Vegetable oils, their types, properties, methods of storage and use. Is vegetable oil butter or sunflower oil? What are vegetable oils

The modern food industry uses different types of vegetable oils in its production. Yes, and in stores today there is a huge selection of them, and we, when cooking, now do not use only one sunflower oil, but use other types. Many of them are also used in heavy industry, as they have a number of unique properties. Let's look at the features of these oils and the differences that exist between them.

What does vegetable oil mean

The most popular type of fat is vegetable oil, it is the main element for dressing salads and for frying foods. It is extracted through pressing seeds and fruits which are preheated and crushed. Cultures related to Shrovetide are taken. Consistency is:

• liquid oil- obtained from sunflowers, rapeseed, olives, corn, peanuts, sesame, flax, etc.
• Solid- cocoa butter, coconut, palm.

There are several ways to get oil:

1. Cold- squeezing the crushed seeds is carried out by a press. The liquid released during this process is oil.
2. Hot- crushed seeds are first heated to 100 degrees and only then they are sent for extraction. Exposure to elevated temperatures leads to an increase in the release of fat.
3. extracted- this method is not good for health. All fats dissolve in gasoline. They are filled with seeds and only after the release of oil, gasoline is evaporated.

• unrefined- such oil passes a filtration from impurity, mechanical cleaning. It retains all the benefits of the product from which it is produced: smell, taste. Its consistency is thicker with rich color. During long storage, a precipitate is released. It is used as a salad dressing, but frying on it is bad.
• refined- passed, in addition to filtration, other cleaning methods (neutralization with alkali). Such oil is tasteless and odorless, it is well stored and it is better to fry on it. It does not smoke or foam, and it is used mainly for culinary products.
• hydrated- the oil is cleaned with a spray hot water. It has no sediment and is not cloudy.
• Deodorized- for cleaning use hot steam under vacuum. This oil is odorless, tasteless and colorless.

The calorie content of vegetable oil is very high, since the fat in its composition 99,9% . But it is impossible to completely remove it from the diet, the body will have a lack of vitamin E, in fatty polyunsaturated and saturated acids that are involved in the construction of our cells. All of them have a large amount of useful substances, so the choice depends on your taste.

For example, rapeseed oil is often used in industry and only after refining is it suitable for cooking. But sesame is the main thing in Asian cuisine and in India.

sunflower oil properties

Sunflower oil is the most common vegetable oil in Russia, we all use it almost every day. In addition, the Russian Federation is the main producer of this type of oil. The technology was developed in Russia in the 11th century.

This oil is high-calorie, contains vitamin E, A, D, has a wonderful taste and is versatile in use (boiling, frying, salad dressing).

Sunflower oil happens refined and unrefined are the main types. There are others, but they are less common. Of course, unrefined is more useful, since all the vitamins are stored in fresh and it has a sunflower scent.

The oil is used both in folk and official medicine for prevention and treatment. These are diseases such as the gastrointestinal tract, liver and lungs, heart, toothache and headaches, arthritis, etc. This oil is added to the ointment. And also it is often used in cosmetology as an additive to masks and even sometimes in pure form.

Harmful properties of oil are carcinogens that are released during frying. Therefore, it is impossible to eat a lot of fried food and use the same oil several times. Be sure to wash the pan after each use.

Don't store sunflower oil in the light, it provokes the destruction of useful elements.

What are the similarities and what are the differences between sunflower and vegetable oils

Sunflower also refers to vegetable oils. Well, all of them are very useful for our body, at any age (vitamins, fatty acids, etc.), but everything should be consumed in moderation. In addition, they are all used for cooking. Sunflower and other vegetable oils are successfully used in cosmetology and medicine. Oils are similar in production method and types, such as: refined, unrefined, etc.

There are few differences, but they are:

1. Sunflower oil is made from sunflowers, while vegetable oil is made from various other crops (flax, cotton, coconut, peanuts, sesame, olives, etc.).
2. In industrial production, a large number of vegetable oils are used, and sunflower oil is generally not practiced.
3. Vegetable oils, except for sunflower, are more popular outside of Russia. But sunflower oil, on the contrary, is in great demand in the Russian Federation than other oils. And the technology was developed in Russia.
4. Another difference is that depending on the plant (its medicinal properties) from which the oil is produced, it has a preventive or therapeutic effect on a specific organ in our body.

In short, we can conclude that all vegetable oils, including sunflower oil, are good for us and should be consumed. Fortunately, today there is a large assortment of them in stores and you can choose it to your taste.

Fats of plant origin play an important role in the nutrition of a person. Exist different kinds oils according to the feedstock, technological processes production and consistency. Consider what vegetable fats are, their quality indicators, and how they are classified.

According to the degree of purification, vegetable oils are classified into:

1. Unrefined - passed only mechanical cleaning. With this method, maximum savings beneficial features vegetable oils, they acquire a taste and smell characteristic of the product from which they are obtained, and may have a sediment. This is the most useful vegetable oil;

2. Hydrated - cleaned with hot water spray. It is with a less pronounced odor, without sediment and not cloudy;

3. Refined - neutralized with alkali after mechanical cleaning. Such a product is transparent, with a weak taste and smell;

4. Deodorized - cleaned with hot steam under vacuum. This product is almost odorless, tasteless and colorless.

According to the method of pressing the oil, there are obtained:

When cold pressed - such oils have the greatest benefit for the body;

In hot pressing - when the raw material is heated before pressing, so that the oil contained in it is more liquid and subject to extraction in a larger volume;

During extraction - the raw material is processed with a solvent that extracts the oil. The solvent is further removed, but some small part of it may remain in the final product, which may be harmful to the body.

Classification of oils by consistency:

1. Solid, consisting of saturated fatty acids: coconut, cocoa butter, palm.

2. Liquid, consisting of unsaturated fatty acids:

With monounsaturated acids in the composition (olive, peanut);

With polyunsaturated fatty acids (sunflower, sesame, soybean, rapeseed, corn, cottonseed, etc.).

The properties of vegetable oil depend on the method of production and the degree of its processing during production. An unrefined cold-pressed product will bring more benefits to the body than a refined one obtained by extraction. The method of its production determines the quality indicators.

Which vegetable oil is better to buy for eating depends on its beneficial properties and application. Consider the types of vegetable oils according to the feedstock, their use and benefits for the body.

The table below will help the buyer to understand vegetable oils, their properties and proper application.

Table - Types of vegetable oil: composition, properties and proper use

In food laboratories, the assessment of the quality of vegetable oils includes a set of studies of organoleptic (taste, color, smell, transparency) and physico-chemical indicators (density, color, melting and pour point, determination of the acid number of vegetable oil, peroxide and iodine, mass fraction of moisture ).

For the average buyer, these complex laboratory tests are not available, so it is important to know some rules in order to buy high-quality vegetable oil.

1. Refined vegetable oil should be transparent, without visible impurities and sediment.

2. The color of the oil may vary from light to dark yellow and green, depending on the raw material and the degree of purification.

3. There should be no foreign smell and taste, only corresponding to the product.

4. Look at the manufacturing and expiration dates. You should not buy a product that has been on the shelf for a long time in the store, even if it has a long shelf life.

5. Good vegetable oil can't be cheap. But the high price does not guarantee anything. It is better to choose one manufacturer with a good quality product and always use it for food. Conscientious Supplier food product worries about the opinion of consumers.

6. The label must contain information on compliance with GOST for vegetable oil. The presence of quality management systems in production (international ISO standards, QMS) can also be indicated.

7. Read the label carefully. Often there is a falsification of vegetable oil: under the guise of sunflower they sell a mixture of other fats. The label must clearly indicate the type of oil and its grade, and not just the inscription "vegetable oil".

How to store vegetable oil

If you choose it in the store, it is worth remembering that the most useful will be unrefined. Which unrefined sunflower oil is better? Cold pressed. It is in such a product that has not undergone thermal and chemical treatment that vitamins and biologically active substances are better preserved. The benefit of unrefined sunflower oil is a large amount of phospholipids, antioxidants and beta-carotene.

Any vegetable oil is subject to oxidation in the light, so it must be stored in a dark place. The temperature is optimal from 5 to 20 degrees Celsius without sudden temperature changes. Unrefined oils should be stored in the refrigerator. It is better to use a glass storage container with a narrow neck, but not a metal one.

The shelf life of vegetable oil can be long - up to 2 years, provided that the temperature is observed and there is no light. An open bottle should be used within a month.

A bit of theory.

Vegetable oils belong to the group of edible fats. Unsaturated fatty acids prevalent in vegetable oils affect the amount of cholesterol, stimulate its oxidation and excretion from the body, increase the elasticity of blood vessels, activate the enzymes of the gastrointestinal tract, increase the body's resistance to infectious diseases and radiation. The nutritional value of vegetable oils is due to their high fat content (70-80%), a high degree of their assimilation, as well as unsaturated fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins A, E, which are very valuable for the human body. The raw materials for the production of vegetable oils are the seeds of oil plants, soybeans, fruits of some trees.
Sufficient consumption of oil is essential in the prevention of atherosclerosis and related diseases. Useful substances of the oil normalize cholesterol metabolism.
Vitamin E, being an antioxidant, protects against cardiovascular diseases, supports immune system, prevents aging and atherosclerosis, affects the function of the sex, endocrine glands, muscle activity. Promotes the absorption of fats, vitamins A and D, takes part in the metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates. In addition, it improves memory, as it protects brain cells from the action of free radicals.
All oils are excellent dietary product, have a memorable taste and special, only characteristic of each oil, culinary properties.

Oil can be obtained in two ways:

Pressing- mechanical extraction of oil from crushed raw materials.
It can be cold and hot, that is, with preliminary heating of the seeds. Cold-pressed oil is the most useful, has a pronounced smell, but cannot be stored for a long time.
Extraction- extraction of oil from raw materials using organic solvents. It is more economical, as it allows you to extract the oil as much as possible.

The oil obtained in one way or another must be filtered - crude oil is obtained. Then it is hydrated (treated with hot water and neutralized). After such operations, unrefined oil is obtained.
Unrefined oil has a slightly lower biological value than raw oil, but has a longer shelf life.

Oils are divided depending on the method of their purification:

unrefined- purified only from mechanical impurities, by filtration or settling.
This oil has an intense color, a pronounced taste and smell of the seeds from which it is obtained.
Such oil may have a sediment, over which a slight haze is allowed.
All useful biologically active components are preserved in this oil.
Unrefined oil contains lecithin, which significantly improves brain activity.
It is not recommended to fry in unrefined oil, as toxic compounds are formed in it at high temperatures.
Any unrefined oil is afraid of sunlight. Therefore, it must be stored in a cupboard away from heat sources (but not in a refrigerator). In natural oils, the presence of natural sediment is allowed.

hydrated- oil purified with hot water (70 degrees), passed in a sprayed state through hot oil (60 degrees).
Such oil, unlike refined oil, has a less pronounced smell and taste, a less intense color, without turbidity and sludge.

refined- purified from mechanical impurities and neutralized, that is, alkaline treatment.
This oil is clear, without sediment, sludge. It has a color of low intensity, but at the same time a pronounced smell and taste.

Deodorized- treated with hot dry steam at a temperature of 170-230 degrees in a vacuum.
The oil is transparent, without sediment, weak color, with a mild taste and smell.
It is the main source of linolenic acid and vitamin E.

Store packaged vegetable oils at a temperature not exceeding 18 degrees.
Refined 4 months (excluding soybean oil - 45 days), unrefined oil - 2 months.

Types of vegetable oils

Those who remember the stores of the eighties will confirm that the counters with vegetable oils different types has changed a lot since then; yes, as a matter of fact, and the quantitative series has increased tenfold.
Before to collect on the regular home cooking the entire line of oils, it was necessary to run around the capital's shops, and this did not guarantee complete success.
Now you can find almost any kind of vegetable oil in any large store.

The most used vegetable oils are olive, sunflower, corn, soy, rapeseed, linen.

But there are many names of oils:

]peanut butter
- from grape seeds
- from cherry pits
- nut butter (from walnut)
- mustard oil
- wheat germ oil
- cocoa oil
- Cedar oil
- Coconut oil
- hemp oil
- corn oil
- Sesame oil
- linseed oil
almond oil
- sea buckthorn oil
- olive oil
- Palm oil
- sunflower oil
- rapeseed oil
- from rice bran
- camelina oil
- soybean oil
- from pumpkin seeds
- cottonseed oil

In order to tell everything about vegetable oil, you will need more than one volume, so you will have to dwell on some types of the most commonly used oils.

Sunflower oil

It has high taste qualities and surpasses other vegetable oils in nutritional value and digestibility.
The oil is used directly in food, as well as in the manufacture of vegetable and canned fish, margarine, mayonnaise, confectionery.
The digestibility of sunflower oil is 95-98 percent.
The total amount of vitamin E in sunflower oil ranges from 440 to 1520 mg/kg. 100 g of butter contains 99.9 g of fat and 898/899 kcal.
Approximately 25-30 g of sunflower oil provide the daily requirement of an adult for these substances.
Useful substances of the oil normalize cholesterol metabolism. Sunflower oil contains 12 times more vitamin E than olive oil.

Beta-carotene - a source of vitamin A - is responsible for body growth and vision.
Beta-sisterin prevents the absorption of cholesterol in the gastrointestinal tract.
Linoleic acid forms vitamin F, which regulates fat metabolism and blood cholesterol levels, as well as increases the elasticity of blood vessels and immunity to various infectious diseases. Also, vitamin F, contained in sunflower oil, is necessary for the body, since its deficiency adversely affects the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, the condition of the vessels.

Refined oil is rich in vitamins E and F.
Unrefined sunflower oil, in addition to its pronounced color and taste, is saturated with biologically active substances and vitamins of groups A and D.
Refined deodorized sunflower oil does not have the same set of vitamins and microelements as unrefined sunflower oil, but it has a number of advantages. It is more suitable for cooking fried foods, baking production, because it does not stick and has no smell. It is preferred in the diet.

Olive oil

40 grams of olive oil per day can cover the body's daily need for fat without adding extra pounds!

Olive oil is characterized by a high content of oleic acid glycerides (about 80%) and a low content of linoleic acid glycerides (about 7%) and saturated acid glycerides (about 10%).
The composition of oil fatty acids can vary over a fairly wide range depending on climatic conditions. Iodine number 75-88, pour point from -2 to -6 °C.

Olive oil is absorbed by the body almost 100%.

Extra virgin olive oil is the best.
The label says: Olio d "oliva l" extravergine.
In such olive oil, the acidity does not exceed 1%. The lower the acidity of the olive oil, the higher its quality.
Even better, if it is indicated that the olive oil is made by cold pressing - spremuta a freddo.
The difference between ordinary olive oil and extra-virgin olive oil is that extra-virgin oil - Olio d "oliva l" extravergine - is obtained exclusively from fruits harvested from the tree, and the extraction must be done within a matter of hours, otherwise it will be very high acidity of the final product.

Olives that have fallen to the ground serve as raw material for "lampante" oil, which is not suitable for food due to its very high acidity and impurities, so it is refined in special installations.
When the oil has completely passed the refining process, a little extra virgin olive oil is added to it and eaten under the name - "olive oil".
Less quality oil Pomas is made from a mixture of olive pit oil and extra virgin oil.
Greek olive oil is considered the highest quality.

Olive oil does not improve over time, the longer it is stored, the more it loses its taste.

Any vegetable dish, seasoned with olive oil - a cocktail of antioxidants that preserves youth.
The polyphenols found in olive oil are indeed a powerful antioxidant.
Antioxidants inhibit the development of free radicals in the body and thus prevent cell aging.

Olive oil has a positive effect on digestion and is an excellent prevention of stomach ulcers.
Olive leaves and fruits contain oleuropein, a substance that lowers blood pressure.
The anti-inflammatory properties of olive oil are also known.
The value of olive oil is due to its chemical composition: it consists almost entirely of monounsaturated fats, which lower cholesterol.

Recent studies have also revealed the immunostimulating effect of this product.

Real olive oil is quite easy to distinguish from fakes.
You have to put it in the cold for a few hours.
AT natural oil in the cold, white flakes form, which disappear again at room temperature. This is due to the content of a certain percentage of solid fats in olive oil, which solidify when cooled and give these hard flaky inclusions.
The oil is not afraid of freezing - it completely retains its properties when defrosted.

It is best to use olive oil when dressing dishes, in baking, but it is not recommended to fry on it.

Soybean oil

Soybean oil is obtained from soybeans.
The average content of fatty acids in soybean oil (in percent): 51-57 linoleic; 23-29 oleic; 4.5-7.3 stearic; 3-6 linolenic; 2.5-6.0 palmitic; 0.9-2.5 arachidic; up to 0.1 hexadecenoic; 0.1-0.4 myristic.

Soybean oil contains a record amount of vitamin E1 (tocopherol). There are 114 mg of this vitamin per 100 g of oil. In the same amount of sunflower oil, tocopherol is only 67 mg, in olive oil - 13 mg. In addition, tocopherol helps fight stress and prevents cardiovascular diseases.

Regular use soybean oil in food helps to reduce cholesterol in the blood, improves metabolism, strengthens the immune system.
And this oil is also considered the champion among other vegetable oils in terms of the number of trace elements (there are more than 30 of them), it contains vital fatty acids, among which there is quite a lot of linoleic acid, which inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
It also restores the protective and moisture-retaining abilities of the skin, slowing down its aging.
Soybean oil has a high biological activity and is absorbed by the body by 98%.

Raw soybean oil is brown with a greenish tint, while refined soybean oil is light yellow.
Low-refined soybean oil has, as a rule, extremely limited shelf life and a rather unpleasant taste and smell.
Well-refined oil is an almost colorless liquid without taste and smell with a specific oily consistency.
A valuable component extracted from soybean seeds along with fatty oil is lecithin, which is separated for use in the confectionery and pharmaceutical industries.
Used mainly as a raw material for the production of margarine.

Only refined soybean oil is suitable for food, it is used in the same way as sunflower oil.
In cooking, it is better suited for vegetables than for meat.
It is more often used in the food industry as a base, as a dressing for sauces, and also for the production of hydrogenated soybean oil.

Corn oil

Corn oil is obtained from corn germ.
By chemical composition corn oil is similar to sunflower oil.
It contains acids (in percent): 2.5-4.5 stearic, 8-11 palmitic, 0.1-1.7 myristic, 0.4 arachidic, 0.2 lignoceric, 30-49 oleic, 40-56 linoleic , 0.2-1.6 hexadecenoic.
Pour point from -10 to -20 degrees, iodine number 111-133.

It is golden yellow in color, transparent, odorless.

It is believed that corn oil is the most useful of the oils available and familiar to us.

Corn oil is rich in vitamins E, B1, B2, PP, K3, provitamin A, which are the main factors that determine its dietary properties.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids contained in corn oil increase the body's resistance to infectious diseases and favors the removal of excess cholesterol from the body, has an antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effect, and improves brain function.
Thanks to nutritional value corn oil is used for irritated and aging skin, regenerating it.

In cooking, corn oil is especially suitable for frying, stewing and deep-frying, because it does not form carcinogens, does not foam or burn.
It is good to use it for cooking various sauces, dough, bakery products.
Due to its beneficial properties, corn oil is widely used in the production of dietary products and baby food.

grape oil

Grape oil has a light yellowish color with a green tint, the taste is pleasant, characteristic of vegetable oils, without foreign aftertastes.
Relative density 0.920-0.956, pour point - 13-17C, iodine number 94-143.
Grape oil is rich in polyunsaturated fats, especially linoleic acid - up to 76%. Has a hepatoprotective effect; has a positive effect on the kidneys; contains vitamin E - one tablespoon of grapeseed oil per day is enough to cover daily allowance of this vitamin in the human body.

The high biological activity of grape oil is due to a complex of biologically active substances, among which the central place is occupied by proanthocyanidin, an antioxidant that prevents cell regeneration.
If it were not for the high price of grape oil, it could be used for frying - sunflower oil will start to smoke and burn at a fairly low temperature, but grape oil - heated to 210 degrees, does not change color, smell or taste.
In cooking, nutritious and light grape oil used in marinades, salad dressings, mayonnaise, baked goods, and as a substitute for peanut butter.
It is recommended to add grape seed oil when canning vegetables, but grape seed oil is ideal for marinating meat and fish.
It also gives amazing color. fried potatoes- just add 2 tablespoons of grape oil to the pan with sunflower oil.

pumpkin seed oil

AT modern world pumpkin seed oil has lost its position, which took many years - in Austria, where the best pumpkin seed oil is produced, in the Middle Ages the price of this product was equal to real gold.
There was a royal decree forbidding the consumption of pumpkin seed oil, it was to be used exclusively as a medicine!
Pumpkin seed oil is still considered one of the most expensive, second only to pine nut oil.
If we talk about the benefits of pumpkin seed oil, then it is impossible to overestimate its properties - this oil is called a preventive panacea. Contraindications to the consumption of pumpkin seed oil is perhaps individual intolerance.

Pumpkin seed oil has a greenish tinge and, depending on the variety, has a nutty flavor or a pronounced aroma of roasted pumpkin seeds.

The composition of pumpkin seed oil includes vitamins A, E, B1, B2, C, P, F; it contains more than 90% unsaturated fats, from 45 to 60% linoleic acid and only up to 15% linolenic acid, rich in fatty acids, has a unique complex of essential phospholipids of plant origin. Contains a large number of biologically active substances: carotenoids, tocopherols.

Pumpkin seed oil does not tolerate heat, so it is better to keep it in a tightly corked bottle, in a dark, cool place.
Pumpkin seed oil can't stand any heat!
Therefore, it is added exclusively to cold dishes.
The main purpose of oil in cooking is dressing salads, second courses, preparing cold marinades.

It can be stored for about ten months at a temperature of +15 degrees C.

Linseed oil

Among vegetable oils, linseed oil is the undisputed leader in terms of its biological value, since it is 2 times higher than fish oil in terms of the content of unsaturated fatty acids and is an ideal natural remedy for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease and many other diseases associated with impaired blood flow, thrombosis, as well as cancer of various localization.

Application linseed oil in cooking quite widely - it gives a unique taste to vinaigrettes, it goes especially well with sauerkraut; added for flavoring in milk porridges, especially well combined with honey and apples.

Not subject to prolonged heating!
Flaxseed oil should be stored in a cool, dry place at a temperature not exceeding 20 ° C, no more than 8 months.
Store the opened package in the refrigerator at a temperature of 2-6 ° C with a tightly closed lid for no more than 1 month.

Amaranth oil

Amaranth is a broad-leaved annual herbaceous plant 3-4 m tall with multiple elegant inflorescences containing seeds.
It is magnificent, decorative and medicinal plant- the absolute champion in protein content.

In Russia, this plant is little known, but in Europe and Asia over the past decade it has become widespread among gardeners.

Amaranth oil is made from the seeds of the plant's inflorescences.
It contains 67% polyunsaturated fatty acids (Omega - 6), lecithin, a large amount of squalene - a polyunsaturated liquid hydrocarbon (C30H50) - its content in amaranth oil is 8%.
This wonderful compound saturates the tissues and organs of our body with oxygen. In addition, amaranth seeds contain a lot of tocopherol (vitamin E), which has an antioxidant effect.

The most valuable amaranth oil in its own way healing properties far superior to sea buckthorn - in traditional medicine used for external use for burns, rashes, eczema, abscesses, trophic ulcers for their fastest healing.
In addition, it protects the skin from direct sunlight and is used in anti-wrinkle creams.

Amaranth oil is an effective dietary product that helps to strengthen the immune and hormonal systems, eliminate metabolic disorders. Regular consumption of oil contributes to the removal of toxins, radionuclides and salts of heavy metals from the body, improvement of anemia, normalization of the gastrointestinal tract and other functions of the body.
In cooking, the use of this oil is not common, much more often young leaves and shoots of amaranth are used in food - they are eaten raw in salads, blanched, boiled, fried, stewed.
But if you include in your diet vegetable salads seasoned with amaranth oil or you will add this oil to homemade cakes- especially bread, pancakes, cheesecakes - you will feel not only new taste familiar dishes but also enrich your body useful substances.

More recently, visiting a store, you could buy any product and be sure of its quality, or at least that you bought exactly what you wanted. But today, literally each of us can easily miss - you buy one thing, and read the composition, and you begin to understand that they slipped something completely different. A vivid example of this, which every hostess must have encountered, is oil. “So what is it, vegetable?” - a thought flashes by when you read the composition in small letters on the back of a square pack of “creamy”. Well, it turns out that our favorite creamy (seemingly) butter today may well be vegetable.

Let's understand all the wisdom that resourceful manufacturers generously endow us with. Finally, let's find out if vegetable oil is butter or sunflower, how they differ and which one is more useful. And of course, it will not do without little tricks: is it possible to replace it with vegetable if it was not at home, and you have already started preparing the dough with might and main?

Vegetable oil

All oils that are vegetable oils are made from the seeds of plants and nothing else. Our most popular vegetable oil is sunflower oil, followed by olive, corn, linseed, pumpkin, and so the list can be continued almost indefinitely.

How is oil obtained from plants?

• Cold pressed - crushed seeds are pressed with a press. The resulting liquid is the same oil that we use.
• Hot pressing - the seeds are crushed, heated to a temperature of 100 degrees, and only after that they are sent under the press. Under the influence of temperature, the seeds more actively secrete fat, which means that more oil will be obtained.
• Extraction is perhaps the most unhealthy way. Any, including, can be easily dissolved with gasoline. It is they who are poured seeds, and after they give up all their juices, they begin to evaporate gasoline. As a result, it burns out and only oil remains.

Refined or not, what's the difference?

After the oil is obtained, it goes through several purification modes:

• Unrefined oil is a product that has been filtered from all kinds of impurities. It has a thicker, richer texture and color. If such oil is stored for a long time, then a slight sediment will appear at the bottom. Such oil is not particularly suitable for frying, but cold dishes and salads are best seasoned with it.
• Refined vegetable oil is a product that has passed not only a filter, but also a number of other additional purifications. Such oil does not foam when frying, does not have a pronounced taste or smell, and it is stored much better. Margarine, mayonnaise are made from it, used in conservation and cooking. Refined oils are devoid of taste and smell, and their smoke point is almost twice as high. It's much more convenient to use them.

The benefits of vegetable oils for us

To talk about the benefits of each particular species, one must also take into account which plant it was obtained from. After all, each of them endows the oil only with its inherent vitamins and nutrients. Let's think, our vegetable oil is what: sunflower, peanut or soy? So, olive, for example, is able to lower cholesterol, pumpkin and linseed are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and corn contains twice as much vitamin E as sunflower. But all these oils, regardless of their origin, are united by their high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids. It is they who take an active part in the creation of new cells, which means that they are very useful for our youth and health in general.

Butter and spread

Obtained from cream collected from the surface of milk and knocked down. That is, they are derived from animal products. Today, manufacturers often add vegetable oil to the composition of such a product. Is it cream or sunflower, you ask? It all depends on composition. But remember never real butter can't be cheap. If you notice such an oddity in the cost, then carefully read the composition. Surely it will indicate the addition of vegetable fats. According to GOST, since 2004, all manufacturers have been obliged to call such products not “butter”, but “butter product” or “spread”. Such butter is vegetable-creamy, but the percentage of both components should be indicated on the packaging and may differ significantly.

How is the spread different?

The advantages of this oil include its soft and pliable structure. It does not harden in the cold and is easily spread on bread due to the fact that it contains vegetable oil. Is it butter or sunflower? Rather, it is a mixture of two types: vegetable and animal fats. It will be very good if the manufacturer adds sunflower oil to such a product, then you can not worry about your health once again. But there are those who are trying in every possible way to save on production and at the same time increase the amount of sales. That's when the well-known vegetable fat in cosmetology comes into play, this is palm oil. Such a product is cheap and has similar qualities to butter made from pure cream - it hardens when cooled. It is convenient to use it as a substitute for animal fat, you just need to add a little taste and aroma. There will be no particular harm from such a replacement, but there will be no benefit either. Therefore, standing in front of a store counter, think about who benefits from such “accessibility”, the manufacturer or you? It’s better not to save on health once again, therefore, even when buying margarine or a baking spread, try not to take the cheapest one.

Can vegetable oil be substituted for butter?

This question must have been raised by every hostess. At the most crucial moment, you open the refrigerator, and the butter is over! Do you really have to give up baking, because you planned it? In fact, vegetable oil may well help you out. This creamy sins with a high content of cholesterol, but in vegetable it is not, therefore such a fusion will be very good. This will not affect the taste at all, because ordinary refined has neither taste nor smell, but at the same time it is fat, albeit vegetable. You just need to remember that you need to add a little less vegetable oil than indicated in your favorite recipe. For example, a pack of butter, weighing 220 g, needs to be replaced with ¾ cup of vegetable oil.

About the correct use, or How not to harm

Now you know a little more about what vegetable oil is - butter or sunflower, how it is useful and how it is produced. But there is another factor due to which such an oil can do evil service, and we should not forget about it. This is the correct temperature for cooking. Each type of fat has its own specific heating point. If you overheat the oil, then it can form carcinogens that will get into food. Determining this point is quite simple - if the oil in the pan starts to smoke or burn, then you obviously overheated it, and it is better not to use it for food. For frying food at high temperatures (for a wok pan, for example), it is better to choose special oils with a high level of smoke.

By the way, butter starts to smoke already at a temperature of 170 degrees, but refined corn, sunflower and palm oil only at 232. It is always better to use it for salads or sauces, they are not suitable for frying. And also do not forget that the longer your dish is exposed to heat treatment, the more it loses vitamins and benefits for your body.

We hope that this information will be helpful. Let culinary creativity bring you pleasure and give you new unexpected discoveries. Cook tasty and healthy!

Vegetable oil has been used for food, beauty and health for many centuries. Depending on the geographical location, each people had their own familiar oils. In Russia it was hemp, in the Mediterranean - olive, in Asia - palm and coconut. An imperial delicacy, a cure for a hundred diseases, a natural pharmacy - as soon as vegetable oil was not called at different times. What are the benefits of vegetable fats and how are they used today?

The huge energy potential of vegetable fats is explained by their purpose. They are found in seeds and other parts of the plant and represent a building reserve for the plant. The amount of fat in oilseeds depends on the geographic area and its climatic conditions.

Sunflower oil is one of the varieties of vegetable and purely Russian product. It began to be obtained from sunflower seeds at the beginning of the 19th century, when the plant was brought to our country. Today the Russian Federation is the world's largest supplier of this product. Vegetable oils are divided into two categories - base and essential. They differ in purpose, raw material and method of obtaining.

Table: differences between base and essential oils

According to the consistency, vegetable oils are of two types - liquid and solid. Liquids make up the vast majority.

Solid or butter oils are oils that retain a liquid consistency only at temperatures above 30 ° C. Butters of natural origin - coconut, mango, shea, cocoa and palm oil.

How to get

Vegetable oils differ in the technology of their extraction from plants. Cold pressing is the most gentle way of processing raw materials (it must be of the highest quality). The seeds are placed under a press and squeezed at high pressure. Further, the resulting oily liquid is settled, filtered and bottled. At the output of raw materials, no more than 27% of the fats contained in it are obtained. This is the healthiest product called cold pressed oil.

Pressing after heat treatment allows the use of seeds of any quality. They are preheated in a brazier, then squeezed. Yield - 43%. In this case, some of the useful properties of the oil are lost.

Extraction is the most productive and cheapest way to obtain organic oil. It is used to work with low-oil raw materials. The extraction method uses the ability of vegetable fats to dissolve under the influence of chemicals. Oil products (gasoline fractions) are used as a solvent. Then they are evaporated, and the residues are removed with alkali. It is impossible to obtain harmless vegetable oil in this way; some of the chemicals remain in it even after the most thorough cleaning.

Photo gallery: types of vegetable oils

The frozen butter is used for children and diet food Refined oil is widely used in cooking Unrefined oil can only be consumed cold

The extracted oil is converted into refined oil by several stages of purification:

• hydration is a way to remove from crude oil phospholipids, which long-term storage and transportation precipitate and make the oil cloudy;
• alkaline neutralization is used to remove free fatty acids (soaps);
• waxes are removed by freezing;
• physical refining finally removes acids, removes odor and color.

The freezing method is used not only for refined oils.

Vegetable fats obtained by pressing and then purified by freezing are used in baby and diet food.

The best frozen vegetable oils are sunflower and olive. Olive contains monounsaturated fatty acids that do not lose their beneficial properties when heated.

What are the benefits of vegetable oils

The biological value of vegetable oils is determined by their fatty acid composition and the amount of related substances:

1. Saturated fatty acids predominate in butter, sesame, soybean and cottonseed oils. They give the product antiseptic properties, inhibit the growth of fungi and pathogenic microflora, promote the synthesis of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid. Some of them are used as an emulsifier in skin care cosmetics and medicinal ointments and creams.
2. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) - oleic, palmitoleic (omega 7). Oleic acid is found in large quantities in olive, grape, rapeseed and rapeseed oils. The main function of MUFA is to stimulate metabolism. They prevent cholesterol from sticking to the walls of blood vessels, normalize the permeability of cell membranes, and have hepatoprotective properties.
3. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) - linoleic (essential PUFA), alpha-linoleic (omega 3) and gamma-linoleic (omega 6). Contained in linseed, sunflower, olive, soybean, rapeseed, corn, mustard, sesame, pumpkin, cedar oil. PUFAs improve the structure of the vascular walls, participate in the synthesis of hormones, and prevent atherosclerosis.
4. Concomitant substances in vegetable oils are vitamins A, D, E, K, B1, B2 and nicotinic acid (PP). An obligatory component of vegetable fats is phospholipids. Most often they are found in the form of phosphatidylcholine (formerly called lecithin). The substance promotes the digestion of food and the absorption of nutrients, normalizes cholesterol metabolism, and prevents the accumulation of fats in the liver.

In Russia, as an edible oil, sunflower and olive oil are the most popular. In addition to them, there are more than a dozen vegetable fats that have excellent taste and beneficial properties.

Table: useful properties of vegetable oils

Rating of usefulness of vegetable oils

Nutritionists advise expanding the range of vegetable oils and keeping 4-5 types on the kitchen shelf, alternating their use.

olive

The leader among edible vegetable oils is olive oil. In composition, it competes with sunflower, but it has one indisputable advantage. Olive oil is the only vegetable fat that can be used for frying. Oleic acid - its main component - does not oxidize when heated and does not form harmful substances. Olive oil has fewer vitamins than sunflower oil, but its fat composition is better balanced.

Sunflower

Next to olive oil, the place on the podium is deservedly occupied by unrefined sunflower oil. Nutritionists consider it necessary product in the diet. Sunflower oil is the leader in the content of vitamins, especially tocopherol (one of the most powerful antioxidants).

Linen

Flaxseed oil is the lowest calorie, it is equally useful for women and men. It is recommended for use in breast and prostate cancer, it is good for skin and hair. The oil is taken as medicine, dressed with salads and used externally.

mustard

Mustard oil is a home doctor and a natural preservative. It contains bactericidal esters, which gives it the properties of a natural antibiotic. Products seasoned with mustard oil stay fresh longer. Heating does not deprive the product of useful qualities. Mustard oil baked goods stay fresh longer and do not go stale.

Sesame

Sesame seed oil is the leader in calcium content. It is useful to use it for gout - it removes harmful salts from the joints. Dark-colored oil is used only cold, light-colored is suitable for frying.

Benefits of vegetable oils for women and men

Cedar and mustard oil in the diet of a woman is not only "food" for the mind and beauty. They are useful for women's health. Substances in their composition help:

• normalize the balance of hormones, especially in the premenstrual and menopause;
• reduce the risk of infertility;
• prevent the formation of fibroids;
• improve the course of pregnancy;
• increase the amount of breast milk and improve its quality.

For men, mustard oil will help protect against prostate diseases, increase fertility (the ability to fertilize).

Photo gallery: oils for women's and men's health

Mustard oil normalizes hormonal balance in women Cedar oil improves reproductive function Flaxseed oil increases potency

Flaxseed oil is another product for maintaining beauty, youth and women's health. Its constant use helps to push back the period of withering thanks to phytoestrogens. It has a beneficial effect on the condition of a woman during pregnancy, improves the condition of blood vessels, preventing the development of varicose veins.

Flaxseed oil is a “male” product that allows you to achieve a stable increase in potency. Improving erection is achieved by a beneficial effect on the elasticity of the vessels of the penis and their blood supply. In addition, flaxseed oil promotes increased testosterone production, improving the male reproductive function. Pine nuts, black cumin, pumpkin and olive oils have a similar effect.

Vegetable oils for children

A child needs vegetable fats no less than adults. They are added to the first feeding in vegetable puree home cooking(in vegetable mixes industrial production it has already been added). Start with 1-2 drops of oil per serving. One year old child give at least 5 g, distributing this amount in the daily diet. Oils useful for children:

• sesame is ideal for baby food due to the easily digestible form of calcium;
• cedar is recommended by pediatricians to prevent rickets and iodine deficiency;
• olive has the most balanced composition for baby food;
• unrefined sunflower is rich in vitamins;
• flaxseed contributes to the proper formation of brain tissue;
• mustard - the champion in the content of vitamin D;
• walnut oil has a rich mineral composition, suitable for weakened children and during the recovery period after an illness.

Saturated with fragrances and dyes, children's creams are replaced with vegetable oil.

To care for diaper rash and folds, sunflower oil boiled in a water bath is used. Coconut, corn, peach and almond are allowed to massage babies.

Consumption rates

On average, an adult man needs from 80 to 150 g of fat per day, a woman - 65–100 g. A third of this amount should be vegetable fats (1.5–2 tablespoons), and for older people - 50% of the total consumed fat (2-3 tablespoons). The calculation of the total amount is based on the need for 0.8 g per 1 kg of weight. daily requirement child:

• from 1 to 3 years - 6–9 g;
• from 3 to 8 years - 10–13 g;
• from 8 to 10 years - 15 g;
• over 10 years old - 18–20

One tablespoon is 17 g of vegetable oil.

The use of vegetable oils

In addition to cooking, vegetable oils are used in medicinal, cosmetic purposes and for weight loss.

Treatment and recovery

In order for the oil to benefit health, it is taken on an empty stomach:

• any edible vegetable oil taken in the morning relieves constipation (use no more than three days in a row);
• with gastritis, colitis, biliary stagnation and stomach ulcers, it is recommended to drink 1 teaspoon of oil before meals two to three times a day;
• relieves hemorrhoids by taking one teaspoon of oil 3 times a day an hour before meals.

1. Oil from pumpkin seeds take a tablespoon before meals three times a day for two weeks.
2. Flaxseed oil is taken orally three times a day for a teaspoon before meals. Another teaspoon can be added to the salad. Additionally, the oil is used in microclysters - a tablespoon of the product is added per 100 ml. An enema is done at night, while it is advisable not to empty the intestines until morning.
3. Castor oil combined with cognac is considered effective tool against helminths. The same amount of cognac is added to the oil heated to body temperature (50–80 g). The time of taking the mixture is morning or evening. Treatment is continued until the feces are cleared of worms.
4. Unrefined olive oil (1/2 liter) is infused for three days in a cool place with 500 g of garlic. Then 300 g intervenes there rye flour. The course of treatment - 30 days on a teaspoon three times a day.

Why is it good to rinse your mouth with vegetable oil?

Healing oil rinses were practiced several centuries ago in India. In the last century, doctors recognized this method of cleaning the oral cavity. Pathogenic microbes have a fatty membrane that dissolves upon contact with vegetable oils. Thus, the oral cavity is disinfected, inflammation of the gums is reduced and the risk of caries is reduced.

Rinsing is done with sunflower, olive, sesame and linseed oil. To do this, take two teaspoons of the product and roll it in your mouth for 20 minutes. The oil mixes with saliva, increases in volume and becomes thick. Then they spit it out, rinse their mouth warm water and then brush your teeth. You need to start the procedure from 5 minutes. Linseed oil is enough to rinse your mouth for 10 minutes.

Rinsing helps not only to preserve the health of teeth and gums, they make breathing easier and relieve sore throats.

Using olive oil in this way, you can cure a sore throat. Coconut oil additionally whitens teeth.

Video: how to be treated with vegetable oil: grandmother's recipes

Vegetable oils for weight loss

The effect of losing weight with the help of vegetable oils is achieved by gently cleaning the body, saturating it with useful substances and increasing their absorption from other foods. In addition, oils have the ability to reduce appetite. For weight loss, olive, linseed, castor and milk thistle oils are used.

Flaxseed oil is drunk on an empty stomach in a teaspoon. For the first week, its volume is gradually brought to 1 tablespoon. The course is two months. One teaspoon of olive oil in the morning on an empty stomach will further increase defensive forces body and heal the skin.

Castor oil is good for colon cleansing. You can take it for no more than a week, 1 tablespoon half an hour before breakfast. A week later, the course can be repeated. Milk thistle oil is also taken on an empty stomach, 1 teaspoon, washed down with cold water.

The use of oils in cosmetology

In addition to edible oils, there are many vegetable fats used exclusively in cosmetology. They successfully replace creams, ready-made masks and other skin and hair care products.

Skin care

Avocado, macadamia, grape seed, olive oil restores and moisturizes dry, flaky skin. Corn and cedar oil gives elasticity to aging skin. Jojoba oil nourishes and smoothes the epidermis. They can be used in their pure form or prepare masks based on them.

Nourishing and moisturizing mask for aging skin includes heated cocoa butter (1 tbsp), rosehip and sea buckthorn (1 teaspoon each) and vitamins A and E (4 drops each) added to 1 tbsp. cream spoon. Step-by-step care will help to cheer up tired skin:

• wash your face with water mixed with corn oil (for 1 liter of water - 1 teaspoon);
• make a compress with a weak solution of soda;
• apply cabbage leaf gruel to the skin;
• wash off the cabbage mask with warm water.

Hair care

Oil masks are especially useful for dry and weakened hair. They eliminate dandruff, restore the hair shaft, nourish the scalp and hair follicles. For oily hair grape seed oil and almond oil are suitable. Dry hair prefers burdock, coconut and olive oil. From dandruff helps jojoba, burdock, grape seed oil and castor oil.

If you take a tablespoon of linseed oil in the morning on an empty stomach, your hair will become lush and shiny.

Damaged hair is treated with a cottonseed oil mask. It is rubbed into the scalp, hair is wrapped in a towel and kept for an hour. Then the hair is rinsed with warm water. Heated olive oil (2 tablespoons) in combination with 1 tbsp will relieve split ends. a spoonful of vinegar and chicken egg. The mixture is applied to the ends of the strands and aged for 30 minutes, then washed off with water.

Care for nails, eyelashes and eyebrows

Oils are an excellent care for nail platinum, they prevent delamination, strengthen and make it less brittle:

• to strengthen the nails, prepare a mixture of 2 tablespoons of almond oil, 3 drops of bergamot ether and 2 drops of myrrh;
• a mask of olive oil (2 tablespoons), lemon esters (3 drops), eucalyptus (2 drops) and vitamins A and E (2 drops each) will accelerate the growth of the nail plate;
• Jojoba oil (2 tablespoons), eucalyptus ether (2 drops), lemon and rose esters (3 drops each) will add shine to the nails.

For various reasons, eyelashes can fall out, and areas of alopecia appear on the eyebrows. Save the situation three "magic" oils - olive, castor and almond. They will provide nutrition to the hair follicles, enrich the skin with vitamins. Daily massage of the brow arches with one of the oils will make hair growth thicker. Oil is applied to the eyelashes with a thoroughly washed mascara brush.

Herbal oils for massage

For massage, vegetable oils are suitable, which do not thicken when heated and do not leave a greasy film on the body. You can use one oil or prepare a mixture, but no more than 4-5 components. The most useful are those obtained by cold pressing. They are rich in vitamins that are beneficial for the skin.

Oil from flax seeds and wheat germ soothes the skin and heals wounds, carrot oil is suitable for aging skin. Cocoa, jojoba, peach, palm and safflower oils can be used for all skin types.

Contraindications and possible harm

Unrefined vegetable oils are harmful if used for frying. The compounds contained in them are oxidized and turn into carcinogens. The exception is olive oil. Vegetable fats are a high-calorie product, they should not be abused by people with obesity and a tendency to it. Medical contraindications:

• acute pancreatitis;
• cholelithiasis (you can not use the oil in its pure form);
• thrombophlebitis and heart disease (sesame oil is not allowed);
• allergy (peanut butter).

Harm causes oil with improper storage and exceeding the expiration date. Nutritionists advise not to abuse rapeseed and soybean oil, since the raw material can be GMO.

Video: vegetable oil - the choice of a nutritionist

There is a heated debate around the benefits and harms of vegetable oils. One thing is obvious - they are necessary for our body, but in moderation. And they will benefit only if properly stored and used.