Deciding on the healthiest cooking oil to use in your dish isn’t always quite as simple as it seems, because you’ve actually got a good number of options. While most cooking oils have pretty similar nutritional profiles in terms of calorie and total fat content, they do differ considerably when it comes to flavor, odor, and cooking properties. So the best healthy cooking oil for the job really depends on what it is you’re making.
Here’s what we mean by “healthy cooking oils.”
Oils are an important part of a healthy diet because they are a key source of essential fatty acids and vitamin E. Oils are also rich in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, the kinds people mean when they say “healthy fats,” and the kind we’re advised to eat more of (in place of saturated fat). these unsaturated fats are good for cholesterol and blood pressure, and can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
canola and vegetable oils are still quite rich in unsaturated fats and very low in saturated fat.
Here’s how to choose the healthiest cooking oil based on what you’re making.
The single most important factor when choosing which healthy cooking oil to use is its smoke point. When an oil gets so hot it starts smoking, it starts to taste burnt or bitter. What’s more, “Heating an oil past its unique smoke point can damage or degrade the molecular structure of fatty acids and produce potentially harmful free radicals. In general, the more refined an oil is from its natural state (or “virgin”) an oil is, the higher its smoke point is, and the hotter it can get without degrading. Meanwhile, more virgin or unrefined oils may have more flavour, but they’re more volatile and less able to handle heat.
Frying: opt for an oil with a neutral flavour and a high smoke point, which is typically one above 375 degrees F, because that’s the temperature you usually fry at. Oils with high smoke points include: canola oil, refined olive oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil, safflower oil, and peanut oil.
Baking: Go for a neutral-tasting oil, like canola oil or vegetable oil—something that won’t have too much of an impact on the flavours you’re working with. (On the other hand, some baking recipes are centered around highlighting the flavour of a delicious oil, like olive oil cakes. It all depends on what you’re looking for.)
Sautéing and searing: Choose a more flavourful oil with a lower smoke point. Good options include: canola oil, extra-virgin olive oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, and sesame oil.
Dressing: Here, the most flavourful stuff is always best, and the smoke point doesn’t matter—this is the time to reach for the fanciest extra-virgin olive oil you have.
With that in mind, here is a closer look at commonly used healthy cooking oils, plus suggestions for making the most out of their unique qualities.