Tahini, hemp oil, or flax seed oil?

[New_start]

Hi all,

Everyone seems to know this already, forgive me for what might seem like a silly question:

what is the gist on these oils?

Is one more recommended in the raw world vs. others?    Have only ever tried flax seed (smoothies).

  - I know to look for cold-pressed (meaning raw?)

 - but, what is the difference essentially between these?

Looking to use as base for salad dressings.

Thanks so much

[Maria]

Tahini is sesame seed butter, not sure it actually defines as an oil, sesame has lots of minerals and is high in calcium. Hemp oil and flax seed oil are high in healthy Omega 3s and Omega 6s. The ratio is not exactly the same for both of them. Flax is also high in estrogen. Supposedly that works well for women. I think flax can thin you blood too. I use a little bit of flaxseed oil and hemp oil almost daily in salad dressings. Flax seeds soaked over night in water are good for constipation, it basically gives your colon a good cleanse. Tahini, hemp oil and flax seed oil all works well for dressing salads. Don't go crazy with the oils though - it's still pure fat.

[Supermom]

Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram has some fun recipes for low-fat raw dressings. I googled her pinterest page today and love the great photos and links.

[Giakhar]

Different oils have different benefits based on the plants they come from. Every vegan I've ever spoken to recommends I use all of these:  olive oil, coconut oil, flax oil.  Walnut and some other less common ones can be delicious and healthy.

I picked up so far that I want a combination of saturated oil (coconut, avocado) and unsaturated (olive). Saturated ones tend to be solid when room temp or cold.  All should be raw and organic for highest nutrient value...and I googled "definition cold-pressed"  to answer for myself your question. 

It's not a pretty answer.  From http://vegetarian.about.com/od/rawfoodsrecipes/a/cold-pressed-oil.htm

"Definition: Cold-pressed oils are oils made by first grinding nuts, seeds, fruits or vegetables (depending on the oil being made) into a paste. Then an oil stone or other tool is used to press the paste which forces the oil to separate out. Many labels use the term cold-pressed, but they aren't all considered raw and suitable for a truly 100% raw food diet. To be raw, the oil cannot be heated above 115°F. Some manufacturers will heat up the paste in order to extract more oil. This alters not only the nutritional value of the food, but also the color and flavor. The only way to know for sure if an oil is truly raw is to contact the manufacturer directly. 

You can also do some online research to find companies with strict raw regulations and effective investigative practices. Essential Living Foods is one trusted source and a Greek company called Eliki Olive Oil produces an authentic raw oil.

Note: Another common industry term is expeller-pressed. These expeller-pressed oils are extracted by exposing the food to extreme pressure. This also may or may not involve heat. Stick to your trusted brands in order to ensure that the oil is raw. Most raw foodists stick to oils labeled "cold-pressed" whether it's cold-pressed olive oil, flax oil, coconut oil or sunflower oil."