Change Your Oil, Keep Your Tradition
by Willie Victor
The holidays are all about the joy of eating: entertaining, family dinners, brunches – meal after delicious meal. This is a time for feasting, and when we do, we typically consume oils and fat in abundance, in cookies, cakes, candies and other rich foods.
For those who celebrate Hannakah, however, oil is actually central to the holiday.
From the Hebrew word for “consecration”, Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration in the 2nd centruy BC by Syria. There was only enough consecrated olive oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, which was the length of time it took to press, prepare and consecrate fresh olive oil.
The festival is observed by the kindling of eight candles on a Menorah, one added each night of the holiday. An extra light called a shamash, Hebrew for “guard” or “servant”, is also lit each night for the purpose of lighting the others, and is given a distinct location, usually above or below the rest.
While in this context oil has spiritual significance, when we ingest it, it can have important consequences for our bodies. It’s easy to think that most oils are similar. In fact, which ones we select and how we use them can make a major difference to our health.
Canola
This widely-used oil, valued for its flavor-neautrality, is actually an unhealthy choice. It comes from a hybridized rape plant and depletes the body of vitamin E. Heating canola oil distorts their fatty acids, turning them into an unnatural form of trans-fats, which can increase the risk of heart disease.
Ghee (Butter)
Butter is used in a lot of holiday recipes. It is a great cooking fat but needs to be used at low heat. If you are dairy intolerant, you can replace the butter in your recipes with ghee as the milk solids are separated and removed, thus removing the protein which is the cause of most dairy allergies. What remains, the pure fat, is called ghee. Butter and ghee both have butyric acid which is antiviral and has anti-cancer properties. Butter and ghee are short chain saturated fats that are burned and not stored in the body.
Olive Oil
Olive oil, a fruit oil often used in Mediterranean cooking, is high in oleic acid, a fat that is one of the better to consume and slows down the development of heart disease. Virgin olive oil has been produced without chemical treatment. Extra virgin olive oil has a very low burn threshold and should be used as flavoring, rather than for cooking.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is great for frying food, as it can withstand high heat. Coconut oil is a natural saturated fat. It is a medium chain fat that burns like butter and is not stored in the body. Lauric acid, found in tropical fat, is known to strengthen the immune system. Coconut oil is medicinal and carries antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-microbial properties.
Grape Seed
Grape seed oil is also good for high-temperature cooking. The flavor is clean, light, and a little nutty. Grape seed oil can be used to replace some of the distinctive tasting oils like coconut and olive oil. It is produced from the seeds of varieties of grapes. The smoking point of grape seed oil is 420°F which allows for frying at high temperatures.
FINAL NOTE: To reduce the amount of absorption of fat, use good frying techniques which include enough oil, not overcrowding the pan, and having the oil hot enough (hot oil is not as readily absorbed by foods).
