Should I take the next step? (not a veggie question)

[Rosendula]

I've always used vegetable oils and fats in cooking and baking, partly because I believed they were healthier, and partly because I don't eat meat (although my family do). However, since opening my eyes to our foods and cutting right down on processed foods I've felt more inclined to follow a more 'natural' diet. Now I'm not sure that manufacturers messing about with vegetable oil and adding loads of additives in order to make it into block margarine is actually better for us than pure beef fat. What do you all think? Highly processed veg fat, or unprocessed animal fat?

[Green Aura]

I don't use hydrogenated fat for anything.

We use butter for toast etc and cold-pressed organic sunflower oil for frying and same but olive for salad dressings. That's pretty much all you need, they taste good and I'm sure that the small amount of butter we use must be better than marg. I've even (when times have been a little tight) blended butter and either one of the oils 50:50. It's not a whole lot cheaper, but because it spreads more easily we use much less so save money that way.

[Shirley]

Butter for me... and cold pressed olive or rapeseed oil for the majority of the time. The rapeseed oil I've got at the moment is produced in Scotland. It's not cheaper, but I'm sure it's better for us than the highly processed stuff.

[george]

Yes butter for me too and cold pressed olive oil.

For an interesting opinion on this and other aspects of food try the book Real Food: what to eat and why by Nina Plank. It has a good discussion of the evils of processed (industrial) food and the goodness of food that people used to eat.

[Rosendula]

I'll see if that book's in the library, George. Thanks.

Is the cold pressed olive oil suitable for baking things like pastry?
Sorry if I sound a bit fick.

[Green Aura]

You can use olive oil for anything except deep-frying. It is quite strongly flavoured. Greeks make olive oil cakes and cookies, yummy.

[lsm1066]

Now I'm not sure that manufacturers messing about with vegetable oil and adding loads of additives in order to make it into block margarine is actually better for us than pure beef fat. What do you all think?

I saw a nutritionist some time ago and she advised me then to avoid all processed fats (spreads, oils etc) as the process they go through dramatically increases their levels of free radicals (the substance which causes the destabilising of cells, the effects of which are said to exacerbate things like premature ageing, heart disease and cancer). So at least according to nutritionists, they're a definite no no. I was told just to use cold pressed olive oil. Doesn't have to be extra virgin, but she said that the introduction of heat into the extraction process can cause the same problems.

Of course, making sure you have at least the RDA of Vitamins C and E and beta carotene will also help as they're anti-oxidants which combat free radicals. And remember, the RDA is the minimum daily requirement, not the maximum. However, there is such a thing as vitamin overdose. For instance, thanks to an addiction to orange fruits and green vegetables, my younger son has had to significantly reduce these foods in his diet after he turned orange! Too much vitamin A (retinol) can cause cirrhosis of the liver and since carotenes are found in high quantities in these foods, it's worth keeping an eye on as carotenes are converted to Vitamin A naturally in the body.

Hope that makes sense.
Lynne

[Green Aura]

It definitely has to be cold-pressed. All the ordinary stuff on the supermarket shelves is heated ,bleached, which strips it of nutrients and the re-dyed again to make it meet the industrial "standard". That's why it's all the same colour.

[hedgewitch]

I use Olive Oil for everything except baking Cakes and then I use Grapeseed Oil or Canola Oil.