What to Use instead of Canola Oil?

[mountainsun]

One of the things I need to do is get off of the canola oil, lol.  My main concern is the GMO situation, and I do not have an easy way to get organic canola.  I usually  have it on hand for baking.  I use olive oil for most of the cooking, and sometimes in baked goods.  So wondering what oil does everyone use for baking?  Thanks for any advice :)

[treemom2]

I don't use canola oil and I don't cook with olive oil (I use it for drizzling or for salad dressings).  I use coconut oil, butter, and rendered fats for cooking.  When I'm baking, I usually use either butter or coconut oil.  When I'm sauteing I use coconut oil, butter, or the rendered fat.  

[Otto]

I don't do much baking with oil, but I'd probably replace canola with sunflower if looking for a neutral, non-GMO substitute.

[Magali]

I use olive oil.

[gardenmommy]

Originally Posted by treemom2 

I don't use canola oil and I don't cook with olive oil (I use it for drizzling or for salad dressings).  I use coconut oil, butter, and rendered fats for cooking.  When I'm baking, I usually use either butter or coconut oil.  When I'm sauteing I use coconut oil, butter, or the rendered fat.  

Me too.

[Arduinna]

For baking, depends of the recipe but for cakes that call for oil I use coconut oil. I also use olive but not for baking and peanut oil. I use lard and butter for solid fats.

[Llyra]

I use butter for my baking-- melt it, if you are using a recipe that calls for liquid oil. I do it all the time, and it works just fine. I do use coconut oil sometimes, but I actually don't like the taste of coconut, so I'm not a big fan. I will use lard for pie crust. I used to use Spectrum palm oil, but there are so many issues with palm oil and environmental impact and stuff like that, and I haven't had the time to fully educate myself, and until I do, I've stopped buying it. For other kinds of cooking, it depends on the flavor of the dish-- I use olive oil a lot, and very small amounts of cold-pressed avocado oil, or unrefined sesame and peanut oils, but I also use a lot of butter, chicken fat, and bacon fat.

I do have a little bottle of canola oil in the house. I use it for popping popcorn. I have never found a good solution to that problem.

[Thparkly]

How do you know sunflower oil non-GMO?  I am asking because I use canola oil and would prefer a non-GMO option as well...but not too expensive

[CherryBomb]

Originally Posted by Thparkly 

How do you know sunflower oil non-GMO?  I am asking because I use canola oil and would prefer a non-GMO option as well...but not too expensive

IIRC, if it's labeled certified organic, it must must also be non-gmo (right??)

For baking I mostly use butter or coconut oil (tree of life organic usually, less processed than the lou anna kind but processed enough it doesn't taste like coconut), sometimes lard if it's something like biscuits or a pie crust.

[springmum]

someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe sunflowers are on the approved GMO list yet. I don't live in the U.S though, so you may want to check a current list.

Found this (NOTE: it is in reference to the EU, but mentions the U.S.status ) http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/database/plants/68.sunflower.html   and this http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/database/ingredients/180.sunflower_oil.html  So it may come soon.

Edit : Apparently it is in Canada  http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/gmf-agm/appro/clearfield_sunflower-tournesol-eng.php...yuck!!

Again, our organic certifications may be different, but here Organic means no GMO's. There is some concern over organic crops being contaminated with GMO seeds unknowingly though, so always be aware. Found this from 2003 ...not sure if there is a more current one? http://www.ota.com/pics/documents/AOS032003.pdf

Edited by springmum - 4/12/11 at 5:39pm

[redvlagrl]

I use organic sunflower oil if I need a neutral flavoured oil for anything (including baking)

[loveandlight33]

I started using coconut oil for all cooking when I read an article in Well being Journal about free radicals being created when most oils are heated. Doesn't happen as quickly with coconut oil. It is expensive, but I buy it on Amazon with subscribe & save (Nutiva organic) and it helps reduce the cost considerably.

[krankedyann]

Olive oil has a relatively low smoke point.  Heating an oil above its smoke point creates free radicals.  I don't heat olive oil because of that.  I use coconut oil, butter, palm or palm kernel oil, tallow or lard, depending on the application.