Holistic Nutrition in the Kitchen: The Truth About Cooking Oils Part II

Confessions of a Naturopathic Doctor

I have a confession to make before we begin. I hate grocery shopping. I love to cook, and I love to eat, but I despise going to the grocery store. And I think I've determined why. When I go shopping, I want to get in and get out as efficiently as I can, with the ingredients I need and not having just spent my entire evening wandering the aisles.
But it seems every year there are more and more choices. If you want a loaf of bread, you have to walk the length of a football field to see all the options. Eggs--our local grocery store has 17 different brands. Every item on my list turns into a 20-minute label-reading, price-comparison game, to find the most healthy and most affordable option.
Even a naturopathic physician like myself, trained in principles of holistic nutrition, has trouble figuring out what are the best options.


How to Choose Cooking Oil that Supports Your Body’s Natural Health
I used to spend too much time in front of the cooking oil section. Olive oil alone is produced by many different companies, and comes in different sizes, different flavors, and all sorts of qualifications such as "cold pressed" and "extra virgin" in various combinations; it's enough to make you crazy! How do you know what to choose? What makes that $4.00 economy-sized bottle from the warehouse club different from the $23.00 boutique bottle at the health food store? Here are the answers!

The Holistic Health Benefits of Organic Cooking Oil VS. Non-Organic Cooking Oil?
The quality of the original raw ingredients (olives, peanuts, and other nuts or seeds) is important in determining the quality of the oil. As a general rule, organic cooking oils are preferred to their non-organic counterparts. Oils are concentrated, so pesticides and other environmental toxins pack more of a punch in a small amount.

Healthy Extraction Methods for Cooking Oils: Expeller-Pressed, Cold-Pressed, or Solvent-Extracted?
This next choice refers to how the raw ingredient is changed into an oil. The method used in inexpensive mass-market oils is solvent extraction; if you don’t see “expeller” or “cold” pressed on the label you can assume it’s solvent extracted. This involves a harsh chemical solvent like hexane and heat up to 500 degrees. The result is a bland tasting oil with very few nutrients remaining.
Expeller pressing is a chemical-free process in which the nut or seed is compressed to force the oil out mechanically. During the process, friction is generated which can sometimes generate too much heat for some more delicate oils like olive oil. This is where the term “cold pressed” comes in. All cold pressed oils are expeller pressed oils, but the cold pressing is done under controlled, cooler temperatures.
The Role of Refined Cooking Oils VS. Unrefined Cooking Oils in Holistic Nutrition
Refined oils have been processed to remove impurities, making them more stable, especially for higher-temperature cooking. However, the process of refining filters out flavor and nutrients. Sometimes this is desirable when you need an oil for higher-heat cooking or that doesn’t have a strong flavor. If you choose a refined oil, buy a naturally refined oil, using lower temperature and natural agents like citric acid, instead of commercially refined oils using phosphoric acid solvents and temperatures over 500 degrees. Unrefined oils like peanut oil, sesame oil, and coconut oil are often expeller or cold pressed and then bottled, with no extra steps. These oils have strong flavors, more nutrients, but should not be used in high-heat cooking. They also have a much shorter shelf life.
Virgin Olive Oil? Extra-Virgin Olive Oil? Ways to Live a Healthier Lifestyle.
Now, let’s get technical about olive oil. Virgin and Extra Virgin: these terms have very specific meanings in relation to olive oil as defined by the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC), based in Spain. The United States is the only major olive oil producing and consuming country that is not a member of IOOC and the USDA does not legally recognize its classification system (i.e. extra-virgin). The US uses a system created in 1948 that lists olive oil grades as "Fancy," "Choice," "Standard," "Substandard." Technically, until the US adopts the IOOC standard, the term “extra virgin” can be listed on any label of oil, and doesn’t have to mean anything! There is talk of the USDA looking into this issue, but in the meantime, you can’t trust what is on the label.
In other countries the term “extra-virgin” means the same thing as “first cold pressed” and is the best quality of olive oil. “Virgin” means it may have more acid, but is still pretty tasty and good quality. Currently in the US, only the California Olive Oil Council (COOC) has enacted standards and labels olive oil appropriately. In fact, their standards are higher than those of the IOOC! Governor Schwarzenegger recently signed legislation that confirms all olive oil from California as of January 2009 will conform to the international standards. Olive oil not produced in California must say “cold-pressed” on the label rather than “extra-virgin,” since the term “cold pressed” is more reliable.

Dr. Kristina Lewis specializes in holistic women's health, classical homeopathic medicine, herbal medicines, nutritional counseling, all natural weight loss and healthy lifestyle coaching. She is a graduate of the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Arizona and works as a naturopathic physician in Asheville, North Carolina at Lewis Family Natural Health. For more information visit Lewis Natural Health.