Chances are, at any given time, you have two or three different cooking oils put in the pantry. (Or maybe four or five, although that bottle has been nearly empty for months.) And it’s also very likely that you use them more or less interchangeably, whether you’re sauteing some vegetables or bake some cupcakes.
But it really shouldn’t, because cooking oils can be surprisingly different from one another in terms of their proper uses and health metrics. And speaking of health, its oil can play an important role in a healthy diet. Why? Because of the fat.
stephanie nelsonRD and nutritionist with MyFitnessPalsaying Eat this, not that!: “Any oil that is liquid at room temperature is an unsaturated fat, which is beneficial for heart health by raising good cholesterol or lowering bad cholesterol, by replacing saturated fat in the diet… A healthy diet A typical diet will have about 25% to 30% of calories from fat, and most of that fat is unsaturated. Cooking with oil can help you achieve this goal.”
On the other hand, healthy fats aside, the type of cooking you’re doing can lead to some problems, as pointed out by Gillean BarkyoumbMS, RDN and holder of the What’s up for Dinner Club?. Barkyoumb says, “When choosing a cooking oil, the types of fats in the oil are often the first thing we think of, but we often forget to consider the smoke point, or the temperature at which the oil is no longer stable. When oils reach their smoke point, begin to break down and release free radicals that can be harmful to the body by causing cell damage. Also, oils that are above their smoke point can taste unpleasant, which is the last thing we want! when cooking!”
That’s why we’re not ranking these cooking oils based simply on their nutritional chops, but on how they perform in the pan or baking dish, and how they affect the flavor of the dish you’re getting ready
Perhaps unsurprisingly, lard is a truly unhealthy thing: it’s called… lard, after all. And it is made by extracting the fatty tissues of pigs. One tablespoon of lard contains 20% of your total fat allowance for the day and 25% of your saturated fat.
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“Coconut oil is actually high in saturated fat,” Nelson says, especially when compared to the other oils on our list, but adds, “It has a shorter chain of fatty acids than other sources of saturated fat and comes from from plants rather than animals.” In other words, it’s not that unhealthy, but it’s better to “eat it in moderate amounts.”
Some vegetable oils are actually quite healthy, while others are quite bad for you. And that’s really the problem here: It can be hard to know exactly what you’re getting, which can range from corn to cottonseed, palm, soybeans, etc., unless you meticulously study the label on each bottle of vegetable oil.
“If I’m baking something, I don’t mind using canola oil,” says Nelson. I’ll use sesame or avocado oil if I’m working with a flavor profile that calls for it. There is nothing specifically unhealthy about consuming moderate amounts of refined oils.” Canola oil has a neutral flavor profile that makes it ideal for many recipes.
“Sesame oil has a medium-high smoke point of 410 Fahrenheit,” Barkyoumb says, adding, “It adds a nutty flavor, which makes it great for stir-fries. It’s high in heart-healthy antioxidants and some studies even suggest neuroprotective benefits.” But it can be expensive, and that nutty flavor can create off-notes in some dishes.
With a high smoke point of 450 degrees Fahrenheit, peanut oil is excellent for cooking stir-fries. It is rich in vitamin E and antioxidants and in its refined state it is excellent for frying. Also, in its refined state, peanut oil is generally safe for allergies, but cold-pressed peanut oil is still a hazard for people with peanut allergies.
“Olive oil has a smoke point of 350 degrees Fahrenheit, which is a common grade in cooking, especially for baked goods,” Barkyoumb says, adding, “It’s very versatile, great for all types of cooking, and it’s rich.” in vitamin E and a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid that is linked to health benefits, including heart health.
“Avocado oil has a smoke point of 520 degrees Fahrenheit,” Barkyoumb says, making it “great for high-heat cooking, like frying. It’s neutral in flavor and also has those heart-healthy fats found in in olive oil. Those would be the monounsaturated fats, adds Nelson, who says he happily cooks with “avocado oil if I’m working with a flavor profile that calls for it.”
steven john
Steven John is a freelance writer for Eat this, not that! based on the outskirts of New York City. read more
