What kind of oil do you cook with?

ksdk

If you're avoiding GMO oils, what are you using? I need a lighter oil from time to time, I'm thinking of extra light olive oil, and am trying safflower for the first time. An all-purpose/baking oil rec. please : )

 

GRKaters

I don't know about its GMOiness, but grapeseed oil is a light, versatile oil I use for a lot of things from baking to stir-frying. I am more likely to use applesauce in place of oil when I bake, though.

 

uncannycanuck

Clearly fails the GMO test, but I use canola oil. It's very healthy, has a high smoke point, and is local for me (tons of canola is grown and processed around where I live). It's also cheap because it's local.

I use canola for baking and frying, EVOO for things where the flavour will be noticed.

smurfette2682

i use EVOO for pretty much everything.  For baking i use either applesauce or vegetable oil- not sure of GMO content in that.

jennyk213

I thought I was okay using canola oil but now I realize I'm not.   

I also use olive oil and coconut oil.  I don't think they have GMO's but who knows anymore?

Tambcat

This might be a dumb question, but aren't there certain brands of any type of oil that don't use GMOs?  I haven't been actively trying to avoid GMOs, so I don't know.

I use olive oil for most things, and I have used light olive oil in the past when I wanted to avoid the strong olive oil flavor. The problem with that, as someone mentioned, is its low smoke point. I currently use soybean oil for the rare times when I need to cook something at a higher temp, mostly when frying, or when recipes for baked goods call for oil (although with those, I use butter as often as possible. )

xnickerx

olive oil, organic sunflower oil, and butter. lots and lots of butter.

CDMay2006

Dh uses evoo for everything (even brownies) and it doesn't affect the taste of flavorful sweets (it can in something bland like waffles).  We use peanut oil for frying if it will need to be too hot for olive oil.

hollyfp

Extra Light olive oil for salads, vegetable or peanut oil for sauteeing, applesauce and/or veg. oil for baking.  No frying in our house!

Our grocery's selection of organic oils is poor, so these are all conventional-

Sweden+Canada

I use coconut oil, olive oil, butter and canola oil (from Sweden- GMO free!)

derky17

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't an oil that's imported from Europe be GMO free?  For instance, if your olive oil is 100% Italian (or even one of the mixed bags are mostly from Spain, Italy and other euro nations), wouldn't that also mean it would be clear of any any GMOs--since haven't most european countries outlawed them?  I think we need Super Green to help clarify for us!

FWIW, I do use 100% Italian olive oil, almost exclusively since olives aren't native to NC anyway.  For the baking I do, I try to use organic canola when possible--for the same reasons one of the ppers mentioned. 

ETA: but now that I'm thinking about it, maybe peanut oil would be the better choice since peanuts are grown much closer--but if I use it in baking, will it affect the taste??

curlydoglover

olive oil for cooking

safflower oil for baking

SuperGreen

Tambcat:

This might be a dumb question, but aren't there certain brands of any type of oil that don't use GMOs?  I haven't been actively trying to avoid GMOs, so I don't know.

This isn't a dumb question, because you're right!  The Spectrum brand, which I have at my local supermarket (Bloom) is non-GMO, it says so on the back.  I use their canola oil for baking.  Any organic oil will be non-GMO as well.  Once I run out of the regular Spectrum canola oil I'm going to get the organic canola oil from Whole Foods.  I use EVOO, which isn't GMO, for almost everything else except for Asian cooking, for that I use sesame oil.  Sesame oil gives an awesome flavor to noodle stir-frys.

According to my GMO pocket guide (e-mail me at elaine dot dubin at gmail dot com if you'd like it), here's the scoop on oils:

"Unless labeled explicitly, corn, soybean, cottonseed, and canola oils probably contain genetically modified products.  Choose pure olive, coconut, sesame, sunflower, saflower, almond, grapeseed, and peanut oils.  Also choose preserves, jams, and jellies with cane sugar, not corn syrup."

The following oil/jams/PB brands May Contain GMO Ingredients.  The (  ) is the parent company.  This is only for oil/jams/PB, there are many many more GMO brands for other products.

Crisco (Smucker's)
Del Monte
Heinz
Hellman's (Unilever)
Kraft condiments and dressings
Mazola
Pam (ConAgra)
Peter Pan (ConAgra)
Skippy (Unilever)
Smucker's (except their "simply 100% fruit" line of preserves)
Wesson (ConAgra)
Wish-Bone (Unilever)

ETA: As for oils from Europe, it's my understanding that GMOs are banned for European consumption, meaning that hypothetically European companies could export GMO products to the U.S.  I doubt they'd go through that much trouble, so I would bet 100% italian oil is safe for example.  Regardless, there are no GMO olives right now.  But who knows, Monsanto is expanding into everything.  Small amounts of GMO zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, and sweet corn are currently available.  About half of Hawaii's papaya is GMO.

Alisha_A

I just use olive and coconut oils, but you can use whatever oil you like and avoid GMOs just by buying organic. And its not that big of a price difference.

Pescalita

We use extra light olive oil for most things when cooking (as well as for skin moisturizer). We also have canola oil on hand for baking, eggs, or other things that really need a light oil, and EVOO for salad dressings and olive oil bread.