerning what's imitation, and what is not. Plus, lots of information concerning Congress, and other truths about Oil that you won't get from most food producers nor from the government. I had a subject on this in High School and in College. Both teachers said the same thing, be wary of all research, and learn where there bias is from. Both teachers were meat eaters and not into Homeopathic medicine. However, the best indication as to what the truth is has always been and will always be the effects that the food item has had on people. Elimination diets have proven which food item has been the offending food in almost all cases. Some people have thought that the only connection between the nerve damage they've had and what they ate was Canola Oil as none of the other foods in their diet has been found in ANY research to have the same effect. I can only conclude that their must be some truth to the ills of Canola Oil.


Canola Oil: Many researchers are trying to stop the bad myths and rumours that are circulating about Canola Oil in the hopes that they can keep this product alive. Unless you have ALD, my opinion is that First Cold Press Olive Oil is the BEST you can have! My opinion is not going to change very easily. Organic Canola oil would be preferred over any other kind of Canola oil because you have a better chance of getting the oil from non Genetically Modified sources of Rapeseed. Only about 50% of Rapeseed was Genetically Modified. 

Also, any research done on Canola Oil and lab rats/mice is 100% Bull! Why? It has been found that they rodent body is not capable of handling our diet. Our bodies are very different and using rodents to "prove" safety for humans really does not work in most cases. Rodents can't have a high fat, high oil diet so feeding them canola oil is going to do severe damage to them.