How Does your Olive Oil Rate?

A week ago June Pagan, one of the Chef’s I work, with alerted me to a class action suit against companies that manufacture extra-virgin olive oil.

Olive oil is high in omega 3 or anti-inflammatory fats and the one that I highly recommend so hearing this news was quite disturbing.

A study at UC Davis Olive Center revealed that 69% of imported olive oil and 10% of California olive oil failed to meet IOC/USDA standards and were either adulterated or had poor quality due to being mixed with cheaper refined oils.

This means that the oil you are using could be mixed with omega 6 or pro-inflammatory oils, negating the health benefits of the olive oil.

The companies named were Bertolli, Filippo Berio, Carapelli, Star, Colavita, Mezzetta, Pompeian, Rachael Ray, Mazolla and Safeway Select.

Ten retailers and supermarkets, including Bristol Farms, Gelson's Markets, Vons/Pavilions, Ralphs, Stater Brothers, Albertson's, Target, Walmart, Kmart and Nob Hill Foods were named is in the lawsuit as well.

Lead counsel Daniel J. Callahan. “These companies placed corporate profiteering over their integrity and the integrity of their product and have been knowingly misleading and defrauding California consumers for years.”

Organic Authority quotes tips from Linda Sikorski, head buyer for Market Hall Foods in Oakland:

1. Check the label. Does it say “extra-virgin” olive oil? Is there a harvest or milling date, in addition to the best-use date? Is the harvest date within 12 months? Extra-virgin oil is “best used” within 18 months. Make sure the oil is purchased well in advance of the best-used date.
2. What about the bottle? Is the bottle’s color dark, which reduces light exposure? Is it on the top shelf, exposed to direct light? Light dramatically shortens shelf life, so look for signs that indicate the bottle has been on the shelf too long (for example, dust).
3.  Look for the COOC seal, which assures the olive oil is extra-virgin, grown in California and from the most recent harvest.
4. Know your retailer. Buy from retailers who know their producers, growers and importers. Ask for a taste. Many specialty retailers are generous with sampling, as they want you to know what you’re buying.
5. Verify when buying online. Check for the harvest date, and always buy from the most recent harvest. Ask before you complete your purchase.

Since hearing the news I visited Whole Foods and found a good quality olive oil named Columela, an extra virgin cold-pressed oil.  Unbeknownst to me it the highest rated extra virgin olive oil by Cooks Illustrated, a service that rates many food items and appliances.  Look in your cabinet and see what you are using.  If it is one of the above companies I suggest you take it back to your store and buy something with the suggestions above.  Your health depends on it.

What Oil Do I Use?

One of the questions I hear most frequently in lectures and with my clients is “which oil should I be cooking with?”  This question turns out to be more complicated than you would think.  Years ago, most of the population ate butter. Then, experts reported that vegetable oils were a much healthier alternative, and many people switched to corn or vegetable oils.  This advice did not turn out to be true since weight, heart disease and diabetes have been rapidly increasingly.  The good news is that research on which oils are healthy has become clearer during the last year.  Choosing which oil to buy depends on the purpose – i.e. cooking versus using in salad dressing or baking. 

Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat that is useful in making salad dressing and marinating vegetables and meats.  If you are cooking with olive oil, only use it in recipes where the smoke point is between 200 to less than 400 degrees.  The best olive oil is cold-pressed, extra virgin since it contains both the good monounsaturated fat and powerful antioxidants known as Polyphenols.  This type of olive oil means the olives are processed within 24 hours of picking, which aids in retaining a higher quality product.  It is slightly cloudy due to the small particles of olive flesh in the oil.  Olive oil which is clear still contains the monounsaturated fat but is devoid of the Polyphenols.  “Lite” olive oil is a marketing gimmick that just refers to a milder flavor, rather than less fat and calories.

Coconut oil is a safe oil to cook with at high temperatures since it is saturated and the molecules cannot be damaged.  Organic coconut oil is best since it is free of pesticides.  Avoid high omega-6 oils such as safflower, sunflower, corn, and soybean oil. 

Canola oil, although high in omega-3 fatty acids, has a high sulfur content and can quickly become rancid.  It has been reported that baked goods made with canola oil can quickly develop mold. Due to the high level of rancidity, canola oil must be deodorized, and this process can increase the amount of trans fatty acids in canola oil, which negates the benefits of the omega-3 fatty acids that are present.  In addition, since canola is the result of irradiated seeds from the oilseed rape, 80-85 percent of canola is GMO (genetically modified organism) and best to avoid.

The best oils to buy are cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, organic coconut oil, and to a lesser extent flax seed oil and other nut oils such as walnut, peanut or grapeseed.

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet

The basis of anti-inflammatory eating is to lower inflammation of any kind caused by foods.  Avoidance of certain foods or food groups helps to lower inflammation as well as increasing intake of other food groups. 

In general protein and fats from monounsaturated and omega-3 sources do not trigger inflammation, and aid in lowering inflammation.  Carbohydrates that are in their purest forms such as fruits, vegetables and certain types of whole grains are thought to keep inflammation to a minimum.  Organic produce is preferred.

Starchy processed carbohydrates, omega-6 fats (see below) and trans fats (hydrogenated fats that are used in foods to increase shelf life) increase inflammation and should be avoided or minimized.

Dairy products should be organic to avoid hormones which increase inflammation.

Protein Choices:

Choose a variety each week from the following foods:

Protein does not create inflammation in the body since there is little insulin response when we consume protein-rich foods.  Types of protein that exist are:

• Lean Red Meat Choices (grass-fed preferred) – filet mignon, 7-15% ground meat, top sirloin, eye of the round, etc.

• Lamb/Pork/Veal – lean cuts

• Chicken/Turkey – skinless poultry, skinless thigh meat

• Fish – freshwater fish, shellfish, *salmon or other fatty fish, light tuna in water (wild fish preferred over farm raised)

• Eggs – organic free range preferred

• Cheese (grass-fed preferred) – hard European or other good quality hard cheeses

• Beans – garbanzo/chickpeas, kidney, pinto, black

• Cottage Cheese/Ricotta Cheese – organic preferred

• Nuts/Seeds – unsalted raw or dry roasted

• Nut Butters –natural peanut, almond or cashew butters

• Milk or yogurt – organic milk and plain low fat or whole milk yogurts

Carbohydrate Choices: 

Least Inflammatory: 

• Fruits –fresh organic fruit or unsweetened frozen or unsweetened applesauce

• Vegetables – fresh organic vegetables or lettuce

• Whole Grains:  quinoa, steel-cut oats, buckwheat, brown or wild rice, yams (once or twice a week)

Most Inflammatory:

Breads, bagels, muffins, pasta, white rice, popcorn, tortillas, cereals (any kind), potatoes, crackers, chips, desserts

Fat Choices:

Choose as desired:

*Olive oil/ Walnut Oil

Coconut Oil- extra virgin organic

Avocado/guacamole

Butter - organic

Olive oil mayonnaise

Olive oil based dressings

**Omega 3 Fatty Acids:  ground flax seeds, fish oil

Foods to Limit or Avoid:

Sugar and high sugar products

Any processed or refined foods (foods in a package with an extended shelf life)

Wheat and wheat products

Potatoes and potato products

Omega 6 Oils:  corn, canola, soybean, safflower, sunflower, vegetable and other inexpensive oils used in processed foods

Caffeine and alcohol both aggravate stress and inflammation in the body and should be avoided or minimized

When possible grass-fed meat or cheese is preferred since the products they produce are higher in omega-3 fatty acids (versus corn/grain fed animals whose products produce more omega-6 fatty acids)

Treats to include if Desired:

High quality dark chocolate (greater than 70%) is considered an anti-oxidant food and does not trigger inflammation.

Good quality ice-cream (such as McConnell’s Santa Barbara or Häagen-Dazs Five) contains minimal high quality ingredients and consuming once or twice a week is acceptable.

*These foods are the highest in omega-3 fatty acids and should be consumed daily to lower inflammation.