Many people ask me: Is rice bran oil a good oil the best cooking oil? Is it the new revolutionary healthiest oil? Is this the all-in-one cooking oil solution? Not exactly. It is one of the better choices of all the bulk cooking oils available, but not without a down side. Lets review oils and healthy fats; the good, the bad and the plain ugly.
What is rice bran oil?
It is the oil extracted from the germ and inner husk of whole brown rice. Rice bran oil has a mild, nutty flavour. Promoters call it "The Healthy Oil". One label says rice bran oil is "nutritionally balanced, versatile - perfect for BBQs, frying, baking and salad dressing". My research suggests it is healthier to some degree, but use it in small quantities, for roasting and frying.
Is it the healthiest oil? - The advantages of rice bran oil
High smoke point - does not degrade easily at high temperatureHas a long shelf life.
Low viscosity (more runny) - need less oil to cook in and is less absorbed by foods.
Virtually free of trans fats
More Vitamin E complex and other anti-oxidants than other cooking oils- these help keep it stable and protect against free-radical damage.
Rich in tocotrienols - powerful form of Vitamin E
Contains a Gamma Oryzanol - a powerful antioxidant and cholesterol-lowering agent
Problems with fats and oils - including rice bran oil
In modern Western countries most people eat too much high calorie fat. A low-calorie diet is one of the keys to avoiding cancer and many other diseases. B
ut the biggest issue are the problems with the type of fats we consume.
We eat:
Too much saturated animal fat, toxic "trans" fats and Omega-6 fatty acids.
Too little Omega 3 and fat-soluble antioxidants such as vitamin E
Rice bran oil is better than other oils in many respects - but has a seriously imbalanced ratio of too little omega 3 to too much omega 6.
Bulk polyunsaturated oils such as sunflower, safflower, canola and corn are dangerous to our health because they are processed with high heat and generally poor quality. These oils also contain and imbalanced ratio of Omega 3 to omega 6. They should be completely avoided.
Our food has changed - we used to get enough omega 3... now we don't!
The best primary source of omega-3 is seafood - although flaxseed and hempseed oils are notable exceptions. Dark leafy green plants and free-range eggs provide useful amounts too.
Our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate a diet of fresh plant and animal foods - including a lot of seafood. This provided a balance of omega-3 to omega-6 of about 1:1. This is what our bodies are designed for.
Nowadays we eat way less seafood and large amounts of grains and seeds - most of it processed. Since the 1960s when seed oils began to replace saturated fats our intake of omega-6 has doubled - and omega-3 consumption is about 1/10 of what it should be. This has created a dangerous imbalance. Overconsumption of oils with this omega 3 to 6 imbalance has been implicated in higher rates of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and skin disorders.
Can I eat deep fried food if I use rice bran oil?
Of all the bulk cooking oils available, rice bran oil is one of the better choices for high temperature cooking. If you occasionally eat deep-fried food this is perhaps the best option. However I do not recommend deep-fried food. Any oil heated to high temperature will suffer some degradation and produce dangerous free radicals. In addition to this deep fried foods contain too much oil to be considered healthy.
The key to eating healthier fats and oils: eat more seafood, whole foods and fish oil supplements and reduce consumption of seed and grain oils. Olive oil remains the best choice for regular use in cooler cooking: dressings, dips, baking and moderate-temperature frying. We also use rice bran oil, sesame oil and clarified butter for pan-frying and roasting. ANY of the cheaper vegetable oils consumed in quantity can cause problems.
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