Grapeseed Oil
The other day, I was shopping with one of my daughters. We saw a bottle of beautiful pale green colored Grapeseed Oil and I mused aloud, “I wonder what it smells like.” The words had barely left my lips when I heard the seal breaking on the cap as my daughter excitedly exclaimed “Let’s see!” Her excitement quickly faded as she realized we now needed to purchase that bottle because we had opened it. So I thought it was a perfect opportunity to research as well as taste a new oil.
Here are some things I found online about grapeseed oil. In Posh Gourmet’s article “Choosing Gourmet Oils” they say there are three oils no pantry should be without - olive, grapeseed, and canola. The Gourmet Retailer says grapeseed oil has a higher smoke point (better for high temp cooking or frying), holds together well in sauces or mayonnaise, and has an unobtrusive taste. The article at Suite 101.com, “Alternatives to Olive Oil” won big points with me by saying the three most commonly used fats in Italy are olive oil, butter, and grapeseed oil. (I personally still think butter has a place in our diets.) Grapeseed oil has antibacterial properties and fights free radicals. A Yale-New Haven dietitian recommends that grapeseed oil be used in addition to olive oil as part heart healthy diet, but not to replace it.
Those things reinforce my belief that there is NO ONE MAGIC ANSWER. Just because we discover some great properties in soybeans doesn’t mean that eating soy everything is beneficial. Or because olive oil has proven health benefits that we should use it to the exclusion of all other oils. Or when we see benefits to eating vegetables or raw foods, that we should only eat those foods. I don’t believe that our bodies were designed to eat only from a few categories or use only a few cooking methods. I think important keys to healthy eating are variety, moderation, and a basic understanding of the nutrition in foods.
As to the taste, I found it light and easy to combine with any flavor. I fried quite a few chickpea and rosemary patties in a couple of tablespoons of it and never had any smoke or burning. I will definitely use it for high temperature cooking or for recipes that don’t need an olive oil flavor. Yea! One more healthy food in my pantry. Try it, you might like it too - although you don’t have to open your bottle in the store. Just some food (or oil) for thought…
