KITCHEN GUIDE Different have different uses, and each performs best within a certain range of temperatures. Some are made for high heat cooking, while others have intense flavors that are best enjoyed by drizzling directly on to ME U food. The guideDIU below shows the smoke point for each type of . M M M H IU H IG D IG E H H M

SMOKE POINT An oil’s ‘smoke point’ indicates how high a heat the oil can take before, literally, beginning to smoke.

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H ARE ALL THE SAME?

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WW hen an oil smokes, it releases an acrid odor into the air and free radicals within the oil. For the healthiest approach,

H H O L Not at all. Here are some basics on the various discard any oil that has gone beyond its smoke point. All oils are refined except where designated with an asterisk. types of fats to help you make sense of what’s best USES OIL TYPE SMOKE POINT for your own body. ALL PURPOSE COOKING HIGH HEAT OILS ME U DIU M M M Monounsaturated : H IU H IG D IG E H H Oils with a high ‘smoke Avocado 510°F Monounsaturated fats are at the heart of the M

point’ are ideal for sautéing, 495°F highly touted Mediterranean diet. These types of

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I I Apricot Kernel 495°F

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W ME frying andM otherE high heat fats are tied to cholesterol regulation in the blood,

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O IU IU L M M M M Canola (Super High Heat) 460°F IU H applications.IU H promoting healthy cardiovascular function. Olive, D IG D IG E E (Super High Heat) 460°F H H M M canola and high heat sunflower are examples of

UP TO 500°F Sunflower (Super High Heat) 460°F H

H Palm Fruit 450°F oils with high monounsaturated fat content.

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L L Safflower, High Oleic 445°F Sesame 445°F Polyunsaturated Fat: BAKING & SAUTÉING MEDIUM HIGH HEAT OILS Polyunsaturated fats include the ‘essential’ Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids. These play ME ME DIU DIU M M Oils withM a medium-highM an integral role in several areas—from strengthening IU H IU H Canola 425°F D IG D IG E E H ‘smoke point’ are H best for Grapeseed 425°F our cell structure to reducing the risk of heart attack M M

sautéing at medium-high 400°F and stroke. Oils high in Omega-3 fats include

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I Safflower, High Oleic* 390°F

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W heat or, because of their

H H flaxseed, hemp and fish. O O L L neutral flavor, for baking. Coconut 365°F Soy 360°F Peanut* 355°F : UP TO 425°F There are two main types of saturated fats— animal-based, like , and plant-based, such as LIGHT SAUTÉING & SAUCES MEDIUM HEAT OILS ME IU DIU M M M coconut and palm oils. Most of what we consume H IU H I I G D G Sesame* 350°F E Medium heat oils normally in the U.S. are artery-clogging, ‘long-chain’ H H

M have fuller flavors, making Toasted Sesame* 350°F saturated fats derived from animals. But plant-

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H Olive* 325°F

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G G them ideal for sauces and salad W based saturated fats are made up of ‘short- and

H H O Corn* 320°F L dressings, or for sautéing at Coconut* 280°F medium-chain’ fatty acids which our bodies use medium heat where the oil’s for energy—the reason oils like are UP TO 350°F flavor is intended as an integral popular with athletes. part of the finished dish. ME IU DIU M M M H IU H Trans-Fatty Acids: IG D IG E SOUPS & SALADS NO HEAT OILS H MED H MED M IU IU M M M M Trans-fats may well be our worst enemy. Trans- IU H IU H

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H H E E fats are formed during a chemical process called

H H Borage* 225°F

I I Oils with low ‘smoke points’

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L have such rich, robust flavor and Flax* 225°F hydrogenation whereby cellular chains of fats are

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I Wheat Germ* 225°F

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W fragile structure that they’re best artificially altered to create a more solid, stable

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L L Evening Primrose* 225°F poured directly onto a finished substance. The result is a fat that is virtually dish, or blended into a dressing, impossible for our bodies to break down. NO HEAT simple sauce or taken directly.

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THE LOWDOWNH ON FATTY ACIDS H COMPARISON OF OMEGA-3-6-9 SOURCES M M H

The two fatty acidsH that are essential to our health, but that our bodies cannot manufacture on their own, are OMEGA-9 SOURCES

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Omega-3L fatty acid, such as Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA), and Omega-6 fatty acid, like Gamma High Heat 80% (GLA). These fatty acids are often called ‘Essential Fatty Acids’ (EFAs) precisely for this reason. There is another High Heat Safflower Oil 78% fatty acid intrinsic to good health that our bodies do produce naturally, and that is Omega-9 fatty acid. Read on 76% for how to incorporate each into your diet. 62% Omega-3- Omega-3 is particularly critical to our body because it’s put to use literally everywhere—our eyes, hair and OMEGA-6 SOURCES skin, brain, heart, nerves and joints. Every cell in our bodies needs Omega-3 fatty acids to thrive and survive. Evening Primrose Oil 81% Studies show that populations that consume a diet high in Omega-3 fatty acids have the lowest mortality rate from Safflower Oil 76% cardiovascular disease. But about 80% of Americans are deficient in Omega-3. Nutritionists suggest off-setting this 75% imbalance through adding an Omega-3 supplement to our diets, of which fish and flaxseed oils are the richest sources. Grapeseed Oil 74% Walnut Oil 73% Omega-6- Omega-6 fatty acids are more plentiful, and can be found in many vegetable oils including canola, soy and Sunflower Oil 62% safflower, and in supplement oils such as borage and evening primrose oil. Borage Oil 60% Omega-6 fatty acids are broken down by the body into AA (Arachadonic Acid) and GLA (Gamma Linoleic Acid) Soy Bean Oil 60% which have been shown to help with skin disorders like eczema and psoriasis. Pumpkinseed Oil 53% 52% Omega-9- Omega-9 fatty acids are important monounsaturated fats that occur naturally in our bodies. But they are also 45% prevalent in kitchen staples—olive oil and canola oil. Much of the praise showered on the Mediterranean diet is due to the cardiovascular benefits derived from Omega-9 fatty OMEGA-3 SOURCES acids. Olive oil has been proven to raise good cholesterol (HDL) and lower bad cholesterol (LDL), and has more antiox- Flaxseed Oil 57% idants than any other oil, including one that has been shown to lower blood pressure. (1812) 30% Hemp 15% Another role Omega-9 plays is to help offset the overconsumption of Omega-6 rich oils like safflower and soy. Pumpkinseed Oil 15% By consuming more Omega-9, we are balancing out our fatty acid profile to a ratio our bodies prefer. Canola Oil 10% Soy Bean Oil 8% NATURALS • ESSENTIALS • INGREDIENTS Walnut Oil 5% 5341 Old Redwood Hwy. Suite 400 • Petaluma, CA 94954 • Visit us on the web at www.spectrumorganics.com Please Note: the information presented here is not intended as curative or prescriptive advice.