Healthy eating on Pesach can be a challenge. With all of the stress and preparation,
it’s too easy for good intentions to morph into a cornucopia of processed
foods, matzah and cheese. As I was
doing some research and trying to learn about ways to make the chag healthier,
I stumbled upon a trove of websites denouncing the scourge of cottonseed
oil. I had no idea that cottonseed
oil was unhealthy, or that it played a major role in Pesach. Of course, I came to find out that both
of these things are true.
Many of the oils we use during the year are kitniyot, so
cottonseed oil has become an important substitute. When I was at the grocery store last week, the Pesach
cooking oil section had a few shelves of olive oil next to a wall of cottonseed
oil. There were a few bottles at
the bottom labeled “Vegetable Oil”, but when I checked the ingredients I found
“100% Cottonseed Oil”. I also
started checking labels on the processed foods, and almost every one included
my new nemesis.
It turns out that Cottonseed oil is not just a Pesach
problem. It’s everywhere. A lot of processed foods are made with
cottonseed oil because, since it’s an industrial by-product, it’s cheap. There’s quite a bit of debate online
about whether cotton is regulated by the FDA as “food” and whether there are
either strange or excessive toxic pesticide residues in the resulting oil. (Although even the possibility of this
makes me want to avoid it just to be on the safe side.) Either way, “regulated” obviously
doesn’t necessarily mean “healthy”.
Also, if you’re someone who tries to avoid GMO foods, it’s important to
note that most cotton (and therefore the cottonseed oil we consume) is produced
from genetically modified seeds.
Besides the issue of potentially consuming a lot of
pesticide residue, cottonseed oil is also extremely high in saturated fats, and
low in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. It also has an unhealthy ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty
acids (259.4:1). The recent trend
towards diets that fight inflammation is due to the fact that many chronic
diseases are linked to inflammatory conditions in the body. Simply put, Omega-3 fatty acids tend to
decrease inflammation, while Omega-6 fatty acids are associated with increased
inflammation. The claim is that a
variety of health problems are due to an imbalance of these fatty acids in our
diets. Most health experts agree
that roughly equal amounts (or even a 2:1 ratio) of Omega-6 to Omega-3 would be
optimal. Modern diets are closer
to 25:1…and that results mainly from our use of unhealthy vegetable oils. In fact, excessive amounts of dietary
Omega-6 actually reduce some of the health benefits of eating Omega-3s in the
first place. One way to cut out a
lot of the Omega-6 in our diets is to reduce the amount of processed foods we
eat. (Or at least to check labels
for the phrase “MAY contain cottonseed oil” because that’s code for “there’s a
99% chance this product contains cottonseed oil”.)
So how does this apply to Pesach? To me, it means that I have to be even more careful about
reading labels. I found that most
of the kosher l’pesach marinara sauces are made with cottonseed oil…but I was
able to find a couple that were completely free of it. I learned to make homemade mayonnaise
that is not only healthier, but also a lot tastier than anything I could buy at
the store. And, I found a few
healthier cooking oil options that are certified kosher l’pesach and are
readily available.
In terms of Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratios, flaxseed oil is the
best. However, I have never found
hechshared kosher l’pesach flaxseed oil in the store. To me, the best options are Walnut Oil, Olive Oil and
Grapeseed Oil. Walnut oil is great
for any cold preparation, but the flavor gets a bit rancid when it’s
heated. Olive oil is obviously one
of the best oils to use, but there are claims that some of its health benefits
are lost when it’s cooked. So, for
cooking on Pesach, I like to use Grapeseed oil. It has a high smoke point, and its healthy properties remain
even when it’s cooked.
NB: One note about Grapeseed oil. The ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 seems higher than optimal
(676:1), but Dr. Andrew Weil recommends this as a heart-healthy oil. This may be because it doesn’t have the
saturated fat content of cottonseed.
Although the reason isn’t clear, I defer to his expertise in this area.
As a point of reference, the Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratios for Olive
oil and Walnut oil are 12.8:1 and 5.1:1, respectively.
