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Oils In Seeds

The seeds of most plants contain oils that serve as high-energy starter for seedlings. Like a chicken's egg, a plant's seed must contain enough energy for sprouting a whole plant, and for growing first root, first stem, and first leaves, which then take over the functions of drawing water and minerals from the soil, drawing sunshine from the sun, and conducting the water and minerals up and the sunshine down to grow to maturity. Oils in seeds are the mother's breast for seedlings until the new plant becomes independent. They are nutrient-rich -an excellent source of health-providing nutrients.

Oil content

The amount of oil found in different kinds of seeds and nuts varies from 4% for corn to over 70% for pecans. There are wide variations in oil content of seeds from the same kind of plant in different years and from different locations.

Best oils

The best oils are unrefined, and taste like the seed from which they were mechanically (expeller) pressed without solvents. These oils must be made with care and stored in opaque containers, protected from light, oxygen, and heat. Nutrient wise, they are superior, but they must be consumed fresh before they spoil. Fresh oils from superior seeds should be available freshly pressed, protectively packaged, and quickly delivered in such a way that consumers get them unspoiled.

Hemp seed oil comes from the seeds of the marijuana plant. Hemp oil contains 19% of the three times (super) unsaturated alpha-linolenic acid (LNA), 57% of the twice (poly) unsaturated linoleic acid (LA), and 1.7% LA-derived, three time (poly) unsaturated gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). Its unusually well-balanced profile means that one could use it for a lifetime without ever suffering EFA deficiency. Its content of GLA makes it unique among edible seed oils.

Flax provides the best therapeutic oil for people with alpha-linolenic acid (LNA) deficiency-related fatty degeneration, because it contains the largest amount of LNA, the most strongly dispersing EFA. LNA helps disperse deposits of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol, which like to aggregate and make platelets sticky. To be good for health, flax oil must be fresh and not exposed to light, oxygen, and heat, because these three agents destroy LNA rapidly. In the long run, flax oil can be too rich in LNA, leading to LA (linoleic acid) deficiency.

Pumpkin seed oil is dark green and delicious, but difficult to obtain. Depending on the variety of pumpkin, it may contain from 0 to 15% LNA and from 45 to 60% LA. Unfortunately, most commonly available kinds contain no LNA.

Unrefined walnut oil has a delightful flavor, but is difficult to find fresh. Most walnut oil being marketed is refined.

Unrefined soybean oil is a high-quality oil, but the yield from mechanical pressing is low (only 18% of the bean is oil). Fresh, unrefined soybean oil is delicious. It is an excellent source of EFAs, lecithin, phytosterols, and other natural factors that inhibit some kinds of cancers.

Most of the soy oil in commercial trade is refined and partly hydrogenated, destroying the LNA it contains to prevent off flavors due to deteriorating LNA. Strains of soybean with lower LNA content are being developed to improve soybean oil shelf stability. When such strains become commercial, we will have diminished the quality of an excellent oil. Soybeans are more nutritious than refined oil.

Instead of breeding LNA out of soybeans, it makes more sense to preserve the nutrient value of oils, and develop better technology for protected pressing and sheltered packaging, storage, and transport to ensure that good oils reach consumers fresh. The technology and methods to deliver such oils are now available. It just needs to be more widely applied.

Fresh, unrefined wheat germ oil has a nice taste. Most wheat germ oil being marketed is old and rancid, and tastes awful. Wheat germ oil contains some LNA, and is a rich source of a 28-carbon fatty alcohol (octacosanol), which protects heart function and may help nerve regeneration. Wheat germ oil is also one of the richest natural sources of vitamin E.

Good oils

Unrefined safflower and sunflower seed oils are available in natural food stores alongside refined oils. Generally they are sold in transparent bottles that expose them to light on display shelves. These oils would be better in opaque containers, safe from light, air, and heat.

Sesame seed oil has a pleasant natural flavor, and is easy to press without heat. For health, it should be unrefined and untoasted. Sesame oil contains natural preservatives (sesamol, sesamin) that stabilize this relatively LA-rich oil, so it keeps longer than expected.

Rice bran oil is another stable oil. Unrefined rice bran oil is a rich source of natural waxes and sterols that lower cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, its black color makes it look rather unpleasant.

None of the above oils should be used for frying, because EFAs and other natural constituents of these oils are destroyed by high temperature. These oils are for salads, salad dressings, mayonnaise, and yogurt, and can be added to freshly prepared dishes such as hot vegetables and hot grains. To improve health, preferred habits such as frying with oils must be changed. These habits, traditionally handed down from parent to child, or learned from modern food trends, do not support the health we seek.

Evening primrose oil (EPO) is used therapeutically. It is sold in small capsules in natural food stores. The oil is usually solvent-extracted, but expeller-pressed EPO is now available. EPO is always refined.

EPO and other therapeutic oils such as borage and black currant contain LA and GLA. Under certain conditions of illness and dietary deficiency, our body may be unable to make GLA from LA, and EPO can compensate for this inability. GLA provides benefit for arthritis and premenstrual syndrome. As much as 10 to 25% of affluent populations could benefit from its use. GLA is an intermediate in the production of prostaglandins with important hormone-like regulating functions affecting heart and arteries, menstrual cycle, glands, kidneys, joints, mental function, and metabolic rate. In addition to GLA, black currant oil also contains LNA.

Oils for skin

Almond, apricot, and prune oils are similar in their fatty acid profile. All are high in oleic acid, making them mono unsaturate oils. Almond oil is rich in vitamin E, and stable. Its stability and fine aroma makes almond oil valuable as a skin and massage oil. EFA-rich oils are better for our skin, but become rancid when applied to skin from outside. The best way to oil our skin with EFA-rich oils is from inside, by eating them.

Neem oil is good for skin because it contains natural ingredients with anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, antiseptic (germicidal), fever-reducing (anti-pyretic), anti-inflammatory properties. It is also an excellent repellent of mosquitoes, sand flies, and other noxious insects, and kills lice and fleas. Neem oil has been used to heal eczema, acne, psoriasis, dry skin, and dandruff. The oil kills athlete's foot fungus, ringworm fungus, thrush, vaginal yeast, and candida. Neem oil is used in some skin creams, shampoos, soaps and toothpastes.

Monounsaturated oils

Rape and mustard seed are monounsaturated oils that contain small amounts of both EFAs. Unrefined, these oils have a spicy flavor due to glucosinolates (sulfates) that make the oil range in taste from bearable to unpleasant. Therefore they are usually sold refined. Rape and mustard seeds contain up to 40% erucic acid.

Canola oil, the low erucic acid rape seed (LEAR) oil that replaced high erucic acid rape (HEAR) and mustard oils in North America, contains less than 5% erucic acid. Like soybean oil, canola oil is sometimes partially hydrogenated, destroying its LNA to prevent off flavors due to LNA deterioration.

Peanut oil is a stable, high mono unsaturate oil. If peanuts are fungus-free, the oil is fine. Peanut oil is available as a true batch-pressed unrefined oil with a wonderful peanut aroma. But peanuts (and therefore their oil) may contain carcinogenic substances made by a fungus that grows in damp peanuts. This fungus can also infest other damp grains and seeds, but peanuts are most susceptible because they grow underground.

Avocado oil is a monounsaturated oil that is usually sold refined. It is similar to olive, peanut and almond oils in its EFA and monounsaturated fatty acid content.

Olive oil

Olive oil is rich in monounsaturates but low in EFAs. Reasons for its popularity over thousands of years of history include stability (important in a Mediterranean climate before refrigeration), and ease of pressing from soft olive flesh without requiring high pressure equipment (important before high pressure oil-pressing equipment was invented).

A major reason for olive oil's reputation for health is that virgin olive oils are the only unrefined oils sold on the general mass market. Olive oil still contains phytosterols, chlorophyll, magnesium, vitamin E, carotene, other substances present in seeds and natural unrefined oils, and important 'minor' ingredients unique to olives. This fact alone makes olive oil the only mass market oil presently worth recommending. All other mass market oils, being refined, bleached, and deodorized, are nutrient-poor. Their natural antioxidants, natural flavor and odor molecules, pigments, oil-soluble vitamins, and plant sterols were largely removed during processing.

Olive oil contains about 80% monounsaturated fatty acids, 8 to 10% LA, and about 1 % LNA. It is therefore not a rich source of EFAs, which must be provided by other oils. Besides its use in foods, olive oil is used, along with fresh lemon juice, to flush toxins from the liver. Its usefulness in this application has declined in recent years. Unrefined oils richer in both EFAs more effectively relieve overworked livers.

Whole seeds

Seeds are nutritionally balanced. They provide the best way to get fresh oils. In addition to EFAs, seeds also contain vitamins, minerals, proteins, fiber, and many important minor seed-specific ingredients. Good quality seeds are our most reliable sources of the freshest possible oils. Only if we need more than 2 tablespoons of oil, which is common in the treatment of degenerative conditions, do we need to rely on bottled oils.

In view of the nutritional value of seeds, we ought to consider chewing the seeds of fruits and melons. People from many older cultures, including traditions like Hunza and parts of Russia famous for health and long life, eat seeds as a normal practice. In India, papaya seeds are eaten for both their nutritional value and their tonic effect on nerves. They have a slight peppery nip, reminiscent of radishes and watercress.

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