Choosing The Healthiest Oils For Salad Dressings

What is the healthiest oil for your salad dressings?

There are quite a few different types of cold pressed oils I recommend for salad dressings. When it comes to nutrition, the healthiest oils are those rich in monounsaturated fat, phytochemicals, and alpha linolenic acid. When choosing an oil always make sure it is cold pressed, unrefined and raw. That way you'll benefit most. Unless you decide to also cook with the oil, unrefined oils should always be your preference.

The salad oil you choose is really based on the taste you desire. Furthermore what benefits you desire to obtain from the healthy salad oil over time.

Healthy Salad Oils - Seed Oil

How to succeed with your healthy salads? Whatever the season, one of the the key element for a crisp and fresh salad mix is certainly the dressing. Generally made of cold pressed and fresh oil and vinegar. You can also mix cold pressed oils with lemon juice, yogurt or many other options. But don't to get lost with all the types of cold pressed oils available. To make your next deliciously flavoured and healthy  salad this summer, consider these seed oils.

Pumpkin Seed Salad Oil

Carbs in Pumpkin Seed Oil

Even though there is carbohydrates in pumpkin and in pumpkin seeds, there is no carbohydrate in pumpkin seed oil. Like all oils, the glycemic index of pumpkin seed oil is zero.

Fats in Pumpkin Seed Oil

Most of the fat in pumpkin seed oil is polyunsaturated fat, specifically omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Research has shown that these essential fatty acids can help raise HDL (good) cholesterol, improve the ratio of HDL to LDL cholesterol, and prevent cardiovascular disease. Nutrition experts recommend that you get 3–10 percent of your daily calories from polyunsaturated fat.

You'll also get a small amount of monounsaturated fat when you consume pumpkin seed oil. Monounsaturated fats are considered good fats because they can help boost your HDL or "good" cholesterol levels. Experts at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommend that you choose foods with monounsaturated fat instead of saturated fat when possible and consume 15–20 percent of your caloric intake from monounsaturated fat.2

Protein in Pumpkin Seed Oil

There is no protein in pumpkin seed oil. However there is protein in our vegan pumpkin seed butter.

Poppy Seed Salad Oil

Ostro Organics fresh Poppy Seed Oil is a great choice for salad dressings. It has smooth, subtle flavors that also works very well as a condiment. Our raw organic Poppy Seed Oil is made from the finest quality raw, organic, fresh, cold processed poppy seeds available.

Furthermore once you start using Poppy Seed Oil in your healthy salad dressings you'll notice that it has more flavor than initially thought. The light nutty finish on your pallet even let's those with nut allergies get to enjoy this healthy salad oil. Enjoy with citrus like lemon or lime juice.

Poppy Seed Oil is one of our thinnest oils in terms of viscosity. As such it makes an ideal salad oil for warm and hot summer days.

Possible Benefits

Poppy seed oil is a source of unsaturated fatty acids as well as minerals like calcium, zinc and magnesium.

Also good for cooking?

You can also enjoy fresh, raw poppy seed oil for medium temperature cooking (under 315°F).

Lemon Infused Salad Oil

As one of Ostro Organics's top selling oils Lemon Infused Raw Sesame Oil has a variety of uses and benefits. With a clean, fresh, citrus aroma, Lemon is known for its purifying properties. As a versatile salad oil, Lemon also has the ability to aid in digestion and support healthy respiratory function when enjoyed on fresh garden salads.

Ostro Organics Lemon Infused Raw Sesame Oil can have antibacterial properties. So using it as a healthy salad oil may help protect against abnormal bacterial growth. It can also contains a chemical called phytate. This can act as an antioxidant in cells and may help prevent cellular damage and genetic alterations.

Refreshing and light - this salad oil is not only very popular with our customers. Also rare to find as we use raw sesame seeds as a base.

Flax Salad Oil

One of the best things about Ostro Organics Flax Seed Oil is its versatility. For starters, it can easily be swapped for other types of healthy oils in salad dressings, dips and sauces.

You can also add one serving (one tablespoon or 15 ml) into smoothies or shakes to add some flax seed oil into your diet with minimal effort.

Keep in mind that flax seed oil should not be used for cooking, as it does not have a high smoke point and can form harmful compounds when exposed to high heat (Source).

In addition to being used in food, flax seed oil can be applied to the skin to enhance skin health and also increase skin moisture.

Healthy Salad Oils - Nut Oil

Nut oils such as walnut, almond, hazelnut and macadamia have a distinctive rich taste. We  like to use them in combination with another oil in healthy salad dressings. One of my favorite dressings for arugula is three parts fresh poppy seed oil and one part walnut oil or hazelnut oil. It's got a great nutty flavour. Also it's an excellent source of monounsaturated fat and alpha linolenic acid.

Hazelnut Salad Oil

Ostro Organics Hazelnut Oil has a sweet as well as nutty taste. This pure and raw salad oil is a very rewarding accessory for your fridge. You can use it in a number of healthy salad dressings, especially vinaigrettes. Its taste works well with citrus fruits, berries (raspberries, blueberries) along with other fruits as well as naturally sweet foods. Raw Ostro Organics Hazelnut Oil is also utilized as an alternative to olive oil in pesto–it effortlessly absorbs the spicy flavor of basil and garlic.

Hazelnut oil is also a wonderful carrier oil made out of  raw and cold pressed hazelnuts, which are generally known as filbert nut as well as cobnut.

Hazelnut oil is also known to be gentle on the digestive system. Generally, the less processed an oil the more nutrition it includes, even though the more costly it tends to be. High temperature can harm the flavor as well as the nutrition within this healthy salad oil.

Walnut Salad Oil

Ostro Organics's fresh, and raw Walnut Oil is very fragrant, and communicates its nutty flavor in every language to your salad greens and favorite foods. Walnut oil is perfect when you add cheese into your salad mix. Avoid mixing it with vinegar if at all possible. Unless it's a very fine aged balsamic vinegar. No need to be too conservative  when using raw walnut oil, as too much will not mask the flavor of  other ingredients. Furthermore enhance the flavours!

How to store salad oils?

Unrefined oils can spoil easily, so refrigerate between use or store in a dark container in a cool dark cupboard.  Always make sure to purchase in dark containers. Furthermore ensure you buy fresh at purchase.

Smarter Shopping For Healthy Salad Oil

At Ostro Organics  we offer a wide range of freshly pressed, healthy salad, cooking and skin oils. Say healthy luxury oils not more - A little goes a long way! Also by using the right oils during cooking can determine the health of the meal! Same does for your salad oil of choice. So choose wisely and switch your oils up from time to time. Purchase enough fresh oils for four to six weeks, then order the next batch of fresh culinary oils. Eating fresh has many benefits, take advantage of eating healthy today!

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