Photo by David Clode on Unsplash
Cooking oil is an essential staple in the kitchen. Whether you are sautéing chicken, frying up eggs, tossing a salad, or making popcorn, you are no doubt using more than one type of cooking oil on a regular basis. There are pros and cons to every type of cooking oil - and not just how they flavor your food - but whether they are healthy for your body and sustainably produced.
Cooking oils come from olive and avocado trees, tropical crops such as coconut and palm trees, and row crops for seed oils such as canola, sunflower, and soybean. There are many varieties of oil, but let’s focus on just four: vegetable oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, and olive oil.
SEED OILS
The generic grocery store “vegetable oil” generally comes from seed oils such as soybean, canola, palm, and sunflower oil, and these four oils make up over 85% of the world’s vegetable oil. Other examples include cottonseed oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, and sesame oil. All told, crops used to make vegetable oils make up around 20% of the world’s arable land. Cooks like using seed oils in place of animal fats like butter, lard, and ghee to add taste and depth to dishes while keeping unhealthy saturated fats at bay.
Seed oils are extracted from the seeds of a plant rather than its fruit through high heat, extreme pressure, or chemical solvents, and they are often further refined through bleaching, deodorizing, filtering, and the addition of preservatives. Refining can increase the shelf-life of seed oils and facilitate cooking at a higher smoke point, but they can also increase your carbon footprint and cause food to lose healthy antioxidants or form unhealthy fatty acids.
When eaten in moderation, seed oils can support good health. They are high in unsaturated fats, which can help with cholesterol and protect you from cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, as scrutiny in the media can attest, seed oils are frequently found in over-processed and refined foods like cookies, crackers, and chips, frozen meals, and deep-fried fast foods. They also contain omega-6 fatty acids, which supposedly contribute to inflammation in the body. By contrast, heart and brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish, nuts, and flaxseeds, provide similar benefits but without the inflammation.
While over 90% of the canola oil (aka rapeseed oil) grown in Canada and the United States is genetically modified and highly processed, a couple redeeming qualities are that it doesn’t have to be transported long distances from tropical forests across oceans and it’s relatively inexpensive. If you choose canola oil, you’ll want to buy organic, GMO-free, expeller pressed brands such as Spectrum or La Tourangelle when possible.
A word about palm oil….
While Americans might not see bottles labelled “palm oil” at their local grocer, they are using palm oil on a daily basis. According to World Wildlife Fund, palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil on the planet. More than half of all packaged products Americans consume contain palm oil. It is found in countless cosmetics like lipsticks, soaps, detergents, and many foods, even ice cream. Although palm oil is a much cheaper and more productive crop than other oils, these monoculture plantations are rapidly spreading across Asia, Africa, and Latin America at the expense of deforestation of tropical forests that are critical habitats for endangered species. Interestingly, WWF asserts that if palm oil is made responsibly, it actually takes less of a toll on the environment, farmers, and communities than other oils. Look for the Palm Done Right label or the RSPO label (shown below) to ensure you are buying products made with certified sustainable palm oil.
COCONUT OIL
Coconut oil has a huge following in the public, but the varieties used mainly by consumers are supposedly different than healthy formulations. Studies present conflicting information, and there is a lack of human clinical trials. Topically, coconut oil is an effective moisturizer for skin and hair but it is very high in saturated fats -- twice that of butter -- and the American Heart Association recommends skipping the consumption of tropical oils altogether.
The Philippines, Indonesia, and India are the largest producers of coconut oil; therefore, transportation adds greatly to the carbon footprint of this cooking oil. One unethical oddity about the soaring demand for coconut products has been the use of enslaved leashed monkeys to harvest coconuts high up in trees. An exposé in Thailand by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) in 2022 has (hopefully) made cruel monkey labor a rare practice. Dr. Bronner's Whole Kernel Virgin Coconut Oil is an impressive recommended product: certified USDA organic, non-GMO, non-hydrogenated, vegan, kosher, and cruelty-free. It is also Regenerative Organic Certified, which includes products that “meet the highest standards in the world for soil health, animal welfare, and farmworker fairness.” Additionally, it carries a Fair For Life certification. Another good option is Nutiva Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, which is non-GMO and Fair Trade certified.
AVOCADO OIL
Avocado oil has a high smoke point and neutral flavor, making it an excellent alternative to olive oil. Avocado products are heart healthy and full of antioxidants and healthy phenols. But avocado cultivation leaves a heavy environmental imprint, utilizing huge amount of water extracted from local aquifers. 528 gallons of water are needed to produce about 2.2 pounds of avocados. Avocado production also causes extensive deforestation, soil degradation, and loss of biodiversity. While about 16% of the avocados Americans consume are from California, up to 80% of avocados are imported from Mexico, where farming has little regulation and drug cartels have illegally burned and logged protected forests.
Reputable, well-established brands of avocado oil should have straightforward labeling that includes the source of avocados, extraction method, and any certifications like organic, non-GMP, or third-party tested. Unadulterated avocado oil should have avocado as its only ingredient. Higher quality brands should also have terms like “cold-pressed,” “extra virgin,” or “unrefined” on the label. The best brands of avocado oil are Chosen Foods, Marianne’s, and La Tourangelle, which are all non-GMO.
OLIVE OIL
Spain produces about half of the world’s olive oil followed by Italy and Greece, with just 5% coming from California and other states in the US. “Liquid gold” EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) has a history of being adulterated with non-virgin olive oil or cheaper seed oils like canola oil. The carbon footprint of olive trees depends on the farming practices and production methods used, but olive trees can benefit the environment by sequestering (absorbing) more carbon than they release.
Olive trees require an initial investment in time, water, and groves of land but once established are a perennial crop that is relatively hardy, drought tolerant, and productive for decades. They can thrive in hilly, dry areas that are minimally disruptive to other crops. Olive oil that is “greener” from an environmental standpoint should be organic, cold-pressed, and as local as possible. Small-scale olive oil producers are more sustainable than large-scale operations, and the more local they are, the smaller the carbon footprint. Lucini Organic EVOO and California Olive Ranch EVOO are both non-GMO and highly recommended by Consumer Reports. Many SCOCO readers are fans of Amphora Nueva olive oil in local Lafayette.
Sources and further reading:
https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/production/commodity/4232000
https://www.leafscore.com/grocery/best-eco-friendly-organic-coconut-oil/#laa
https://www.marthastewart.com/8038030/avocado-oil-explained-how-use
https://investigations.peta.org/thai-coconut-milk-cruelty/
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