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<pre>Hi Guido,
Thanks for your detailed information on the processing of
Olive Oil versus Grapeseed oil. I was converted by members
of this list from Canola Oil to Olive Oil. So, I think I am
gonna stay this way. Thanks for the clarification.

Victor
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Message: 7
Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2002 07:52:50 +0200
From: "Guido Costa" <costa@...>
Subject: Re: Olive Oil vs Grapeseed Oil

Victor,

Olive oil (specifically virgin and extra virgin) differs
from most other
edible oils insofar as it is consumed in its natural state,
without any
chemical refining. Fresh unrefined olive oil thus retains
most of the
natural and healthful properties which make it so special
amongst oils
(vitamins, antioxidants, flavours, etc.).

Besides these healthful and flavourful minor bio-active
compounds
(nutraceuticals) found in unrefined olive oil, one of its
major health
benefits derives from the fact that the triglyceride content
of the oil
comprises mainly the mono-unsaturated fatty acid called
oleic acid (55-83%).
Mono-unsaturated fatty acids have been clearly and
unequivocally shown to be
far superior to both poly-unsaturated and (especially)
saturated fatty acids
in terms of their effect on human coronary heart disease,
etc.

Grapeseed oil contains predominantly (58-78%)
poly-unsaturated linoleic
acid, and only about 12-28% of the healthy mono-unsaturated
oleic acid in
its triglyceride structure. Furthermore, most grapeseed oils
are
solvent-extracted and refined (like most other seed oils),
and this
chemically harsh and heat-intensive refining process
destroys virtually all
of the minor healthy components found in the natural oil.

High poly-unsaturated content in an oil makes it much more
prone or
susceptible to oxidation, and much less tolerant to heat.

For a flavourful, healthy and stable oil, there is nothing
to touch a good
fresh extra virgin olive oil.

I would say that the only generally available edible oil
which comes close
to olive oil in terms of "chemical structure" would be
canola oil (a
rapeseed variant). And then we are not saying anything about
flavour, etc.!

Regards,

Guido Costa
Paarl
South Africa
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