Karla Plank wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> Excuse me if this is an old, dull topic that caused fisticuffs, but I didn't
> find it in my search of the archives.  And, as I'm increasing my fat intake, I'd
> like to know about the topic of oil in general.
>
> Oil production (from olives, nuts, seeds, or fruit kernels) is no small feat,
> and wouldn't have been feasible, really, in a paleolithic society.  Or am I
> mistaken?  And what about the rancidity issue?
I don't think there is a consensus on this issue here (i.e. 'is it paleo?').
There does seem to be a general feeling that oils from paleo sources are fine.
In other words, if the original food (olives, almonds, walnuts, etc.) are
paleo then it's fine to consume the oils from them. If the original source
is not paleo (e.g. soybeans) then the oils is non-paleo. Also, keep in mind
that some oil production is very feasible even without technology - chewing
olives and sucking out the oil rich juices, then spitting out the pulp
is one 'zero tool' method.  In general you are right in that pure oil, devoid
of other nutrients found in the plant may not be as good as eating the whole
food. Mostly, what makes a non-paleo food bad is the presence of something
(usually a foreign protein) that isn't all that good for us. The absence of
something that is good for our health but was removed, while isn't a good thing,
does not usually disqualify a food from being paleo.

As for rancidity - use your judgment. Some oils do not spoil easily (they
do spoil, but it takes a while) while others spoil very fast.  Usually good
manufacturers will protect the oils that spoil rapidly (flax oil is the best
example of that). I personally squeeze one vitamin E capsule into a bottle of
oil that I want to protect better when I open it first. I also keep oils that
don't freeze in the refrigerator, rather than on a shelf.

Ilya