Sean Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 I'm not one to repost other articles because I think it's super annoying. But I read this article and am kind of upset about it so I thought I'd pass it along. It was a response Dr. Weil gave to a reader online(drweil.com). I like Dr. Weil although he's not vegan. He does have some great health related articles and info. "Unfortunately, it appears to be true. I've been doing some research lately on the untold olive oil story, which is a scandal in need of widespread exposure and corrective measures. I'll be reporting on what I've learned this week in response to questions that I've been asked on the subject. As you know, I recommend olive oil as the best all-purpose oil, not only for salads but for most cooking needs as well. The monounsaturated fat in olive oil appears to be protective against heart disease, some cancers, and other chronic diseases while saturated fats such as butter and other animal fats and polyunsaturated vegetable oils are associated with increased health risks. (Omega-3 fatty acids from wild salmon and other types of cold water fish also are beneficial to health.) The highest quality olive oil (the extra-virgin form extracted from fresh olives with gentle pressing) also has a high fraction of antioxidant polyphenols that are very good for you. To qualify as extra-virgin, olive oil must have an acidity of less than one percent. (A few good brands state their acidity on the labels.) In Europe, olive oil must pass rigid taste and chemical tests to be ranked as extra-virgin and advertisement must be less than two years old. The age of extra-virgin olive oil is rarely stated on the labels of olive oil sold in the United States. Most of the olive oil sold in the United States is imported from Italy or Spain. While some Italian and Spanish olive oils are of very high quality, many products sold in the United States as "extra-virgin" may be a lesser grade of olive oil and some may be primarily canola or hazelnut oil to which a small amount of olive oil has been added for color and taste. Some olive oil we get here may come from pomace, the olive pulp left after pressing out the oil. Additional oil can be extracted from pomace by treating it with hexane, a chemical solvent - not a good practice. Even when the bottle contains genuine olive oil, it may not be from Italy or Spain as the labels suggest - both countries import huge quantities of cheaper olive oils from Tunisia, Turkey, Morocco or Libya, bottle them and label them "imported from" Italy or Spain. This is deceptive marketing. Tomorrow, I'll discuss the loopholes in U.S. laws that allow the sale of substandard olive oils here. Andrew Weil, M.D." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorilla Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Yes it is upsetting that companies are using deceptive labelling in this way. Just a recent anecdote about olive oil: I was convinced that olive oil was a source of protein, as well as fat, but it seems it contains 0g of protein. Oh well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted April 18, 2006 Author Share Posted April 18, 2006 I actually love olive oil, but have cut back on it's usage over the last year. Now when I throw together a salad dressing or something I will use flax oil instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compassionategirl Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 I like Dr. Weil although he's not vegan. Hmm, I am surprised that he is not vegan because in Eating Well for Optimum Health, at page 117, he notes that "epidemiologists consistently find an inverse correlation between the percentage of animal foods in the diet and better health." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_raVen_ Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 Gorilla, maybe you were thinking of olives ? Olives have some protein. Oils are not really good for us anyway; eating the whole food is always optimal Even flax, by the way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorilla Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Yes I was definitely thinking of the whole olives. Super food. I don't bother with flax oil: I grind whole golden linseed in a coffe grinder and add it to smoothies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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