It can be confusing to know what type of oil to cook with, especially with the amount of oils out there! There’s olive oil, canola, vegetable, coconut, flaxseed oil, and countless more. Some of these oils are healthy fats while some are not as healthy. With all of these types of oil out there, how do we know what is the best kind to use? Different oils are good for different types of cooking. Oils best for pan searing and stir frying are almond, avocado, sunflower, and palm oil. Oils that are good for baking and cooking are canola, grapeseed, peanut, and extra virgin olive oil. For sautéing and sauces, you can use coconut oil, corn, sesame, soybean, or walnut.
Not only is it important to choose the right oil for what you are cooking, it is important to know how much oil to use. The saying “everything in moderation” applies here. Even if you are cooking with a heart-healthy oil such as coconut oil, you can still consume too much. When comparing oil for their calories, they are all about the same. Oil is a fat, so it is 9 calories per gram, no matter if it is a healthy fat or not.
While the calories in oil are the same, their nutritional benefits are not. This is also important when choosing which type of oil you will use when cooking or baking. Extra-virgin olive oil is best for hearth health and has the lowest oxidation rate of all cooking oils. Olive oil can help lower your bad cholesterol levels and raise your good cholesterol levels. Olive oil has beta carotene, vitamins D, A, E, and K, and many other nutritional benefits.
Oil is meant to be used fresh, and not sit on the shelf for too long. When buying oil its best to buy one or two kinds at a time and use them while they are fresh. The longer an oil sits on the shelf, the more free radicals it can develop. Oil should be kept in a dry, cold place.
For me, I was really interested by the free radicals that can develop if you keep oil for too long. I did not know that. I have several different oils that I use for different reasons, and now I know its better to have less variety. I was also interested by the fact that all of the different oils have different nutrients and properties. There are so many different oils that I did not even know existed until I read this article, such as avocado oil.
As a nutrition educator, this information would be very useful for me. Everyone uses some type of oil when cooking or baking, so everyone can benefit from this information. I could use this information to educate clients on the different benefits of different oils and their many different uses. Fats aren’t something to avoid, they just need to be used in moderation. I would use this article to help my clients know what type of oil is healthy for their heart and what to use when cooking specific meals.
If you want to know more about the different types of oils and what is best for you, click the link below!
http://health.clevelandclinic.org/2014/10/heart-healthy-cooking-oils-101/