THE IMPORTANCE OF OILS SMOKE POINT!
Knowing the smoke point of oils is important because some oils have low and others high smoke points. This simply means some oils have more tolerance to heat than other oils; and this ability is referred to as smoke point.
Oil smoke point is also known as burning point of oil, it is the temperature at which the oil begins to produce a continuous bluish smoke that becomes clearly visible, this is where most of the nutrients are destroyed. If you do not use oils with their smoke point analysis in mind you may turn healthy oil into a toxic substance that may have unpleasant consequences in the long term.
Heating oil to the point where the oil begins to produces toxic fumes is essentially introducing harmful free radicals into the body. Such Oils are unsafe for consumption much less useful to the body to utilize or translate to benefits.
Although the smoke point of oil depends to a very large extent on its purity and age at the time of measurement, however, a simple rule of thumb is that the lighter the colour of the oil the higher its smoke point. It’s important to choose oil with a good smoke point for cooking, but you also need to use cooking oil that has a healthy balance of Omega 3 to Omega 6 fatty acids, and even better if the oil is loaded with antioxidants and vitamins!
Smoke point tips
For high temperature cooking, select cooking oils with a high smoke point. For low temperature cooking, or adding to dishes and salad dressings, chose oils with a higher Omega-3/omega 9 fatty acids
High smoke point Oils:
Groundnut oil
Soya-bean oil
Moringa oil
Grape seed oil
Coconut oil
Sesame oil
Low smoke point oils:
Pure olive oil (not extra virgin olive oil)
Palm oil
Best not applied to heat:
Extra virgin olive oil
Walnut oil
Flax seeds oils:
Savvy culinary tip!
When cooking,(not deep-frying) always keep this at the back of your mind, oils are only a flavouring in your food and not a major ingredient so use oils sparingly. If possible Oils should be added towards the end of your cooking to ensure the nutrients are not completely destroyed. Remember, excessive heat destroys oils especially oils with low or medium smoke points. Use oils wisely! Ensure to maximize your culinary oils in every recipe.
Fried foods have high oil content and are energy dense. A regular consumption of fried foods may lead to fat intake far in excess of body’s demands. Cautiously consume such foods and always augment with vegetables while eating fried food. If the dish doesn’t go with a side vegetable salad, eat the vegetable salad before consuming the meal.
Avoid destroying nutrients in your oils especially as in the case of palm oil, which is often bleached to give a pale colour in the absence of groundnut. Palm oil possesses that reddish colour because of the nutrients it contains and would offer your body if you do not destroy it….
We all have a responsibility to make wise and informed choices each day about the food we buy and eat. These tips are your ally to safer culinary and dieting so use them generously!
For questions on culinary/ grocery tips, diet-plans please drop me a message.
Email: sussannajacob@gmail.com, newleeznlife@yahoo.ca
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