May 3, 2001

Prairie Fare: Should You Believe Everything You Read?

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

Have you read your e-mail today? Have you surfed the ‘Net? Traveling the information superhighway known as the Internet has become a daily event for people throughout the world. There are billions of sites to peruse on every imaginable topic. Trouble is, sometimes it’s hard to separate fact from fiction because this superhighway is impossible to police.

Misleading, or simply fabricated, stories can be circulated worldwide with one click. These electronic chain letters can incite panic among readers.

In the world of nutrition, one of the first substances "attacked" was aspartame, a widely used artificial sweetener. An inflammatory letter filled with CAPITAL LETTERS (which is like screaming on the Internet) blamed the sweetener for causing everything from multiple sclerosis to Parkinson’s disease to murderous behavior. The writer had no scientific basis for the statements made. In fact, the writer appeared to be using several different names while spreading misleading information globally. Nutrition experts stepped forward and responded, and eventually the flames went out.

Canola oil has been the subject of recent Internet attacks, and once again there’s nothing to back up the myths being spread. Canola oil comes from canola seed, and the oil is one of the best sources of monounsaturated fats, a heart healthy type of fat. Canola was developed from rapeseed, but they are not the same plant. Researchers used traditional plant breeding techniques to remove undesirable properties from rapeseed. Rapeseed oil is not used in the food supply.

This healthy oil is being blamed for causing emphysema, anemia, degenerative diseases, blindness and several other conditions – but there are no scientific studies backing up the messages. In fact research studies with thousands of volunteers have shown that canola oil can lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce risk for heart disease, stroke and cancer. Canola oil contains just 7 percent saturated fat, even less than other healthy fats such as olive oil, peanut oil and sunflower oil. For more information about canola, visit this website: http://www.canolainfo.org 

Using oil of any type in place of solid fats can help reduce your intake of saturated fat, which can help lower blood cholesterol levels. To lower total fat, saturated fat and calories, try substituting three-fourths of a cup of oil for one cup of solid fat in baking recipes. Often the product will be moister and more tender as well.

The best advice is moderation when it comes to fat of any type. Overall, no more than 30 percent of our total calories should come from fat. Stick margarines can be high in a type of fat known as "trans fats," which can raise blood cholesterol level. When it comes to spreads, soft "tub" margarines are among the most heart healthy. If you prefer the taste of butter, use moderation because butter is higher in saturated fat than many other spreads.

Store fats in a cool dark place and discard any fats that have an off-odor or rancid taste. Unsaturated oils often have added antioxidants like vitamin E, BHA or BHT, which protect them from becoming rancid during storage.

Here’s a recipe from the Canadian Canola Information Service for Spanikopita Muffins, based on a popular Middle Eastern appetizer. Each muffin contains 203 calories, 11 grams of fat and 1.6 grams of fiber. Try serving them for brunch with scrambled eggs, fresh melon and strawberries and lowfat milk.

Spanikopita Muffins

Ingredients:
1/3 cup canola oil
5 green onions, chopped
2 eggs
1/2 cup lowfat milk
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon dry crumbled oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
7 oz. Feta cheese, cubed

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In 2 tablespoon of the canola oil, saute onions. Let cool. Beat eggs until foamy; blend in remaining oil, milk and sauteed onions. Add flour, baking powder, dill, oregano, salt and garlic powder and mix well. Stir in spinach and cheese. Spoon into non-stick muffin pans (or spray them with cooking spray). Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Store leftover muffins in the refrigerator.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu