Guide to Oils

Open a bottle of unrefined olive, corn or sesame oil and take a sniff. Olive oil might remind you of a breeze passing through olive trees on a Tuscan hillside, corn oil like a bowl of fresh popcorn, while sesame oil may take you back to that great spicy Oriental dish you cooked recently. No matter the scent, unrefined oils carry the fresh aroma of the seed, nut or fruit from which they are extracted.

Not so with most oils sold in the conventional market. They are usually extracted using hexane or other petroleum solvents. The oil is often subjected to high heat and then bleached, deodorized and degummed. Preservatives are usually added as well. The end product may be oily but it has no taste or flavor.

Jimbo's...Naturally! believes in keeping the chemicals and high heat out and the flavor and health in. Our oils are mechanically extracted, usually using an expeller press, a screw like device that presses the seeds against the walls of a slotted steel barrel, forcing the oil out. When processed this way, the oils are labeled "expeller-pressed" or "pure pressed." All oils except olive oils are heated to some degree, so only olive oil can truthfully be called "cold-pressed."

Oils are a highly concentrated fat, so use them sparingly when cooking. Store them in a cool, dark, place; some people prefer the refrigerator (olive oil will harden in the refrigerator.)

Simple guidelines for oils

1. Choose as your staple oil one that is high in mono-unsaturated fats such as olive oil, canola oil and sesame oil. For baking and sauteing at high heats, use sparing amounts of polyunsaturated fats such as safflower oil and corn oil. Try to cut out saturated fats as much as possible, especially palm kernel oil and cottonseed oils, oils that are heavily processed or fractionated (these are often found in commercial baked goods.)

2. Reach for high-quality expeller-pressed oils (also called "pure-pressed") or cold-pressed olive oils.

3. Use margarine sparingly. Most margarines are hydrogenated, which means hydrogen has been added to solidify the oil. This creates a more saturated fat. In addition, during the saturation process, trans-fatty acids are produced. Preliminary research indicates that trans-fatty acids have harmful effects on the body, perhaps as harmful as saturated fats themselves. Jimbo's...Naturally! carries high quality natural margarines that contain partially hydrogenated oil as a secondary ingredient for those who want a no-cholesterol or vegetable alternative to butter.

For more complete information about OILS, drop by any Jimbo's location to pick up a free brochure.

Jimbo's....Naturally! San Diego's premier natural foods store serving San Diego with stores in Carmel Valley, Escondido, Carlsbad and 4S Ranch.