Which oil??

Katie1309 · January 24, 2011

I eat heaps of stir-fried veg, fritters, curries (healthy ones!) but all these require a bit of oil....is extra virgin the best to use? Or one of those spray thingies? Don't want extra cals creeping in......

fudoc5 · January 24, 2011

extra virgin is good only if you dont heat the oil to very high temperatures (ie,deep frying),otherwise it will loose most of its nutritional goodness and antioxidants. a quick saute is fine tho. i usually steam my veges,then dress w/ some extra virgin.

teamfatboy · January 24, 2011

Um.... (and this is purely my unscientific 2c worth ) nowt wrong with olive oil, but if the NZ Crop and Food database doesn't list them differently, it may well come down to taste/ cost.

Plus, as long as you account for it in your diet, a healthy oil can be a good source of fats, not carbs....

VampireChick · January 24, 2011

I use extra virgin and try not to fry where necessary but sometimes it can't be helped. I've found that grilling my meat, esp beef, before tossing it into a dish (usually a broccoli soup) works a treat. But I much prefer frying chicken if in a stirfry.

Optimass · January 24, 2011

To be certified for the “extra virgin” label, an olive oil should satisfy four criteria: it must be produced by mechanical extraction methods (no chemicals or hot water applied), come only from first cold-pressing, have an oleic acidity level of less than one percent, and must have a perfect taste.
Acidity level is the most important factor that determines its grade. This is a measure of the percentage of free fatty acid content: the best oil has the lowest acidity. The oil should also be free from perceptible defects in taste or smell. Extra virgin olive oil is valued for its perfect balance in terms of flavour, aroma, colour, and acidity level.
One reason extra virgin olive oil is prized so highly is its high content of vitamins and nutrients. Also, it is pure and without any additives. The fruitiness of its taste and the complexity of its aroma give it universal appeal. The light, delicate consistency of extra virgin olive oil makes it perfect for dressings. It is also the preferred oil for use in cooking by more discerning users

Generally speaking the more you pay the better quality you get - but it's a similar siruation to buying wine - find a blend you like but you can actually see the colour and consistancy is clean and clear.

I switched to rice bran oil for cooking some years ago. Despite its similarities to other common vegetable oils, rice bran oil offers several unique properties that make it very interesting as a specialty oil in niche markets. It has a very appealing nut-like flavor and once extracted is very stable with good fry-life. But perhaps its most notable feature is its high level of components with nutraceutical value such as gamma-oryzanol and tocotrienols.

It's a very infamous oil sometimes overlooked but have listed below a number of research papers that have been completed if you're interested - it's a pure food imo.

Dunford, N.T. Health Benefits and Processing of Lipid-Based Nutritionals. 2001. Food Technol. 55 (11): 38-44.

Eitenmiller, R. R. 1997. Vitamin E Content of Fats and Oils: Nutritional Implications. Food Technol. 51(5): 78-81.

Haque, M.H., and A.U. Haque. 1999. Compositions for the Prevention and Treatment of Warts, Skin Blemishes and Other Viral-Induced Tumors. U.S. Patent No. 05945116.

Hiramitsu, T. and D. Armstrong. 1991. Preventive Effect of Antioxidants on Lipid Peroxidation in the Retina. Ophthalmic Res. 23: 196-203.

Imai, Y., T. Ogawa, C. Tsurmi, M. Kitagawa, and H. Tanaka. 1994. Food Additive and Use Thereof. PCT Int’l. Patent Application WO 94/07378A1.

Itaya, K., J. Kiyonaga, and M. Ishikawa. 1976. Studies of Gamma-Oryzanol (2). The Antiulcerogenic Action. Nippon Yakurigaku Zasshi 72(8): 1001-1011.

Kahlon, T.S., and F.I. Chow. 1997. Hypocholesterolemic Effects of Oat, Rice, and Barley Dietary Fibers and Fractions. Cereal Foods World 42(2): 86-92.

Koba, K., J. W. Liu, E. Bobik, M, Sugano and Y. S. Huang. 2000. Cholesterol Supplementation Attenuates the Hypocholesterolemic Effect of Rice Bran Oil in Rats. J. Nutr. Sci. Vitaminology (Tokyo) 46(2): 58-64.

Lichenstein, A.H., L.M. Ausman, W. Carrasco, L.J. Gualtieri, J.L. Jenner, J.M. Ordovas, R.J. Nicolosi, B.R. Goldin, and E.J. Schaefer. 1994. Rice Bran Oil Consumption and Plasma Lipid Levels in Moderately Hypercholesterolemic Humans. Arteriosclerosis and Thrombosis 14(4): 549-556.

Ling, W.H., and P.J.H. Jones. 1995. Minireview Dietary Phytosterols: A Review of Metabolism, Benefits and Side Effects. Life Sci. 57: 195-206.

Mizuta, K., H. Kaneta, and K. Itaya. 1978. Effects of Gamma-Oryzanol on Gastric Secretions in Rats (Author’s Tranl). Nippon Yakurigaku Zasshi 74(2): 285-295.

Nakayama, S., A. Manabe, J. Suzuki, K. Sakamoto, and T. Inagake. 1987. Comparative Effects of Two Forms of g-Oryzanol in Different Sterol Compositions on Hyperlipidemia Induced by Cholesterol Diet in Rats. Japan Journal of Pharmacology 44(2): 135-143.

Nesaretnam, K., R. Stephen, R. Dils, and P. Darbre. 1998. Tocotrienols Inhibit the Growth of Human Breast Cancer Cells Irrespective of Estrogen Receptor Status. Lipids 33: 461-469.

Nicolosi, R.J. 1991. Health Benefits Attributed to Derivatives of Rice Bran. Cereal Foods World 36(8): 720.

Nicolosi, R.J., L.M. Ausman, and D.M. Hegsted. 1991. Rice Bran Oil Lowers

Serum Total and Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Apo B Levels in Nonhuman Primates. Atherosclerosis 88: 133-142.

Nicolosi, R.J., and S. Liang. 1991. Comparative Effects of Rice Bran Oil, Soybean Oil and Coconut Oil on Lipoprotein Levels, Low Density Lipoprotein Oxidizability and Fatty Streak Formulation in Hypercholesterolemic Hamsters. Arteriosclerosis 11: 1603a.

Papas, A. and A. Moore. 1998. Tocotrienols: A New Dietary Supplement. (NPT1-9). Book of Abstracts: IFT Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia. June 20-24.

Quershi, A.A., N. Quershi, J.J.K. Wright, Z. Shen, A. Kramer, A. Gapor, Y.H. Chong, G. DeWitt, A.S.H. Ong, D.M. Peterson, and B.A. Bradlow. 1991. Lowering of Serum Cholesterol in Hypercholesterolemic Humans by Tocotrienols (palmvitee). Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 53: 1021S-1026.

Raghuram, T.C., U.B. Rao, and C. Rukmini. 1989. Studies on Hypolipidemic Effects of Dietary Rice Bran Oil in Human Subjects. Nutr. Rep. Intl. 39: 889.

Rogers, E.J., S.M. Rice, R.J. Nicolosi, D.R. Carpenter, C.A. McClelland, and L.J. Romanczyk, Jr. 1993. Identification and Quantitation of g-Oryzanol Components and Simultaneous Assessment of Tocols in Rice Bran Oil. J. AOCS 70(3): 301-307.

Rong, N., L.M. Ausman, and R.J. Nicolosi. 1997. Oryzanol Decreases Cholesterol Absorption and Aortic Fatty Steaks in Hamsters. Lipids 32(3): 303-309.

Rukmini, C. 1988. Chemical, Nutritional, and Toxicological Studies of Rice Bran Oil. Food Chemistry 30: 257-268.

Rukmini, C. and T. C. Raghuram. 1991. Nutritional and Biochemical Aspects of the Hypolipidemic Action of Rice Bran Oil: A Review. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 10(6): 593-601.

Seetharamaiah, G.S. and N. Chandrasekhara. 1988. Hypocholesterolemic Activity of Oryzanol in Rats. Nutr. Rep. Intl. 38(5): 927-935.

Seetharamaiah, G.S. and N. Chandrasekhara. 1989. Studies on Hypocholesterolemic Activity of Rice Bran Oil. Atherosclerosis 78: 219-223.

Sugano, M., and E. Tsuji. 1997. Rice Bran Oil and Cholesterol Metabolism. Journal of Nutrition 127(3): 521S-524S.

Vissers, M.N., P.L. Zock, G.W. Meijer, and M.B. Katan. 2000. Effect of Plant Sterols from Rice Bran Oil and Triterpene Alcohols from Sheanut Oil on Serum Lipoprotein Concentrations in Humans. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 72: 1510-1515.

Wheeler, K.B. and K.A. Garleb. 1991. g-Oryzanol-Plant Sterol Supplementation: Metabolic, Endocrine, and Physiologic Effects. Int’l. J. Sport Nutr. 1: 170-177.

Yoshino, G. et al. 1989. Effects of Gamma Oryzanol on Hyperlipidemic Subjects. Current Therapeutic Res. 45(4): 543-552

Optimass · January 24, 2011

To be certified for the “extra virgin” label, an olive oil should satisfy four criteria: it must be produced by mechanical extraction methods (no chemicals or hot water applied), come only from first cold-pressing, have an oleic acidity level of less than one percent, and must have a perfect taste.
Acidity level is the most important factor that determines its grade. This is a measure of the percentage of free fatty acid content: the best oil has the lowest acidity. The oil should also be free from perceptible defects in taste or smell. Extra virgin olive oil is valued for its perfect balance in terms of flavour, aroma, colour, and acidity level.
One reason extra virgin olive oil is prized so highly is its high content of vitamins and nutrients. Also, it is pure and without any additives. The fruitiness of its taste and the complexity of its aroma give it universal appeal. The light, delicate consistency of extra virgin olive oil makes it perfect for dressings. It is also the preferred oil for use in cooking by more discerning users

Generally speaking the more you pay the better quality you get - but it's a similar siruation to buying wine - find a blend you like but you can actually see the colour and consistancy is clean and clear.

I switched to rice bran oil for cooking some years ago. Despite its similarities to other common vegetable oils, rice bran oil offers several unique properties that make it very interesting as a specialty oil in niche markets. It has a very appealing nut-like flavor and once extracted is very stable with good fry-life. But perhaps its most notable feature is its high level of components with nutraceutical value such as gamma-oryzanol and tocotrienols.

http://naturalsuperfoodsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/Stabilized_Rice_Bran_Booklet.pdf