Walnut and other tasty oils

[Rene]

Walnut and other nut oils

The Anglo-Saxon world, ......., seem to believe that French people cook exclusively with "extra virgin olive oil". Nothing could be further from the truth.

While olive oil does play a prominent role in French cuisine, the actual production of olive oil in France is so small that many parts of the country do not use it in regional dishes. Olive trees grow commercially only in the Mediterranean coastal areas. Nyons, on the Eygues River in the Drome, is the most northerly center of production.

Cooking with oil in traditional French fare was limited to the south and in mountainous regions such as the Perigord and the Alpine departments. The south, mainly Provence, used olive oil. The others used nut and grain oils. The four most common grain oils used today are derived from corn (maize), sunflower seed (tournasol), rape seed (colza)1 and grape seed (pépin de raisin). The last two, being very neutral in flavor, are often mixed with other strongly-flavored and more expensive oils.

The nut oils are particularly interesting because of their various flavors. Most of them are delicate and cannot be used for frying; some do not support heat in any form and are always used cold. Here are the nut oils commonly used in France today.

Almond - Mild and perfumed, it is used principally in marinades (salmon) or on shellfish, fruits and pasta after the dish is cooked.

Hazelnut - Smooth and lightly perfumed, it is favored for salads but is also used instead of butter on starches (potato and rice), cooked vegetables (asparagus, green beans), or raw vegetables (grated carrots).

Peanut - Although not produced in France, it is very popular, possibly as a result of so many French expatriates acquiring a taste for it while living in the ex-French colonies of Africa. It is often used in cheese-based recipes which is odd as cheese is not a common food in West and Central Africa.

Pecan - A pronounced flavor, falling between that of walnut and almond. It is used mainly with rice dishes and to flavor cakes and other pastries.

Pine Nut - One of the most subtle in flavor, it is used mainly to enhance other flavors. It is added at the last minute to cooked wine sauces and soups such as minestrone. Considered indispensable in pesto.

Pistachio - With a very prominent taste and a persistent aroma, it does not mix well with all vinegars for a salad dressing. It is best used with balsamic vinegar.

Walnut - This is the star of the nut oils and the most widely used. Less than a score of years ago it was considered the "grease of the poor"; today it commands very respectable prices in fancy boutiques.

The Greeks used walnuts and walnut oil 4 centuries before Jesus Christ and the Romans made the culture of the walnut tree popular in all of Western Europe. Having a low fat content, it was sometimes used for oil lamps. It does not support heat and, in a pure form, does not keep well even if in a sealed container. It is at its best between January and March following the nut harvest.
It takes six kilos of walnuts in the shell to produce one litre of oil.

Unlike the grain and many olive oils, it is generally produced artisanly rather than in a refinery. Like olive oil, the best quality is "virgin cold pressed". This is when the nuts are ground into a fine paste and the resultant oil bottled. This paste can then be very gently heated to extract more oil which is called "virgin" as it comes from the first grinding but "cold pressed" is omitted on the label. The next grade down is "l'huile fruitée de noix", or "walnut-flavored" oil. Generally rape seed oil (canola) is mixed with walnut oil to produce this. Most of the walnut oil sold in European supermarkets is of this quality. The final grade is "walnut impregnated" oil for which walnut meats are grilled and then soaked in rape seed oil. This last should be used only for seasoning (as in salad dressings) because the walnut flavor, having been once heated, will disappear with a second exposure to heat.

From: Walnut and other nut oils; [http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1376640]

[Rene]

Is rice bran oil a good oil the best cooking oil?
Is it the new revolutionary healthiest oil? Is this the all-in-one cooking oil solution? Not exactly.
It is one of the better choices of all the bulk cooking oils available, but not without a down side. Lets review oils and healthy fats; the good, the bad and the plain ugly.
What is rice bran oil?

It is the oil extracted from the germ and inner husk of whole brown rice. Rice bran oil has a mild, nutty flavour. Promoters call it "The Healthy Oil". One label says rice bran oil is "nutritionally balanced, versatile – perfect for BBQs, frying, baking and salad dressing". My research suggests it is healthier to some degree, but use it in small quantities, for roasting and frying.

Is it the healthiest oil? – The advantages of rice bran oil

High smoke point – does not degrade easily at high temperature Has a long shelf life. Low viscosity (more runny) – need less oil to cook in and is less absorbed by foods. Virtually free of trans fats More Vitamin E complex and other anti-oxidants than other cooking oils- these help keep it stable and protect against free-radical damage. Rich in tocotrienols – powerful form of Vitamin E Contains a Gamma Oryzanol – a powerful antioxidant and cholesterol-lowering agent

Problems with fats and oils – including rice bran oil
In modern Western countries most people eat too much high calorie fat. A low-calorie diet is one of the keys to avoiding cancer and many other diseases. B ut the biggest issue are the problems with the type of fats we consume. We eat: Too much saturated animal fat, toxic "trans" fats and Omega-6 fatty acids.

Too little Omega 3 and fat-soluble antioxidants such as vitamin E

Rice bran oil is better than other oils in many respects – but has a seriously imbalanced ratio of too little omega 3 to too much omega 6. Bulk polyunsaturated oils such as sunflower, safflower, canola and corn are dangerous to our health because they are processed with high heat and generally poor quality. These oils also contain and imbalanced ratio of Omega 3 to omega 6. They should be completely avoided.

Our food has changed – we used to get enough omega 3... now we don't!

The best primary source of omega-3 is seafood – although flaxseed and hempseed oils are notable exceptions. Dark leafy green plants and free-range eggs provide useful amounts too.

Our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate a diet of fresh plant and animal foods – including a lot of seafood. This provided a balance of omega-3 to omega-6 of about 1:1. This is what our bodies are designed for.

Nowadays we eat way less seafood and large amounts of grains and seeds – most of it processed. Since the 1960s when seed oils began to replace saturated fats our intake of omega-6 has doubled – and omega-3 consumption is about 1/10 of what it should be. This has created a dangerous imbalance.

Overconsumption of oils with this omega 3 to 6 imbalance has been implicated in higher rates of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and skin disorders.

Can I eat deep fried food if I use rice bran oil?
Of all the bulk cooking oils available, rice bran oil is one of the better choices for high temperature cooking. If you occasionally eat deep-fried food this is perhaps the best option. However I do not recommend deep-fried food. Any oil heated to high temperature will suffer some degradation and produce dangerous free radicals. In addition to this deep fried foods contain too much oil to be considered healthy.

The key to eating healthier fats and oils: eat more seafood, whole foods and fish oil supplements and reduce consumption of seed and grain oils. Olive oil remains the best choice for regular use in cooler cooking: dressings, dips, baking and moderate-temperature frying. We also use rice bran oil, sesame oil and clarified butter for pan-frying and roasting. ANY of the cheaper vegetable oils consumed in quantity can cause problems.

Copyright Wild Health

New Zealander Roger Wild is a chef and nutritionist, who encourages people to experience full health through positive food and lifestyle choices.

From: [http://ezinearticles.com/?Rice-Bran-Oil---Is-It-Really-The-Healthiest-Oil-And-The-Best-Cooking-Oil?&id=521026]

[Rene]

HEALTH BENEFITS OF TOASTED SESAME OIL

Sesame oil is very high in linoleic acid, one of the two essential fatty acids (EFAs) our bodies cannot produce. Essential fatty acids are necessary for normal growth and for healthy blood, arteries, and nerves. They keep the skin and other tissues youthful and healthy by preventing dryness and scaliness.

Recent scientific research has shown that EFAs also play an important role in regulating blood pressure, cholesterol metabolism, and the flow of biochemicals across cell membranes. Over all, EFAs are involved with producing life energy in our body from food substances, and moving that energy throughout our system. Since the advent of food processing, particularly oil and grain refinement, EFA deficiencies and imbalances are showing up in some people. Linoleic acid deficiencies include hair loss, skin eruptions, mood swings, arthritis-like conditions, susceptibility to infections, failure of wound healing, and, in extreme cases, heart, liver, and kidney disease.

Modern medical research has shown that the consumption of sesame oil lowers cholesterol and is beneficial for the heart and kidneys. In laboratory experiments, researchers at the United States Food and Drug Administration reported that a diet high in sesame oil significantly lowered cholesterol levels in animals.
Research in Japan has shown that a diet rich in sesamin, a natural phytoestrogen found in sesame oil, reduces the risk of renal hypertension and cardiac disease.

Sesame oil is also rich in oleic acid, the major constituent of olive oil. Unrefined oils that are high in oleic acid are thought to benefit cardio-vascular health.

Unrefined sesame oil contains an antioxidant called sesamol, which protects it from becoming rancid. Antioxidants are also scavengers of free radicals, which are known to cause degenerative disease. One study performed at University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Japan, actually demonstrated that sesamol inhibits the damage caused by free radicals on DNA. Sesamol has been used by the meat industry to help preserve the color and flavor of refrigerated meats. A Harvard Medical School study showed that mice with damaged intestines recovered much faster on a diet rich in sesame oil. Moreover, blood levels of interleukin, an important disease fighting blood component, were markedly higher on the sesame oil diet.
The effectiveness of sesame oil and sesamol as chemo-preventive agents with regard to cancer may go beyond their function as antioxidants. Researchers at Howard University's School of Pharmacy explained that the "potent" beneficial effect that these substances have on skin cancer in mice cannot be solely explained by the effect of free radical absorption, and they recommended further research.

| Sesame Oil Intro. | Making Sesame Oil | Sesame Oil Quality | Recipes |

From: [http://www.mitoku.com/products/sesameoil/health_benefits.html]
Other good info: [http://drbenkim.com/articles/sesame-health-benefits.htm]
and [http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/news/20030428/sesame-oil-benefits-blood-pressure]