Extra virgin olive oil. Avocado oil. Peanut Oil. Coconut oil. Infused olive oil. Etc, etc.
The oil market has clearly expanded in recent years, as healthy eating, food sensitivities and environmental concerns have become top-of-mind with cooks of all types. It may seem as if there is no room left on the market for yet another oil. But make room on your kitchen shelf for tea seed oil, because it’s the oil you never knew you needed, says Anthony Chen, founder of Yóu Yóu.
“When you think of Mediterranean or Italian food, you think of olive oil. When you are preparing for a Keto diet, you think of avocado oil. There has never been a go-to cooking oil for Asian cuisines. Until now. Yóu Yóu is going to be the go-to oil for Asian cuisines,” Chen notes.
According to Chen, tea seed oil has been cultivated, produced, and used in Asia for centuries for a variety of dishes from salad dressing to deep frying. Similar to grapeseed oil in texture, it has light botanical flavor notes. However, tea seed oil is still considered a neutral oil, so you never have to worry about it messing with the flavors in your favorite dish. And, because it’s lighter than other oils, like peanut oil, Chen says the ingredients can really work their magic.
“Our tea seed oil’s light botanical undertones complements every essential flavor profile in Asian recipes and beyond. We want to inspire people to not only cook better but also live healthier,” says Chen.
And, speaking of live healthier, Chen explains that tea seed oil has some other great benefits. First off, it has high smoke point of 485°F, keeping the kitchen smoke-free and the food burn-free. It also carries natural health benefits and the same antioxidants found in green tea — which stay put, even after cooking at high temperatures, notes Chen.
“Consumers are learning that they have alternatives to cheap, unhealthy ingredients and can instead find the right foods for their diet and cooking,” he says.
Additionally, says Chen, tea seed oil can also be used in baking. However, for best results, he suggests decreasing baking time by about 20% to 30%, due to the high smoke point.
Yóu Yóu’s 100% organic tea seed oil is organically grown and sourced from the Hunan region in China, where every bottle goes through a long and rigorous process to ensure it is worthy for a spot in your kitchen.
