Ingredient Information

Grapeseed Oil

Grapeseed oil has light fruity flavor that is softer than most olive oils when used in a dressing or marinades. I generally use it when I don’t want the taste of the oil to interfere with other flavors in a recipe. I keep a bottle on hand but there’s also spray cans available in most groceries now.

It has a higher amount of mono-unsaturated fats than many oils with a low amount of trans-fatty acids and, consequently, it may actually help prevent heart disease.

A study published in 1990 in the Journal of Arteriosclerosis showed a remarkably beneficial effect of grapeseed oil on HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol). It appears that one ounce per day is enough, with the research showing a 13 to 14 percent increase in HDL cholesterol.

In another study published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology, fifty-six participants with low HDL levels substituted up to 1.5 ounces of grapeseed oil for the oil they used in recipes. At the end of the study, the subjects showed no significant change in weight or total cholesterol, but the ratio of LDL to HDL had changed with a 7% reduction in LDL and a 13% increase in HDL levels.

Best of all, it has a high smoke point. This is the temperature at which an oil will begin to burn, and for grapeseed oil it is between 420’F and 485’F (depending on the purity of the oil). This makes it excellent for cooking because it has a fruity flavor similar to olive oil but a smoke point higher than most oils.

1 tsp. grapeseed oil = 40 calories, 4.5g fat, 0.44g sat fat, 0.73g mono fat, 0g protein, 0g carbohydrates, 0mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol

Related Articles

More interesting Mediterranean Diet research:
Eating a Mediterranean diet has clearly been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease. Numerous studies have been completed, but most have compared the diet to a typical Western diet, as has a study reported in this week’s Annals of Internal Medicine.

A Mediterranean Diet Won’t Make You Fat:
You’ve probably heard that a “Mediterranean Diet” will help you live longer. What is a “Mediterranean Diet”? Essentially, a diet like that of the Greek and Mediterranean regions–a diet low in meat and dairy products, but high in vegetables, legumes, fruits and nuts, cereals, fish, and olive oil, with a moderate alcohol intake.

Good Fats Appear to Protect You From Pneumonia
Much has been written in my columns and in the press about good fats. A great deal of research has gone into this in the last few years, and while our knowledge is still evolving, it appears that eating foods rich in Omega 3 fats and Omega 6 fats is beneficial to your health.

The Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean Diet is the name that has evolved to symbolize the healthy foods eaten by those whose countries surround the Mediterranean Sea. Their diets are higher in vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts and whole grain cereals. The main fat used is olive oil and there is less emphasis on highly saturated fats.