Most of us know by now that we need to get a balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids in our diets. A good way to do this is by using healthy oils to flavor or cook our foods. What some people don’t know is that there is a “smoke point” of all cooking oils. When you heat an oil to or beyond it’s smoke point you end up denaturing the healthy fats that are contained in the oil.
We’ll start with Olive Oil. In order to keep the healthy Omega 3 fats intact you need to make sure you purchase the right kind of Olive Oil. There are many to choose from, and it can be a daunting task. Always make sure you get cold-pressed Olive Oil. If it is cold-pressed it will state it somewhere on the bottle. The next thing you want to be sure of is that it comes in a dark bottle. The darker the better. Olive Oil is fairly sensitive to light and heat, so this is a must. Also make sure you store it in a cool dark place. When it comes to cooking Olive Oil is not your best choice. The true “smoke point” of Olive Oil is still being debated, but we do know that it too low for cooking. There is no point in cooking in an oil that is going to lose it’s healthy benefits. Olive Oil is best used for flavor. Salads are a great choice for Olive Oil.
Now if you are wanting to pan fry chicken or some other healthy dish your best bet would be Macadamia Nut Oil. It has a much higher “smoke point” than Olive Oil, and you will still be able to reap all the healthy benefits while cooking with it. Mac Nut Oil is also good to use as a supplement for Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. It’s not just good for cooking! Mac Nut Oil almost has a perfect ratio of 1:1 Omega 3 to 6. This is ideal for those of us who are health concious.
The only downside is that Mac Nut Oil can be a bit trickier to find. The internet would probably be the best place to start. People started buying up tons of Mac Nut Oil as the many benefits have become more known. For quite some time there was a shortage, but it is slowly becoming more available.
