My Taiwanese mother in law has just told me I should eat healthier, as she just deep fries a lovely piece of fish covering it with MSG and then leaving it on the side for three hours until lunch,
I try to explain that just because she is eating fish, the way she cooks might not help things. “Oh.” she says, as she starts to fry the longbeans and cabbage, covering them with salt and MSG. And really can those thousand year eggs be good for you? I know I should eat better but pleaseeeeeee. I thought people liked to steam in this country but she fries nearly everything.
My wife often refuses to use the olive oil I bought for cooking as it’s so precious and expensive. Cheap cooking oil is therefore usually used.
She seems to have no idea why I spend several hundred a month on my cholestoral lowering dugs.
[quote=“Hongda”]My wife often refuses to use the olive oil I bought for cooking as it’s so precious and expensive. Cheap cooking oil is therefore usually used.
She seems to have no idea why I spend several hundred a month on my cholestoral lowering dugs.[/quote]
I hear ya, want to show her my bill for a Bypass, 250,000 US.
Make’s olive oil seem like a bargain.
[quote=“Hongda”]My wife often refuses to use the olive oil I bought for cooking as it’s so precious and expensive. Cheap cooking oil is therefore usually used.
She seems to have no idea why I spend several hundred a month on my cholestoral lowering dugs.[/quote]
olive oil is best used on salads, not for cooking with…thus sprake Belgian Pie.
What’s the reason? I thought olive oil was much healthier.
What’s the reason? I thought olive oil was much healthier.[/quote]
It is but just not made for cooking with. BP would know.
My dad claims that rapeseed noil is better.
The Verdict? As long as you’re using fats and oils sparingly in your cooking and preparation, it would be fine to use any one of the following “good” oils. All of the following oils are low in saturated fats and trans fats. Some have high concentration of monounsaturated fats such as olive oil. Choose corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, soy oil or canola oil if you wish to fry foods as these oils have higher smoke point. It is best not to fry with olive oil as its smoke point is only about 190C/375F.
* Good Cooking Oils:
o canola oil
o flax seed oil
o peanut oil
o olive oil
o non-hydrogenated soft margarine
o safflower oil
o sunflower oil
o corn oil
The following “bad” oils contain high percentage of trans fat or saturated fats. Some, such as coconut oil, even contain more saturated fats than animal products!
* Bad Cooking Oils:
o Vegetable shortening
o Hard margarine
o Butter
o Palm oil
o Palm kernel oil
o Coconut oil
What’s the reason? I thought olive oil was much healthier.[/quote]
Low smoking point. Actually, sauteing things in olive oil at a low temperature is fine. But for high temperatures, grapeseed oil is the best. Thus saith the great sage Belgian Pie.
And just for the record, canola oil = rapeseed oil.
Actually olive oil can be used for frying. YOu have to find the right grade.
[quote]
The refining processes also help to increase the smoke point to about 410ºF making olive oil very suitable for high heat cooking methods such as sautéing, pan-frying, stir-frying, and deep-frying. Even at high cooking temperatures, olive oil retains all of its healthy properties and brings out the true flavors of the food.[/quote]
So, seems like just a heat thing. From what I read you don’t want to cook with extra virgin olive as it is expensive and maybe even a lower smoking point. Anyway, the only cooking I’m doing with it is vegetables and sometimes fish and with the cover on the pan on a low heat-- so I’m probably ok.
One thing I did read is that any intense heat with olive oil can break it down in such a way it’s worse than the bad oils that Chris listed above.
BTW, I saw someone on another post mention most bread in Taiwan is made with animal or coconut lard which is unhealthy.
So what are healthy lards to be used in bread making??
I have used olive oil for cornbread before and it worked fine. Could I replace butter with olive oil for cookies for example?
[quote=“Hongda”]So, seems like just a heat thing. From what I read you don’t want to cook with extra virgin olive as it is expensive and maybe even a lower smoking point. Anyway, the only cooking I’m doing with it is vegetables and sometimes fish and with the cover on the pan on a low heat-- so I’m probably ok.
One thing I did read is that any intense heat with olive oil can break it down in such a way it’s worse than the bad oils that Chris listed above.
BTW, I saw someone on another post mention most bread in Taiwan is made with animal or coconut lard which is unhealthy.
So what are healthy lards to be used in bread making??
I have used olive oil for cornbread before and it worked fine. Could I replace butter with olive oil for cookies for example?[/quote]
You can fry with olive oil. Most frying you do would only be up to 350. If you are frying over 400 you’re fucked anyway no matter what oil you are using. You can use olive oil in a variety of situations, but you should learn the various types, so you don’t end up with extra virgin in your cornbread when it should only be used on salads.
I use olive oil a lot. If I fry with it I just add a glob of butter to it. Works a treat. I don’t give a monkey’s about the health aspect. It’s all about the taste, baby!
And why should it ONLY be used in salads? Could it also be used in something like mashed potatoes, sauces, soups or casseroles?
[quote]BTW, I saw someone on another post mention most bread in Taiwan is made with animal or coconut lard which is unhealthy.
So what are healthy lards to be used in bread making?? [/quote]
Most yeast breads are just flour and water, however most pastries, pie shells, tarts and danishes use lard or vegetable shortening.
Vegetable shortening is made from veg. oil that is hydrogentated. This is worse than lard.
Basicly, any fat that is solid at room tempature is not good for you if you have high cholestrol and/or heart disease.
The post by Chris is spot on.
[quote=“bobl”]
Most yeast breads are just flour and water, however most pastries, pie shells, tarts and danishes use lard or vegetable shortening.
Vegetable shortening is made from veg. oil that is hydrogentated. This is worse than lard.
Basicly, any fat that is solid at room tempature is not good for you if you have high cholestrol and/or heart disease.
The post by Chris is spot on.[/quote]
So if I’m just eating white or brown sliced bread from the bakery it’s reasonably healthy?
Reasonably, brown is better.
Can I get an Amen!
The best healthy cooking oil is grapeseed. It doesn’t smoke at high stir fry temps and is good for you. Also doesn’t add any flavor to the food (though I agree with Sandman that the flavor olive oil adds is a bonus). You can get it at any Wellcome but get the Spanish stuff not the local product. The fact that you can buy grapeseed oil, as well as a hundred varieties of olive, suggests that Hongda’s wife is actually not typical but a little reactionary. Don’t mean that in an offensive way, but simply to help him see that it is okay to put a little pressure on her to be liberal with the oil (for cooking purposes of course, of course). If regular Taiwanese did not use these oils they would not be sold at Wellcome.
My wife btw way is Taiwanese and got hooked on Grapeseed oil for cooking right away. Her mother likes it too, though thinks it is a bit expensive.
Canola oil means “Canada oil,” as rapeseed was developed in Canada. But you know, since housing patterns changed in the 60s from rural to urban preferences, we really don’t get out much to shag the seeds. Hence the chance of names.
Breeze Centre sells package loafs of German bread (from Germany). Rye and wheat and pumpernickel. Just wheat and salt and water. Very healthy and the pumpernickle tastes like chocolate. No kidding. A slice of it with pb and jam tastes like a Recess PB cup.
You ARE going to die no matter what you do. Might as well enjoy the decline. 
I spend a lot of time in a nursing home taking care of family and I see all of these really old people who are half crazy from Alzheimers and half crazy from pain and I really wonder what the point is to prolong life by eating and living austerely only to suffer as a result. It seems better to go with a bang and if I didn’t have someone helpless to take care of that is the way I would go, with a bang.