Oils

We use oils a lot. Almost everything we cook has some type of oil in it, if for no other purpose than to keep it from sticking to the pan, but usually a lot more than that. It's no wonder that there is a whole section of a grocery store aisle dedicated to oils.

One often wonders, what is the difference between these oils? Don't they do pretty much exactly the same thing? Why are some more expensive than others? Good questions, and as someone who used to just buy whatever was on sale, and now buys only certified GMO-free sunflower oil, I'm going to go ahead and break the oil decision down for you.

Think about all the kinds of oil you know. Olive, Canola, Vegetable, Corn, Coconut, Peanut, Sunflower, Grapeseed... The list goes on.

First things first, think about the plant these oils come from. Is it often genetically modified? In other words, does Monsanto have their filthy mitts on it? If so, you probably don't want that. This pretty much takes out corn and canola oil.

Next, think about the consistency of the plants they say these oils come from. If I hand you a corn cob, can you press it and get oil out? No, you can't. You can press it as hard and as long as you want, and corn oil is not going to come out. It requires extensive chemical processing to get oil from a cob of corn. The same can be said of vegetable oil. We have no idea what kind of vegetables it's made of, but think of all the vegetables you can, and then think of how many of them would actually yield oil if pressed. I think you see the answer. No, I look for something called "Expeller pressed" oils. This means that the oil is pressed right out of the plant. Think of the consistency of an olive, a peanut, a coconut, or a sunflower seed, and you can see how these would lend themselves to oil extraction via press. This is what you want. It is the most minimal processing method there is, and the less processed your foods are, the better your body will respond to them.

Now, aren't GMO-free and expeller pressed oils expensive? They can be. A bottle of sunflower oil costs about twice as much as a comparable sized bottle of canola oil, but when you think about the fact that we do not know the health ramifications of consuming GMO foods long term, and we do know that very processed foods have negative health consequences, that extra few bucks a month on good oil pays off in the many bucks you won't be spending at the doctor's office in a few years.

For me, as a parent, it's just that much more important. When I read that study a few weeks ago that said that Round Up was found in every urine sample the researchers tested, it was a really big deal to me. These GMO "Round Up Ready" crops, are poisoning our society, because they can douse them in these enormous quantities of Round Up, which is systemic, meaning it stays in the plant that we eat, and then is consumed when we eat the plant. I have three kids, one of whom is a breastfed baby. I am in a very crucial position, and my knowledge of agriculture and food is the only thing standing between them and this toxic crap that is being shoved in our faces from every angle.

Tonight, as they ate their dinner of organic, 100% grass fed Texas beef, stewed with organic veggies from just up the road in New Mexico, I was able to feel good about what I fed them, because I am sure, beyond a single doubt, that these foods will nourish them, and not harm them. The fact that I sauteed that beef in organic sunflower oil sure didn't hurt our cause a bit. It seems like oils are the last frontier when it comes to most people's quest for clean eating. I can't tell you how long I spent cooking up organic free range chicken in whatever cheap and super processed oil was on sale at the Ft. Stewart commissary. Upon researching oils more, I realized how important they are, and how those extra few bucks for the good oils, are more than worth it in the long run.