On the subject of cooking oils

[ginnyinWI]

I've been a big user of Canola oil because it's supposed to be healthier for baking. I use olive oil when browning onions and things like that. Now I'm reading that safflower oil is good: studies show people who use it have less belly fat? Then I read something about canola not being as natural.

I also wonder about taste differences between foods made with canola v.s. corn oil or other basic oils. Am I missing something by using canola? I guess I'm looking for the best oil to use for everyday. I use peanut oil for stir-fry. But if not canola, I wonder: what would be best in terms of taste and health for a general-purpose oil for baking when olive oil isn't right?

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Canola is rapeseed oil that has been bred to reduce...

or eliminate a toxic acid rapeseed normally has. Half or so of it now is from seed that has been genetically modified with Roundup Ready, but no one can tell if this causes any significant change in the oil.

Taste? That's up to you, but canola, safflower and corn oils generally have no real flavor at all. Peanut and olive oils have distinct flavors.

The health thing is all about mono- and polyunsaturated fats-- the good ones. Canola, olive and safflower are known for low saturated fat and high unsaturated fat. Peanut and soy not so much.

[Warpy]

2. Canola oil from rapeseed with the toxic acid bred out

can still contain enough of it to give people who suffer from GERD painful symptoms. You need to be cautious using it with dinner guests.

When I want a flavor neutral oil, I use safflower. When I want flavored oils, I use nut oils or olive oil.

[ginnyinWI]

5. that's good to know!

I wonder if my own symptoms have anything to do with canola oil. Hmmm.

[The empressof all]

3. It so depends on what it's being used for

On the rare occasion I do real frying I use peanut oil. To me it just tastes best for deep frying.

My spritz cookies are always made with half butter and half Imperial Margarine because they just taste better that way.

If I'm looking for the "best" Chocolate chip cookie I use butter flavored Crisco. We like these best :shrug:

For day to day stuff I tend to use a combo of olive oil and a bit of butter. Nothing beats adding a speck of butter to the oil to enhance the browning of onions. I keep a misto can by the stove filled with Olive oil and use that on most everything I cook on top of the stove. I don't use much at all so the olive oil flavor isn't really pronounced.

If I'm baking I'll always gravitate toward butter...even in quick breads. I rarely eat baked goods so if I'm going to go through the effort it really needs to be fabulous.

[hippywife]

4. Most of the canola oil

produced is GMO, as well. I would go so far as to say all of the non-organic is GMO.

[ginnyinWI]

6. would that apply equally to soybean oil?

I've heard that at least 85% of the soybeans in the US are genetically altered.

[hippywife]

7. Yes.

So are the ones grown in Canada.

[ginnyinWI]

10. these genetically modified foods make me uneasy.

We haven't been eating them very long and who knows what they'll do. One comfort: Silk brand soymilk says that they do not use genetically engineered soybeans in their product. Even so, people have not been eating soybeans all that long, I don't think. Or have they in Asia?

[housewolf]

8. I can onlly talk about my preferences

I don't care at all for the taste of canola oil. Soy bean oil I don't care for, either. I also like corn oil but it's on the "not so good for you" list. I use a safflower oil called Saffola. Olive oil for many things. Peanut oil for deep frying. Butter for baking.

[hippywife]

9. Sounds very reasonable, B.

I'm not out of canola yet, but when I do run out I'll be looking at safflower, I think. But your method is pretty much what I do.

:hi: :*