Macular Degeneration and Vegetable OIls

[JaneV2.0]

Interesting article postulating that modern use of industrial seed oils may be leading to an epidemic of blindness in Australia:

https://www.smh.com.au/national/vegetable-oils-linked-to-blindness-20040610-gdj3ic.html

[rosarugosa]

Wow, that is pretty scary. I can at least count myself lucky that olive oil is one of my very favorite foods.

[kib]

I remember reading about certain "fake fats" being linked to obesity for perhaps a similar reason - the forms of these manufactured fat molecules are unfortunately "good enough for government work" when it comes to building cell walls, but they're not actually suitable from a molecular standpoint to perform the expected function. (sort of like installing a cheap dummy doorknob and then realizing you can't get into your house.)

[happystuff]

We use canola oil with olive oil as a reserve for certain things (due to its being more expensive). I didn't see it mentioned in the article - unless I missed it?

[JaneV2.0]

Canola (rapeseed oil) is highly processed, an industrial seed oil. Best to stick with naturally occurring oils like olive, avocado, butter, lard--in other words, oils either pressed from naturally oily fruits or saturated fats. The author of the study was timid about saturated fats, but I'm not.

[Teacher Terry]

I only use butter and olive oil.

[Chicken lady]

I am skeptical about this study. I would want to see more information about it.

i was raised on real butter and olive oil and still use it. I eat a diet very much like that recommended although fish is now very rare for me. I have macular Degeneration. No one in my husbands anti saturated fat, non fish and few veggies, butter is the devil, oleo fed family has any issues with the disease.

there is a strong genetic component.

Treatment has improved exponentially. My grandfather was effectively blind at 80. My father is still reading large print. I am on a vitamin regimen that I have been told has a 90% chance of stopping the progression at it’s current minimally noticeable level.

[herbgeek]

Yay! Chicken Lady is back! AND Kib too! Welcome back to both!!!

[happystuff]

I use butter as well, but my question would be... what oil - other than olive oil - do folks use in baking, etc? I don't use olive oil in dressings that I put in the fridge - for the obvious solidifying issue. I have a cake recipe that calls for oil and using olive oil would definitely effect the taste. I've been thinking that canola was a "better" alternative to corn or plain vegetable oil, but I guess I'm wrong. What is an inexpensive alternative? (If you haven't guessed by now, I am not well-versed in oils. lol)

[Yppej]

I make salad dressing fresh each time I eat salad rather than putting it in the fridge.

Other oils I have tried besides olive are coconut, walnut, and avocado. Coconut has the strongest taste.

[iris lilies]

Yay! Chicken Lady is back! AND Kib too! Welcome back to both!!!

Holiday time for old friends!

[JaneV2.0]

I use butter as well, but my question would be... what oil - other than olive oil - do folks use in baking, etc? I don't use olive oil in dressings that I put in the fridge - for the obvious solidifying issue. I have a cake recipe that calls for oil and using olive oil would definitely effect the taste. I've been thinking that canola was a "better" alternative to corn or plain vegetable oil, but I guess I'm wrong. What is an inexpensive alternative? (If you haven't guessed by now, I am not well-versed in oils. lol)

My favorite oil is avocado. It's very mild and holds up well under high temperatures. I also use very light olive oil for general cooking.

[JaneV2.0]

I am skeptical about this study. I would want to see more information about it.

i was raised on real butter and olive oil and still use it. I eat a diet very much like that recommended although fish is now very rare for me. I have macular Degeneration. No one in my husbands anti saturated fat, non fish and few veggies, butter is the devil, oleo fed family has any issues with the disease.

there is a strong genetic component.

Treatment has improved exponentially. My grandfather was effectively blind at 80. My father is still reading large print. I am on a vitamin regimen that I have been told has a 90% chance of stopping the progression at it’s current minimally noticeable level.

There may be more studies if the industrial seed oil manufacturers don't manage to quash them. The bit about lipid membranes is probably key.

People I follow in the field are pretty unanimous in their condemnation of highly processed, chemicalized oils in the modern diet, for a number of reasons.

[Teacher Terry]

I quit baking when the kids grew up. If I need dessert for a event I buy it. So many health issues are hereditary. I see that with HBP in my family. Not everything is lifestyle although it’s smart to live as healthy as you can.

[JaneV2.0]

I quit baking when the kids grew up. If I need dessert for a event I buy it. So many health issues are hereditary. I see that with HBP in my family. Not everything is lifestyle although it’s smart to live as healthy as you can.

There's a saying "Genes load the gun, environment pulls the trigger."
The problem comes when you're told (falsely) what constitutes healthy behavior. We all mostly muddle through.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I use butter as well, but my question would be... what oil - other than olive oil - do folks use in baking, etc? I don't use olive oil in dressings that I put in the fridge - for the obvious solidifying issue. I have a cake recipe that calls for oil and using olive oil would definitely effect the taste. I've been thinking that canola was a "better" alternative to corn or plain vegetable oil, but I guess I'm wrong. What is an inexpensive alternative?

It depends on how often one bakes, if just occasionally, I wouldn't worry about canola, it probably is better than corn or plain vegetable oils, not so much omega 6. But I seldom bake, and most recipes call for butter. I occasionally buy a dessert (but often wished I'd baked in those cases, lots of not good stuff out there). But mostly I have dark chocolate (or sometimes chocolate covered nuts, figs etc.) if I want a dessert (because I never claimed never to have dessert :~) ). I don't always have bread around or anything but if I want some I buy it, real bread is pretty available now days, actually of course real bread often has no fat at all so I don't see any reason fat has to be added to bread.

But there are literally recipes that call for olive oil in cake, from the Mediterranean (often with citrus as well), so I'm not sure olive oil isn't suited for cakes too! Yes I work for the California olive oil council (just kidding). But I do think olive oil is versatile. But yea on being expensive - yep.

I pretty much use olive oil period for everything. Butter is pretty indigestable for me, but I use it here and there, but mostly it's olive oil. If for some reason I need butter fat (haha I doubt it) I eat cheese and yogurt, it's more digestible for some reason. I don't worry about salad dressing solidifying in the fridge, just take them out for a bit and it will unfreeze, no big deal. I usually just top a salad with some olive oil and vinegar so nothing that needs to be put away to freeze, but I have dressing recipes, I usually make them on the spot, but if I have leftover, I just thaw them.

[Yppej]

I often use guacamole instead of dressing to moisten and add flavor to a salad.

[Chicken lady]

Hi, thanks, just passing by.

genes loaded my gun and based on that study it apparently off all by itself.

i use unsweetened applesauce instead of oil in baked goods like cake and muffins. Equal amount. Not for bread or crust though. Only quick breads. Butter pie crust.

[happystuff]

Thanks for all the info and input. When I bake for home, I do all those things like subbing applesauce and always use butter, etc. I do most of the baking for work birthdays and those are the baked goods that I stick to the recipes... it's not always wise to use co-workers as guinea pigs. LOL.

I've never tried avocado oil, but will. And see about a bottle of light olive oil for a sub as well.

Thanks again!!

[kib]

Yay! Chicken Lady is back! AND Kib too! Welcome back to both!!!:thankyou:

[JaneV2.0]

Thanks for all the info and input. When I bake for home, I do all those things like subbing applesauce and always use butter, etc. I do most of the baking for work birthdays and those are the baked goods that I stick to the recipes... it's not always wise to use co-workers as guinea pigs. LOL.

I've never tried avocado oil, but will. And see about a bottle of light olive oil for a sub as well.

Thanks again!!

I've made mayonnaise with both; I'm not a huge fan of EVOO, so mayo made with it didn't make the cut.

[kib]

I've actually got back to cooking with tallow and lard sometimes - great for baking, but I try to source it carefully, so it's pricy and maybe not worth the effort. I second avocado oil as a light alternative to olive, and butter ... well, I consider everything from buns to beans simply a good vehicle for the transfer of butter from plate to mouth.

[JaneV2.0]

From dietheartnews on Twitter:

Bacon fat: 50% is monounsaturated, mostly oleic acid (valued in olive oil). About 3% monounsaturated antimicrobial palmitoleic. About 40% saturated - why bacon fat is relatively stable, unlikely to go rancid. Remaining 10% is polyunsaturated. It's all good!

[Teacher Terry]

I remember when some people would save the bacon fat to fry eggs in. I hate the taste and can’t eat it.

[JaneV2.0]

I remember when some people would save the bacon fat to fry eggs in. I hate the taste and can’t eat it.

I enjoy bacon, pretty much as often as possible, but bacon fat adds flavor I don't need in most other foods. I will use it in dressing for bacon and tomato salad, and to cook green beans, etc. I like my eggs cooked in butter.

[Alan]

I remember when some people would save the bacon fat to fry eggs in. I hate the taste and can’t eat it.I still do.

[Teacher Terry]

I love bacon and cook my eggs in butter or olive oil.

[rosarugosa]

Eggs are great fried in butter, but in bacon fat is the best!

[catherine]

I enjoy bacon, pretty much as often as possible, but bacon fat adds flavor I don't need in most other foods. I will use it in dressing for bacon and tomato salad, and to cook green beans, etc. I like my eggs cooked in butter.

I make Scottish mince, mostly for DH but I'll eat it if it's local grass-fed beef. However, DH doesn't like grass-fed beef because he feels it doesn't have the same fatty flavor as regular beef. So I fry up a couple of slices of bacon, throw it in the mince and spoon in a couple of teaspoons of bacon fat, and according to him, it tastes better. It's a bit of a compromise on my part, because pouring in bacon fat from Oscar Meyer or whatever somewhat negates my efforts to eat local/sustainable. Oh, well.

[iris lilies]

So, buy local bacon. Why not?

[Alan]

Eggs are great fried in butter, but in bacon fat is the best!
Boy Howdy! You and I could be great friends. :+1:

[Geila]

I really enjoy cooking with bacon fat and adding it to soups and such for flavor, but lately my body seems to have a hard time with it. I get heartburn. So I've switched to evoo and that makes a good second choice. And I can no longer eat bacon because of the amount of salt in it, even the low-sodium type. I do miss that.

[JaneV2.0]

You can buy sustainably raised tallow, i think. Pricey but might be worth it.

[rosarugosa]

Our local farmer's market has amazing bacon.