Grapeseed oil- To use or not to use??

As a raw foodist Ive heard the question come up alot about which oils to use for consumption. Yes, the type you buy will have differing tastes so make sure you buy a high quality to get the flavours you're intended to be tasting...and the nutrition you're meant to be consuming! When it comes to Grapeseed oil there tends to be little info out there for the everyday consumer. Dont get caught up in the media hype, Grapeseed oil really is not all its cracked up to be.

Grapeseed oil can be found in two sections of the store; the beauty aisle and the aisle where you buy oils to cook. They are the same thing. This is a money maker...and a smart one at that. What isnt so smart is using grapeseed oil in your cooking. In fact, Id advise you not to eat it at all. Here's why:

Grapeseed oil is a Poly. This means it has double bonds of carbon with an unstable electron. This instability causes rancidity whenever the oil sits for a while, is exposed to heat, and when it's exposed to light. Interestingly enough, grapeseed oil is typically sold in clear glass containers. RANCID. When an oil goes rancid quickly (grapeseed, corn, and soy for example) companies are required to do high heat commercial processing. This exposes the oil to air but more importantly, it means the oil has been refined, bleached, and deodorized. It is then processed again at an even higher temperature to get rid of the smell of the rancidity. This process causes the oil to be completely deficient in any nutritional property and creates free radicals. These free-radicals attack cell membranes, red blood cells, and cause DNA/RNA damage just to name a few things.

However, there are those that love their grapeseed oil and if you still choose to use this oil it is highly recommended that you purchase it in a dark bottle, unrefined, and kept refrigerated.

For those of you looking to get higher quality oils into your diet, choose olive or coconut oil. Coconut oil is your best choice as it has a high resistance to heat, is loaded with healthy fats, and has powerful antioxidants. This is true for any raw foodies out there too :)