- Eating organic foods with healthy fats is an essential part to healthy living.
- As more nutrition myths start to become debunked, we learn that fat doesn’t actually make us fat, and that healthy oils can actually be good for us.
- Labels on the oils that we buy can sometimes be confusing and overwhelming.
- Terms such as cold pressed, unrefined, and raw can leave us wondering which product to buy.
- We have it all for you.
- Let’s take a look at what these terms really mean.
- Alive:
- Some health food sources like Living Tree Community Foods use the term “alive.” This term means that the food or in this case oil is as close to its natural state as possible. It means that the oil is made from natural, organic ingredients that are still alive, unlike many foods that are processed and contain chemicals.
- Cold pressed:
- Oil is derived using low heat mechanical extraction where temperatures are rigorously controlled at 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Living Tree Community Foods uses even lower temperatures for many of their oil, going no higher than 73-75 degrees Fahrenheit when processing.
- Expeller pressed:
- This method produces pure oil through mechanical pressure with frictional heat from the press minimized to 120-200 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Raw:
- When it says raw on the label, it usually means that the oil is uncooked and unprocessed, or as close it to its natural state as possible.
- Refined:
- This is the one to stay away from. It is a fully processed oil exposed to all methods of refinement including flash fluctuation in temperature from 450 to -30 degrees Fahrenheit, deodorization, and bleaching. It has not nutritional value and is bad for you.
- Unheated:
- This method means that excess heat is not used to process this oil. Overheating oil breaks down the oil chemically in an unhealthy way. Using the unheated oil method maintains the chemical structure of the oil.
- Unrefined:
- With this method, oil retains a strong, rich flavor and color that is true to its natural state.
- Try incorporating alive and organic oils from reputable sources in your diet.
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- AS ALWAYS: Check with your health practitioner before you change your diet. This organic food is not meant to replace any treatment or drugs you are taking.
- We recommend Living Tree Community Foods as a reputable source for alive and organic oils.
- For the health benefits of olive oil.
- For 7 tips to avoid olive oil fraud.
- The medicinal properties of coconut oil.
- For how to make your own coconut oil.
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- REFERENCES:
- 1. “Living Tree Community Foods – Our Way.” Living Tree Community Foods. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2014.
- 2. “Effect of Meals Rich in Heated Olive and Safflower Oils on Oxidation of Postprandial Serum in Healthy Men.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. Atherosclerosis, Jan. 2002. Web. 21 May 2014.
