(NAPSA)—A growing number of families are finding that mealtime together offers a number of benefits. In addition to satisfying meals, experts say families who eat together “are morelikely to enjoy a healthy diet and be more well adjusted,” according to an article in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Essential components for fam- ily-pleasing meals include great taste, convenience and nutrition. For many, that starts with find- ing a cooking oil that fits all three categories. Often, many think of olive oil first when it comes to healthy oils. However, many people don’t realize that canola oil provides lower cholesterol-raising saturated fats and the same health benefits asolive oil without the strong olive taste. Canola oil, in moderation, recently earned a qualified health claim from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its poten- tial ability to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease because of its unsaturated fat content. Additionally, canola oil offers a numberof other health benefits: e It is lowest in cholesterolraising saturated fats—even lower thanolive oil. Canola oil may promote heart health by decreasing LDL or “bad” cholesterol. Canola oil provides essential fatty acids that may promote healthy skin, hair and nails. Canola oil contains phytosterols that help lower cholesterol. Florence Henderson, long-time Wesson Oil spokesperson andtelevision mom, has again _ partnered with the | companyto help edu- T cate families about the uses of cooking Boils in the kitchen. Here are someof her tips on cook- ing with canolaoil: Create zesty, homemade Baking fun snacks such as these muffins for kids can be madeheart- healthy if cooking with canola oil. salad dressing with canola oil because it doesn’t separate from other ingredients and has a light color andtaste. Healthier breakfast and snack options for kids are now easier than ever. Add a twist to one of kids’ favorite foods by making peanut butter and jelly muffins with heart-healthy canola oil. Use Wesson Canola Oil when baking chicken or Frenchfries. Simply pat the chicken with oil and roll in cracker crumbs before baking to seal in the meat’s juices. Chicken doesn’t need to befried to get that tasty, crispy texture. Use canola oil in place of other oils (not shortening) when baking, as it has a clean taste, 0 gramsof trans fat and little saturated fat. When stir-frying vegetables, add canola oil to the wok as it heats. Next, add the denser vegetables that take the longest to cook, so they are on the bottom and closest to the heat source. Vegetables should come outsoft, yet crunchy. To meet any array of needs in the kitchen, Wesson Oil offers additional varieties for cooking: Vegetable Oil: The most com- mon cooking oil, it is a soybeanbased product with a light taste that lets spices and other flavors shine through. Best Blend: A combination of canola and vegetable oils that offers the familiar cooking and frying performance of soybean oil with some of the health benefits of canola oil. Corn Oil: This is often the best oil to ensure a crispy coating while retaining moisture on the inside, bringing out a natural, rich flavor and texture in fried and ethnic dishes. To serve as a resource to home cooks, the Wesson Website has been redesigned to offer tips and recipes in an easy-to-use format, including a special section dedicated to educating home cooks about the health benefits ofoils. To learn more about cooking with oils, visit the Web site www.WessonOil.com.
