By Grace O
For good health, we need to eat some fat every day. But which fats are best for us? Oils are the most energy-efficient nutrients you can consume. They help build healthy cell membranes and are essential to the functioning of your nervous system. Oils help your digestive tract absorb vitamins A, D, E and K. They also assist in regulating hormones, keeping skin soft and supple, and cushioning organs.
There are so many oils out there with varying levels of healthful properties and flavors, but here’s a list of the healthiest oils to use:
High-Heat Cooking (Frying, searing, grilling, stir-frying, or roasting.)
Olive oil: Use light or refined olive oil. Save the extra-virgin for salads.
Avocado oil: Avocado oil has a sweet aroma and a fairly high smoke point.
Clarified butter or ghee: Just use sparingly, as it contains the saturated fat of butter. Great for frying eggs or creating creamy sauces.
Refined palm or coconut oils: They have a high smoke point and are low in polyunsaturated fats.
Medium-Heat Cooking (For a gentle sauté, stewing, or braising)
Filtered olive oil: With the solids filtered out, olive oil withstands heat better than extra-virgin olive oil and has the same healthful properties.
Sesame oil: Contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds. It’s delicious for stir-frying.
Off-Heat Cooking (For making salad dressings or drizzling over a finished dish, choose unfiltered extra-virgin olive oil or unrefined or toasted nut and seed oils for maximum flavor and health benefits.)
Almond Oil: Has a distinctively nutty flavor and only 7% saturated fat—one of the lowest.
Hazelnut Oil: Is high in healthful monounsaturated fats and low in saturated fat, and it has a bold, nutty flavor.
Macadamia nut oil: Is richer in monounsaturated fat than olive oil, and high in oleic acid, which helps protect the heart, and has a rich flavor.
Walnut oil: Is low in saturated fat, a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, and has a delicious mild flavor, perfect for salads and desserts.
Lebanese Morning Walnut Cake
Walnuts and walnut oil have omega-3 fatty acids for heart health, fiber for gut health, protein for supporting healthy muscle mass, and beta-sitosterol which might help lower cholesterol levels.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 1 cup walnut halves or pieces
- 4 eggs
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1 cup walnut oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- If the walnut pieces are large, pulse them in a food processor for a few seconds until you have small pieces about 1 mm in diameter.
- In a stand mixer, blend the eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla, flour and baking powder for about 3 minutes on medium speed.
- Add the walnut pieces and blend for 3 more minutes.
- Pour the batter into a buttered and floured bundt cake pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the batter comes out clean.
- Turn out of the pan onto a cooling rack immediately.
Grace O is the creator of FoodTrients, a unique program for optimizing wellness and longevity. She is the author of three award-winning cookbooks. Her latest cookbook is “Anti-Aging Dishes from Around the World.” Learn more at Foodtrients.com.
