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AMERICA'S FOREMOST HEALTH & PREVENTIVE MEDICINE MAGAZINE
LET'S LIVE - DECEMBER 1994, VOL. 62
NATURAL NUTRITION:
GRAPESEED OIL: A GIFT FROM THE HEART FOR THE HEART BY BETTY KAMEN, PH.D. -
When I handed my hosts the pretty bottle of Olitalia they smiled and said, "How nice! A small bottle of wine!" "No," I responded, "It's grapeseed oil." I ignored their attempts to conceal disappointment and gave them the rest of their holiday gift: a sheet of recipes with a note, reading, "From my heart for your heart!"Any health researcher will say that it's hard to find a product, especially an every day household oil, that raises HDL (good cholesterol) and lowers LDL (bad cholesterol). Grapeseed oil, new on the American scene, does just that.What better time of the year to use such a culinary aid? This is the season people throw caution to the wind at the holiday table and consume foods they may try to avoid the rest of the year. With grapeseed oil, holiday treats need not place people at risk for cholesterol calamity.
STUDIES PROVE GRAPESEED OIL'S BENEFICIAL HDL EFFEC TDr.
David Nash, research cardiologist at the State University of New York Health Science Center in Syracuse, published a study revealing the beneficial HDL effect of grapeseed oil. The research shows just one ounce daily is all that is necessary for this beneficial outcome. Within two weeks there was a 13 percent to 14 percent increase in HDL. (Journal of Arteriosclerosis, 1990; 10:5)According to both the Helsinki and Framingham Heart Studies, performed on thousands of patients over several years, cardiac events decrease as much as 3 percent to 4 percent for each percentage increase in HDL.This translates to a significant 39 percent to 56 percent decrease in risk of cardiovascular disease. (Drugs, 1990; 40 (1) 13-8)A second report confirmed Nash's findings, adding that grapeseed oil reduced LDL in just three weeks. (Journal of American College of Cardiology, March 14-18, 1993)According to current knowledge, grapeseed oil, a high linoleic product, is the only food known to raise HDL and lower LDL. Linoleic acid is one of two essential fatty acids people cannot manufacture themselves. Linoleic acid is an Omega 6 fatty acid. Studies indicate that linoleic is sadly deficient in most diets.Grapeseed oil is 76 percent linoleic acid. Interestingly, low levels of HDL are also related to impotence. In fact, the results of the Massachusetts Male Aging study show that as HDL levels decrease, the probability of impotence increases. (The Journal of Urology, Vol. 151, 54-61, Jan. 1994)Grapeseed oil also: -Reduces platelet aggregation (i.e., prevents cells from sticking together, initiating processes leading to heart disease)
-Helps to prevent hypertension caused by sodium excess
-Helps to normalize lesions occurring from obesity and diabetes
-Is ecologically sound because it is made from grape seeds after the wine pressings. (Nutrition Reviews, 1977;35: 1; Nature, 1976; 283:633)
HOW TO COOK WITH GRAPESEED OIL
Grapeseed oil is now available for all forms of cooking and is also ideal for salad dressings and mayonnaise. It has no fatty aftertaste and enhances the flavor of food, so it can be used for anything from a tuna salad to delicate party preparations. It has a non-greasy, slightly nutty flavor and will not cloud when chilled. The recommended regular or deep frying temperature is 360¼F. At this temperature, there is no smoking, splattering, nor burnt taste because the smoke point of grapeseed oil is unusually high (over 485¼F) unlike the much lower smoke point temperatures of other oils. Keeping the temperature at the normal range also prevents conversion to harmful trans fatty acids, as does not reusing the oil again. This is a major advantage over other oils.Breaking a vitamin E capsule into stored oil is unnecessary with grapeseed oil because it is naturally high in this vitamin. The presence of vitamin E graces grapeseed oil with a shelf life of at least two years. For the same reason, maximum benefit can be obtained by using grapeseed oil raw.Wouldn't it be great if commercial food manufacturers switched to grapeseed oil instead of the frequently used products laden with trans fatty acids, designed for profit rather than health? Finally, chips, popcorn treats and even baked goods would be healthy. Meanwhile, Happy Holidays and Salute SantŽ!Betty Kamen is an award-winning photojournalist with graduate degrees in psychology and nutrition education. She has written many books, the latest of which is Hormone Replacement Therapy, Yes or No: How to Make an Informed Decision.
Alternative Medicine Digest
ISSUE 21 JANUARY 1998
WHEN FOOD IS YOUR BEST FRIENDBY JOHN ANDERSON
Although it's not well known in the United States, grapeseed oil has been used for centuries in European kitchens, where its light nutty taste and higher cooking temperature have made it valued over other oils. Grapeseed oil is made from the seeds of grapes after the juice has been extracted for wine. France and Italy, the top wine-producing countries, are naturally the leading makers of grapeseed oil."The beauty of this oil is how it tastes and what you can do with it to incorporate it into your diet," states Danio Galli at Marriott Mumbai "As a professional chef, I consider grapeseed oil and olive oil as important in the kitchen as salt and pepper."
KITCHEN VERSATILITY WITHOUT SMOKE
Grapeseed oil is prized by chefs for its versatility - specifically, its ability to handle high temperatures without smoking. The recommended cooking temperature for grapeseed oil is 360¼F, but it has a smoke point higher than most oils, at 485¼F. This means it can be used for high-temperature cooking such as sauteing and frying without any burning or smoking. In contrast, olive oil smokes at 250¼F, and corn and sesame at 410¼F."Not only is it healthful, but it is delicious as well, with a light nutty flavor that brings out the flavor of the food," reports Fancy Food magazine. Grapeseed oil is flavorful, but without the heaviness of other oils, so it does not overwhelm foods or leave a greasy aftertaste. These qualities make grapeseed oil an excellent salad oil or dip for bread.Grapeseed oil will stay fresh without refrigeration because of the oil's naturally high level of vitamin E. However, if refrigerated, it does not cloud like other oils. Look for grapeseed oils that contain no preservatives (such as TBHQ or BHT) and that are free of solvents.Olitalia grapeseed oil takes care to preserve the healthful qualities of their oil by using a dark-green glass bottle which filters out 97% of ultraviolet light. This protects nutrients, like chlorophyll, in the oil and prevents the formation of trans fatty acids and free radicals.
GRAPESEED OIL IS HEART-FRIENDLY
Using grapeseed oil in your cooking provides two key nutrients in your diet: vitamin E and linoleic acid. Grapeseed oil has a high concentration (60-120 mg per 100 g of oil) of the antioxidant vitamin E. It is also a highly concentrated source (76%) of linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid (EFA) also know as omega-6 acid, so it must be acquired through the diet. It is needed for the production of prostaglandins, hormone-like substances in the body involved in reducing platelets aggregation (blood clotting) and inflammation.Furthermore, grapeseed oil is naturally cholesterol-free. Lowering your intake of saturated fats can help reduce your risk of developing heart and circulatory problems.A diet high in saturated fats can increase cholesterol levels in the blood, leading to hardening of the arteries and other health problems. Among cooking oils, grapeseed oil has one of the lowest levels of saturated fat - only 9%. Substituting grapeseed oil for your usual cooking or salad oil is an easy way of lowering the amount of saturated fats in your diet.Research has shown that "The use of grapeseed oil in a daily diet appears to improve both HDL and LDL levels in weight-stable subjects with initially low HDL levels," concluded David T. Nash, MD, the lead researcher on the study.Another study by the same team reconfirmed the beneficial effect of grapeseed oil on cholesterol levels (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 1993) Fifty-six men and women with initially low HDL levels were instructed to substitute up to 1.5 ounces of grapeseed oil for the oil they normally used for cooking and salads. Blood tests were taken at the beginning of the study and after three weeks. At the end of the test period, the subjects showed no significant changes in weight or total cholesterol levels, but the ratio of LDL to HDL had changed.There was a 7% reduction in LDL ("bad") and a 13% increase in HDL ("good") cholesterol levels. The ability of grapeseed oil to raise HDLs "appears unique," says Dr. Nash. "Until now, no foods and only a few drugs have demonstrated an ability to raise HDL cholesterol."The long-term effect of elevated HDL and lowered LDL levels on cardiovascular health was shown in the Helsinki Heart Study, which assessed thousands of volunteers for their risk of heart disease based on cholesterol levels. The study followed 4,081 men, between the ages of 40 and 55 years old, over a five-year period. Cholesterol levels were artificially altered (LDL level lowered, HDL level raised) using a drug called gemfibrozil. Every three months, the subjects were examined and tested for signs of heart disease.The results showed that LDL/HDL levels in the blood are an important indicator of health. Over the five year period of the study, there were 34% fewer incidents of heart disease in the treated group (those with lowered LDL and raised HDL levels) compared to the placebo group, and also fewer deaths (14 vs. 19). During the fifth year of the study, the treated group had 65% fewer heart attacks than the placebo group.A low level of HDL (and corresponding higher level of LDL) is a major indicator for the development of heart problems, even more than overall cholesterol levels, according to the study. The increase in the concentration of serum HDL cholesterol and the decrease in that of LDL cholesterol were both associated with reduced risk, whereas the changes in the amounts of total cholesterol and triglycerides in the serum were not, stated the researchers. "The risk of coronary heart disease increased with decreasing the concentration of HDL."The study showed that even small increases in HDL can have a significant impact in lowering your changes of developing heart disease. For each single percentage point increase in the level of HDL, there was a corresponding 3% to 4% decrease in the incidence of heart disease.In other words, increasing your level of HDLs by 10% to 13 % with grapeseed oil can reduce your risk for cardiovascular problems by 30% to 52%. These studies demonstrated that the health benefits begin after a surprisingly short period of time. Continued use of grapeseed oil could lead to even better results.
GRAPESEED OIL CAN HELP PREVENT IMPOTENCE
Low HDL levels are also a significant risk factor for impotence. A 1994 study (Journal of Urology) of 1,290 men, 40 to 70 years old, found several factors which contributed to a higher probability of impotence. Age was the predominant factor, as the prevalence of complete impotence tripled from 5% to 15% between ages 40 and 70. After adjusting for age, the other main factors were heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, personality type, and HDL level."The probability of impotence varied inversely with high density lipoprotein cholesterol," stated the researchers. For the younger men in the study (from 40 to 55 years old), the likelihood of developing moderate impotence almost quadrupled from 6.7% to 25 % as their HDL levels decreased from 90 mg to 30 mg (per deciliter of blood). For the older men in the study (from 56 to 70 years old), the probability of complete impotence increased from near zero to 16% as their HDL levels correspondingly decreased.While the effectiveness of grapeseed oil in reducing impotence has not (to our knowledge) been specifically tested, the fact that it can increase HDLs while decreasing LDLs and triglycerides suggests it could be of considerable benefits in preventing and reversing this condition.
MAKING GRAPESEED OIL: FROM WINE GRAPES TO KITCHEN
OILGrapeseed oil is made from pomace, which consists of the stems, seeds, and skins left over after the juice has been expressed from grapes in winemaking. Pomace is usually put back into the vineyard as compost or simply discarded. Since it requires no additional crops or farmlands to produce it, grapeseed oil extraction from pomace is an efficient and ecology friendly activity, akin to recycling.Extracting grapeseed oil is more difficult than other oils because the grape seed itself is so small, has a hard shell, and contains only a small amount of oil (8-12% of the seed). This is a blessing in disguise because the seeds are well-protected against chemicals (such as agricultural sprays) or additives (such as sulfites) likely to be introduced at any stage in the grape growing and winemaking process.In the US and, particularly, in Europe the growing of wine grapes (for pressing) as opposed to table grapes (for direct consumption) tends to involve fewer chemical fertilizers and insecticides. The reason is that wine grapes are immediately processed after harvesting and do not need to be preserved for an extended shelf-life before use or consumption. This means grapeseed oil, extracted from wine grape pomace, has a considerably reduced, likelihood of containing any chemical residues.Olitalia uses an Italian refinery for their grapeseed oil. Here the pomace left over from winemaking is dried and the grape seeds are then separated and cleaned of dust. After that, the seeds are crushed using stainless steel mills. Then, to extract the oil, the crushed seeds are placed in a bath with an alcohol solution; this is heated until the alcohol evaporates, leaving the oil and the shells. The oil is then filtered and purified with steam and natural clay.
Healthy & Natural Journal
Volume 2 Issue 3
GRAPESEED OIL: THE CHAMPAGNE OF COOKING OILS BY Pino Cipolla - olitalia olive oil e-boutique
Grapeseed oil—another oil which most of us have never heard of—is being touted as the next oat bran of the nineties. Dating as far back as the first testament, grapeseed oil is a tradition. European women have been using it in their kitchens, preparing loving meals for their family gatherings, for centuries.Emperor Maximillian II of Italy thought grapeseed oil was so important he granted a monopoly for the pressing of the oil in 1569. More recently, grapeseed oil became a necessity in Europe during this century's war times, due to the shortage of available cooking oils.And today, renowned chefs, like Jean Louis Palladin in Washington, DC, have been creating culinary delights with grapeseed oil that have had people coming back for over 25 years. Jean George Vongerichten in NYC even wrote a cookbook exclusively specifying grapeseed oil, but had to switch his recommendation to canola oil due to the lack of availability of this rediscovered miracle oil, grapeseed oil.Intrigued by the shortage and lack of awareness about grapeseed oil, my interest sparked a vision caused me to jump into this quest, putting my career as a European trained hotelier and chef on hold (and on the line!) to travel wherever necessary to research and locate this wonder oil and make it available to everyone.
GRAPESEED'S ORGINS & INGREDIENTS
Today the leading producing countries of grapeseed oil are Italy and France. Not surprising—because they are the natural source for wine production, which produces the by-product, pomace, from which the grapeseed oil is made. Pomace, consisting mainly of grapeseeds, stems and skins, is an organic matter, mostly used as compost, which is generally thrown back onto the vineyards. This makes grapeseed oil an ecologically sound product, which requires no new farmland, crops or water to produce.The grapeseed itself is very hard and contains only 8-12% of oil. This makes it very difficult to produce and unfortunately it cannot be cold pressed like other oil seeds containing 22-55% oil. Nevertheless, after much research, I found a manufacturer in Italy who is now exclusively producing grapeseed oil with a very carefully engineered, low temperature refining process in an oxygen and a light free environment, which protects the valuable nutrients of the oil. The oil itself has a very high level of antioxidant vitamin E (60-120 mg/100 g), which makes it very stable. Most importantly, grapeseed oil is one of the lowest in saturated and one of the highest in the essential fatty acid, linoleic acid, also known as omega 6. Linoleic acid is one of the essential fatty acids which the human body cannot manufacture and must be eaten in order to acquire it. Studies indicate that linoleic acid is sadly deficient in most people's diets, which makes grapeseed oil stand out, containing approximately 76% linoleic acid!
BEST OF ALL—IT'S REAL GOOD FOR COOKING!
The beauty of this oil is how it tastes and what you can do with it to incorporate it into your diet. As a professional chef, I see grapeseed oil and olive oil as important in the kitchen as salt and pepper. I also use natural butter for taste where necessary. I would recommend extra virgin olive oil only as a finishing touch for all Mediterranean recipes for taste and would avoid any high heat which would break down olive oil and leave a bitter taste.This is where grapeseed oil enters as the perfect all purpose cooking oil because of its unique and versatile cooking attributes. Our taste buds recognize most tastes through the fat used as a taste carrier. This is why most non-fat foods have virtually no taste.Grapeseed oil has a light nutty taste that brings out the flavor of food. This mild flavor allows you to use it for any range of cooking, rather than being limited by the taste of the oil. It makes delicious salad dressings that will not cloud when chilled, so you can use them right out of the refrigerator. It can be heated to over 485¼F with no smoking, spattering or burnt taste when sautéing, frying or baking. When used for deep frying, it will last twice as long as common frying fats. It performs well with high moisture, high sodium products, producing crisp food without a greasy aftertaste. It makes delicious flavored oils, combining beautifully with herbs and seasonings. It is ideal as a dip for bread in place of butter or margarine, eliminating another source of saturated fats.
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