Oil For Cooking

[connda]

You should consider using olive oil or virgin coconut oil. Expensive? Yep. Good for you? Yep.

[carib102]

Palm oil - which is extremely bad for your cholesterol. Cook at home with rice bran oil (cheap and healthy) or olive oil (expensive and healthy).

Rice bran oil breaks down easily with high heat. Olive oil does as well, but not as badly. For cooking, coconut oil or clarified butter are best.

[fxe1200]

Sunflower oil in general, coconut oil every now and then.

Sunflower oil is the most healthiest oil. It contains up to 65% unsaturated fatty acids. Just watch the heat. Oil should never heated that much, that it starts to smoke.

[macca3248]

Palm oil is supposed to be carsenagenic (spp ?)

[stoli]

I always use Lite Olive Oil or Canola Oil.

I have always read that Palm Oil is pretty disgusting stuff, but who knows?

I agree completely here. Olive oil if you can afford it, if not, then Canola Oil. Used it in my restaurant for 7 years. Palm Oil is used here because it is so cheap. The cheapest price for Canola Oil seems to be Makro. Very affordable, and not as bad as the other choices. Best bet of course is to stop using oil.

[NBD]

Lard or duck fat when cooking at home. A kg of pig fat from the local market for about 40 THB makes a couple of months worth of good clean oil with a high smoke point, no artificial stuff and tastes great.

[sgtsabai]

I use Olive Oil for light cooking, anything I can fry slowing, yea I know not really possible, can actually do an egg in without burning the oil if you know how, it isn't easy. But fried egg, smothered in real New Mexico chile (red or green), tortilla hard to beat for breakfast, unless breakfast burrito smothered in NM chile. For real frying I use peanut oil when I can find. Best for frying fish, shrimp, chicken etc. Southern US style.

[shaurene]

Amongst the Thai's I know ... Palm Oil

Yes Palm Oil is mostly used and not good for you, or canola, all the oils are produced through heat process I only use olive oil at home. The keep using the same oil for long time. Take large doses of vitamin C each day for your Colest.

Statins are very bad for you.

[umbanda]

I use 10w40 motor oil.

40?....every 3000 or 7000 miles? ...You may need a tune up....ask a bar girl about...

[bangkokstick]

I heard that they buy used oil rom McDonald ?

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Does anyone know where to buy Red Palm oil in Thailand? I think its mostly produced in Africa.

It's made from the fruit before it matures and develops a nut like kernel.

The red color is supposed to be lots of carotene and other antioxidants which protect the oil from damage.

Palm kernel oil is different source and often chemical and heat extracted.

[Patanawet]

I always understood that Olive Oil is best for health. However I cannot afford the best quality and do not like the taste anyway.

The best substitute is Canola (oilseed rape) which has all the qualities of Olive oil and is only about 120 Baht per bottle (Villa).

It has the plus that is has a higher smoke point than Olive Oil. I believe that all oils turn to transfat when they start to smoke.

If the cost is a determining factor as to which oil to use --- then you're using too much oil in your diet!

[Ulysses G.]

I eat almost exclusively in cheapo Thai vegetarian places these days. I'm guessing that they use the cheapest palm oil, but I also eat small amounts of chicken, fish and yogurt. My cholesterol count was not bad before I started this diet, but it is excellent now. I'm not sure what that means, but i really hate cooking for myself, so glad that it seems to be healthy.

[Gerrit]

I cook at home but do not use a lot of oil. I use Canola oil because it contains essential omega 3 nutrients.

Then I use Coconut Cooking oil to make Dark chocolate (It is healthy) The oil is from Friendship Pattaya at B158 per liter

[123stop]

Palm oil - which is extremely bad for your cholesterol. Cook at home with rice bran oil (cheap and healthy) or olive oil (expensive and healthy).

Cooking with olive oil is a Common fallacy: the molecular structure of olive oil easily decomposes under heat to create trans fats which clog arteries. 90% of cholesterol is created by your own body and only becomes bad under the influence of excess carbohydrate. You should actually be more worried about the processed foods, excess grains and sugar. That's what gives the preponderance of westerners(farangs) that envious apple physique after 35-40.

[123stop]

I cook at home but do not use a lot of oil. I use Canola oil because it contains essential omega 3 nutrients.

Then I use Coconut Cooking oil to make Dark chocolate (It is healthy) The oil is from Friendship Pattaya at B158 per liter

Canola is one of the worst you can use

[123stop]

I always use Lite Olive Oil or Canola Oil.

I have always read that Palm Oil is pretty disgusting stuff, but who knows?

I agree completely here. Olive oil if you can afford it, if not, then Canola Oil. Used it in my restaurant for 7 years. Palm Oil is used here because it is so cheap. The cheapest price for Canola Oil seems to be Makro. Very affordable, and not as bad as the other choices. Best bet of course is to stop using oil.

Fats and oils are necessary. Poor guy, still subscribes to the old USDA food pyramid. Wake up, there's new research out there

[123stop]

I eat almost exclusively in cheapo Thai vegetarian places these days. I'm guessing that they use the cheapest palm oil, but I also eat small amounts of chicken, fish and yogurt. My cholesterol count was not bad before I started this diet, but it is excellent now. I'm not sure what that means, but i really hate cooking for myself, so glad that it seems to be healthy.

This is actually more paleo than most(and includes probiotics) and that's why you've improved. The majority of farang here in Thailand still subscribe to the old paradigms of western medicine & nutrition, that's why most are shaped like kegs

[perconrad]

I read recently in Health Wire, that beside coconut oil then palm oil was good especially the red one, but normal palm oil was also OK for cooking.

Ricebran oil was not good

[femi fan]

It's not that simple.

Bad oils are those that have been heat processed. That is most of them. If it's mass produced, sold in clear plastic bottles and cheap then it's bad for your health. That is most of the oil used by most of the people.

Even oils like olive oil should not be used for cooking with because it has a low smoke point meaning it's molecular structure gets changed easily at lower heat temperatures and becomes bad for our health.

The very best oils to use for cooking are coconut oil made here in thailand, or ghee (clarified butter). Coconut oil is actually healthy, and it has a very high smoke point.

I think rice bran oil is not so bad especially compared to the standard mass-produced ones.

I've heard this before about coconut oil but for something that's made in Thailand I'm sure having a bugger of a time finding it.

I do my big box store shopping in Lampang city and can't find it at Big C or Makro. I come in to Chiang mai every 90 days to do my report so can you or anyone else on this thread direct me to an outlet in Chiang mai that sells it.

I appreciate the help!

I buy organic extra virgin cold-pressed coconut oil in the rimping supermarkets. About 500 baht or just over perhaps for one litre. There are usually three or four brands. I don't think it needs to be 'organic' per se because i can't see palm trees and coconuts being sprayed with pesticides! I have always bought cold-pressed since that's really important for the health of an oil, but recently i've been half persuaded that with coconut oil it's still healthy enough if it's been heat-processed. Certainly much better than any other oil that's been heated.

You can also buy heaps of organic coconut oil and other products in the northern thailand section of the airport plaza shopping mall.

I also buy it at ban suan pak, a health food shop, and you can get it at any health food shops really. But if you're doing the visa thingy, just pop over the road to nim city daily plaza to the rimping there.

Not only is this oil i buy not bad for you, but it's positively healthy to take a spoon of it each day if you wish.

As for the cost being expensive, i used to think this. But 500 baht's worth of coconut oil lasts much much longer than 500 baht's worth of beer... so i just reduced my beer consumption!

[femi fan]

I always use Lite Olive Oil or Canola Oil.

I have always read that Palm Oil is pretty disgusting stuff, but who knows?

I agree completely here. Olive oil if you can afford it, if not, then Canola Oil. Used it in my restaurant for 7 years. Palm Oil is used here because it is so cheap. The cheapest price for Canola Oil seems to be Makro. Very affordable, and not as bad as the other choices. Best bet of course is to stop using oil.

No. We need fats in our diet. But we just need the good ones. Coconut oil that is cold-pressed is most certainly healthy for one. Ghee if it's from decent cow's milk is another good one too.

Olive oil i think must be good for us too, but not if it's heated.

After all my research it seems the only certain oil to not be unhealthy for you if cooking with it is cold-pressed coconut oil. But taken in its natural state, unheated, other oils are healthy too. But issues of rancidity must be considered.

There is way too much conflicting info out there on which oils should be used. The key things are how it was processed, and is it genetically modified.

[femi fan]

I eat almost exclusively in cheapo Thai vegetarian places these days. I'm guessing that they use the cheapest palm oil, but I also eat small amounts of chicken, fish and yogurt. My cholesterol count was not bad before I started this diet, but it is excellent now. I'm not sure what that means, but i really hate cooking for myself, so glad that it seems to be healthy.

The food you're eating that's cooked in the oil has the necessary nutrients to neutralise the free radicals formed in your body by the bad oils they are probably cooked in!

Cholesterol is another much-confused subject matter when it comes to trying to live healthily.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Macadamia oil is a really healthy cooking oil and nice to have a variety other than coconut. Very stable and really good taste at various temperatures. Very suitable for high temp use.

Not cheap and bit more expensive than virgin cold pressed coconut.

It's in most of the stores like Tops and Rimping.

"Macadamia oil contains approximately 60% oleic acid, 19% palmitoleic acid, 1-3% Linoleic acidand 1-2% α-Linolenic acid. Some varieties contain roughly equal omega-6 and omega-3. Although macadamia is cultivated in many different parts of the world, the oil's fatty acid profile is not greatly influenced by environmental factors. The oil displays chemical properties typical of a vegetable triglyceride oil. It is also very stable due to its low polyunsaturated fat content.^[1]

^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macadamia_oil}

^{BTW commenting on a previous post. Coconut oil is really affordable.}

^{It's roughly 10,000 calories per liter. For baht to energy ratio its reasonable economic compared to many other foods.}

^{Quality fat intake can displace inflammation causing carbohydrates in the overall diet scheme.}

^{Bottom line is track and adapt to inflammatory biomarkers like AIC and High Sensitivity CRP tests. If the inflammation measurements are low then cholesterol measurements are largely meaningless.}

^{High Sensitivity C Reactive Protein test is approx 400 baht cost. The regular CRP test is 250 and not as informative because it just gives a threshold of negative or positive.}

Edited September 18, 2013 by CobraSnakeNecktie

[femi fan]

I've just arrived at 123stop's posts. He/she says it right!

And for anyone wondering why they should pay all that extra money for coconut oil (while presumably spending lots on booze?!), have a skim through this website... i've linked to the success stories page, but it's a good site all round.

http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/Success%20Stories-Coconut%20Research%20Center.pdf

[pbfisher]

Palm oil - which is extremely bad for your cholesterol. Cook at home with rice bran oil (cheap and healthy) or olive oil (expensive and healthy).

I suggest you read this before propagating myths:

http://www.westonaprice.org/know-your-fats/skinny-on-fats

A must-read for anyone on cholesterol reduction medication. I have recently discontinued such medication as it's become clear that things are not what the drug companies are telling us!

[elektrified]

Lots of opinions here. Lots of info to read if you follow all the links. But of course anyone can spin something to suit their agenda. I will read the Weston A. Price (whoever he/she is) Foundation study tonight from the link above as it looks interesting.

I still say say palm oil is not healthy as it is high in saturated fat and is known to raise LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, both of which are risk factors for heart disease.

[slipperylobster]

They use palm oil almost always...especially vendors. I love olive oil, and feel that is the best for me, but I use corn oil because it is cheaper. I hate the smell of palm oil and canola oil. Corn oil is very familiar...and not as bad on you as the palm oil

[tingtongteesood]

In the supermarket you can get palm, corn and sunflower oil. I use one by a brand called Emerald I get from Tesco, I think it is quite good...

[femi fan]

Lots of opinions here. Lots of info to read if you follow all the links. But of course anyone can spin something to suit their agenda. I will read the Weston A. Price (whoever he/she is) Foundation study tonight from the link above as it looks interesting.

I still say say palm oil is not healthy as it is high in saturated fat and is known to raise LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, both of which are risk factors for heart disease.

Will the weston price study be opinion, or will it be a foundation spinning their own agenda? As it happens Weston Price was well known for doing lots of health research through his dental work on lots of native people around the world. But i can't remember how valid or authoritative this foundation is.

Coconut oil is full of saturated fat, but it's healthy for most people. So, square that one! And palm oil is also a saturated fat oil, and i believe it is healthy too, but that will depend, like with all oils, how it was produced before we get supplied it in the shops.

Our bodies are full of cholesterol and need it for proper functioning. The bad high levels that people get and fear are due to eating poor quality 'foods' such as processed foods, loads of white sugar and white flour foods, and meats that are riddled with crap from when the animals were being reared through modern practices. Also a lack of exercise is a major problem. Too much booze too.

[Nowisee]

As a result of running out of oil, I started cooking all my stir-fry using only water.

It doesn't have that oil sheen or taste, but I use various spices and sauces anyway, Im getting used to it and enjoy the easy clean up and storage of the left overs.

I have used water to cook small cut up chicken for the stir-fry also. I rarely eat fish here and have given up pork and beef altogether.

Getting more into 1 pot dishes and no oil required.