Nuts 'n' Bolts About Oils
First off all, all oils are 100% fat, which means there is about 120 calories per tablespoon. Oils contain different proportions of the 3 "fatty acids," like monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated.
Saturated fats are the "bad" fats that impact cholesterol negatively, while poly- and mono- unsaturated fats are the "good" fats that we all need in our diet. We are supposed to have about 5-7 teaspoons of "good" fats daily. (Keep in mind some of the foods we eat naturally have healthy fats within them, i.e. fish, nuts...so no-we do not need to eat or drink 5-7 tsp. of oil daily, but we must consider what we've eaten.
Olive Oils
Olive oils comes from...you guessed it- OLIVES-which are actually considered "a fruit". And the "juice" you get from olives is the only type of oil that you can consume without any other processing. Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fatty acids (good fats), and is known as offering protection against heart disease and is very easy to digest.
Types of Olive Oil:
Olive oil is made by smashing/pressing olives, so the types of olives depend on the amount of processing...
- Extra virgin: the best, least processed. Oil from the first pressing of the olives
- Virgin: oil from the second pressing
- Pure: some processing
- Extra Light: considerable processing, retains a very mild olive flavor
Uses:
I tend to use Extra Virgin olive oil most often. This is because it is very versatile, i.e. it can be used in cooking (roasting, frying, browning...) and can be used raw in dressings, toppings, etc.
You want to store your Olive oils away from light and heat to keep them fresh. That is easy to understand considering olive oil is considered the "juice of a fruit"- you wouldn't want any other fruit juice to be hanging out in direct sunlight and next to a hot, hot stove.
So basically, next time you enjoy a dirty martini with a few olives, you don't have to feel to bad:) You can talk yourself into the idea that you are eating healthy oils and helping your heart....right??
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