Most people who prefer our Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise ® just say that they love the taste. But did you know that grapeseed oil is also known as a superior quality oil linked to improvements in serum cholesterol?

Grapeseed Oil, a byproduct of wine production, has been a favorite of European chefs for hundreds of years due to its many fine qualities as an edible oil. Recent studies have demonstrated that grapeseed oil may also be effective in correcting blood cholesterol levels in certain individuals, thereby reducing their risk of cardiac events.

Today's focus is not simply total cholesterol, but rather the levels of HDL (the good cholesterol) and LDL (the bad cholesterol), and the ratio of HDL to total cholesterol. Major studies have confirmed that for each percent increase in HDL, there is a 3-4% decrease in the incidence of cardiac events¹.

In two studies^2,3 conducted by Dr. David T. Nash, a research cardiologist at the State University of New York Health Science Center, it was shown that subjects who included a small amount of grapeseed oil daily in a low-fat diet over a four week period, experienced an increase in their HDL of 13%, and a decrease in their LDL of 7%.

Grapeseed oil is one of the few natural foods known to raise HDL. HDL appears to reduce LDL by loosening it from the arterial walls so it can be carried to the liver for elimination.

Grapeseed oil is also an excellent natural source of vitamin E and essential fatty acids necessary for normal cell metabolism and maintenance.

By increasing the HDL in your blood, and reducing the LDL and triglycerides, through healthy diet and exercise, you may be adding years of wellness to your life.

Grapeseed Oil and Solvent Extraction

In response to inquiries regarding whether Follow Your Heart ® Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise ® is 100% solvent free, the not-so-simple answer is that while we consider it to be so, we are not in a position to unconditionally guarantee it. The reasons for this require some explanation and a little background information.

Almost all of the vegetable oil used in foods today is "solvent extracted". What this means is that the oils are first pressed and then the resulting mash is treated with a solvent, generally from the alcohol family, which frees up additional oil, thus increasing the yield. Due to consumer concerns about possible solvent residue remaining in the oil, some producers also make oils which are only "expeller pressed". These oils are never exposed to solvents during refining. As a result, the yield is substantially lower, hence these oils always carry a higher price.

Despite the price, many consumers, especially those who seek out natural food products, tend to prefer products made with expeller pressed oils. Follow Your Heart, in fact, makes one of our varieties of Vegenaise ® and many of our Fresh & Natural Salad Dressings using Expeller Pressed Canola Oil. We do this because there is a perception among a fair number of consumers that there is a danger presented by the possible presence of solvent residues in vegetable oils.

Having said that, we believe that the actual evidence to support this belief is scant at best. We are a natural foods company, and have been involved in the production of vegetable oil based products for more than twenty years. While we are clearly prejudiced in favor of natural products, and sensitive to issues of food safety and purity, to date, we have not seen any evidence that there is a need for concern about solvent extracted oils. If there is scientific data to support the fears, we would definitely be interested in reviewing it, but thus far, we have seen none.

As a responsible manufacturer, if we were presented with credible research data, we would immediately reevaluate our use of any ingredient which might pose a threat to the health of our customers. Our understanding is that most, if not all, of the solvent used in the processing is evaporated out before the refining process is complete. Any traces which remain (often undetectable in laboratory analysis) are of such a minuscule proportion, that it is doubtful, in our opinion, that there could be any detrimental effects attributable to them.

Now, to specifically address the issue of grapeseed oil. First, it should be understood that due to the very nature of grape seeds, which contain no more than ten percent oil, the cost of producing grapeseed oil without the aid of solvents would be prohibitive for use in a product like Vegenaise. Such a product, if it could be made, would cost far more than most people would be willing to pay. The result would be a slow moving product, which neither distributors nor retailers would be willing to carry.

All the grapeseed oil currently available is imported. We buy our oil from Italy, due to its reputation for very high quality. But in reality, the difficulty in tracking each individual batch which is processed, and then getting an analysis of that batch prior to agreeing to purchase it, is quite problematic.

The issue is further complicated in that the Certificates of Analysis are provided by the suppliers of the oil, who themselves choose the laboratory which does the testing. Testing methods and criteria can vary from lab to lab, making results difficult to rely on. Where one facility's test for solvents may show "none detected", another laboratory, using a finer standard of measurement or more precise equipment may list a result in parts per million or even smaller. The question becomes, at what point should we consider a reading significant?

As a practical matter, we feel that our grapeseed oil products should be considered to be free of solvent in any degree that could be cause for concern. We also feel very strongly that when compared to the benefits provided by grapeseed oil due to its extraordinary and well documented health properties, the issue of possible minor traces of solvent residue in the oil is truly insignificant. Grapeseed oil's role as a natural agent producing positive effects on the cholesterol ratios of individuals in clinical studies is what led us to choose it as one of our Vegenaise ® varieties in the first place. It is an outstanding oil in many respects, both as a cooking oil and as a salad oil. We believe that concern about solvents in this product are not supported by scientific fact, and should certainly not dissuade anyone from using this superior premium product.