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Types of Edible Vegetable Oils
Did you know that there are edible vegetable oils? Do you know the different types of vegetable oils?
Subject: Types of Edible Vegetable Oils
05-Aug-2011
QuimiNet
Home Supplies, Food
Edible Vegetable Oils
Edible vegetable oils are essential to maintaining the balance of lipids, cholesterol and lipoproteins that circulate in the blood, and therefore they have a vital role in our bodies. Vegetable oils provide vitamins A, D, E and K and essential oils that our bodies cannot produce, and also have the ability to enhance many of the sensory characteristics of foods, such as flavor, aroma and texture.
Types of Edible Vegetable Oils
Thanks to the wide variety of fruits and oilseeds currently on the market, there is a long list of edible vegetable oils, with the most important being:
Cottonseed Oil
Obtained from the seeds of cotton (Gossypium spp) by mechanical extraction and by solvents, raw cottonseed oil is dark and requires chemical refining to purify it. It contains Linoleic acid and is ideal for the blending of oils and fats in the production of baked goods and confectionery.
Major Uses of Cottonseed Oil
As a condiment for salads; for cooking; in snacks; in mayonnaise; as a substitute for cocoa butter; in pastries and baked goods; in margarine, shortening, and oil blends.
Avocado Oil
Avocado oil is obtained from the fruit pulp of the avocado tree (Persea americana) by mechanical extraction, pressing and centrifugation. Its appearance is greenish yellow and has a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids. Avocado oil has important applications in cosmetics for its emollient properties, rapid absorption into the skin and ability to act as a shield against the sun.
Major Uses of Avocado Oil
As a condiment for salads; in cooking; in cosmetics.
Peanut Oil
Peanut oil is obtained by mechanical pressing and / or solvent extraction from peanuts (Arachis hypogaea). This refined and deodorized oil is pale yellow. Its composition is high in monounsaturated fatty acids and it is very stable.
Major Uses of Peanut Oil
Ideal as seasoning for salads; in cooking and frying.
Canola Oil
This oil comes from seeds obtained from rapeseed varieties with low erucic acid (Brassica napus). It is obtained by mechanical extraction and / or solvents and is low in saturated fatty acids.
Major Uses of Canola Oil
Seasoning for salads; in cooking and frying; in mayonnaise, salad dressings, margarines and shortenings.
Safflower Oil
Safflower oil is obtained by mechanical extraction and / or solvents from the seeds of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius). Refined and deodorized, this oil has a light yellow color. Its high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (i.e., Linoleic acid) makes it very desirable from a nutritional standpoint.
Major Uses of Safflower Oil
As a condiment for salads; in cooking and frying; in mayonnaise.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is obtained from the fruit pulp of coconut (Cocos nucifera) by mechanical extraction and / or solvents. It contains a large amount of saturated fatty acids which makes it stable and resistant to oxidation.
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