Grapeseed oil is 'Tops' with so many
Vegetable oil has suffered yet another setback in recent years, first with olive oil and now with the buzz about grapeseed oil.
A rich and gorgeous light green, the good stuff has a refreshing grape scent and nutty flavor that can be used for anything from dressing veggies (a mix of grapeseed oil and balsamic vinaigrette is killer) to sauteeing meat and tofu. Best of all, it can be substituted in recipes that call for olive oil.
(Rich Hein/Sun-Times)
It turned up in at least one winning recipe used -- as chronicled by Sun-Times writer Misha Davenport -- on the television cooking show "Top Chef" when Chicago winner Stephanie Izard included it in a rosemary vinaigrette to drizzle over a grilled tenderloin.
Grapeseed oil, extracted from the seeds of grapes, comes largely from Italy, France and Switzerland and is a byproduct of the wine-making industry.
High in antioxidants and vitamin E, there is research to suggest that grapeseed oil might be good for the heart but also -- as it turns up in more cosmetics -- good for the skin.
Two years ago, researchers at the University of California at Davis found that grapeseed extract reduced blood pressure in a group of people with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of problems that increase the risk of heart disease, according to a UPI report.
Whole Foods puts up a caution sign to consumers, noting that it is chemically extracted. However, wholefoodsmarket.com also advises that quality manufacturers of refined grapeseed oil use ethanol alcohol to extract the oil rather than the more harsh chemical solvent hexane.
In addition to Whole Foods, grapeseed oil is on the shelves at gourmet grocers, from the small storefronts along Argyle Street on Chicago's North Side, to the Super H Mart mega Asian grocery store, which carries several different brands, in suburban Niles.
Curious about an unusual edible or kitchen tool? Want to share some mysteries in your own cabinets? E-mail the Food Detective at ldonovan@suntimes.com.