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Healthy Cooking Oils
Which cooking oil is the healthiest? Many people ask that question but it is not that easy to answer. You cannot just list oils in the order of how healthy they are because every oil offers different benefits. Palm oil, for example, is low in trans fat (good) and contains no cholesterol (good) but is high in saturated fat (bad).
To get the most benefits from your cooking oils, it is best to consume a mixture of oils. You can buy blended oils or you can use, for example, extra virgin olive oil for your salads, peanut oil for frying and palm oil for baking. As long as you consume oils in moderation, they are good for you. Fat is one of the body's required food groups, as well as carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, proteins and fluids. Your body absorbs and uses the fats you eat.
Most experts would recommend that you use peanut oil for cooking at high temperatures, olive oil, or canola oil for cooking at medium temperatures and various polyunsaturated oils for baking. Canola oil offers health benefits but it does not respond well to high temperatures, so you cannot use it for everything.
Nut Oils
Oils from nuts, such as peanut oil or walnut oil, are considered healthy too, but be careful if you have nut allergies. If you are cooking for others, check in advance that none of them has a nut allergy.
Sunflower and Safflower Oils
These are higher in polyunsaturated fats but also contain omega-6 fatty acids, which doctors view as healthy. Safflower oil also contains a lot of vitamin E, which can improve circulation and relieve insomnia and fatigue.
Olive Oil and the Mediterranean Diet
Olive oil is one of the more popular oils and many people are aware of its beneficial properties. It might not be the cheapest oil but it is healthy. Olive oil contains mono-unsaturated fats and the Mediterranean people (who have a very low incidence of heart disease) use it plentifully in their cooking and to make salad dressings.
Olive oil reduces blood cholesterol levels and blood clot formation, which results in a lower risk of coronary heart disease. It also reduces the risk of diabetes. Olive oil is also thought to influence body fat distribution, with less fat being stored in the stomach area. In addition, olive oil contains plenty of antioxidant phytochemicals, which have health benefits.
Oil and Calories
Oil is quite high in calories but we do not tend to consume a lot of it in a healthy diet. If you drizzle oil over your salad, for example, it will probably be olive oil and you will not be drizzling more than a tablespoon of it. Olive oil has 120 calories per tablespoon.
If you want to minimize your calorie intake but still enjoy foods prepared with oil, you should use non-stick pans and an olive or canola oil cooking spray. Instead of deep frying your food, you can try baking, stir-frying or grilling. You might still need to use oil in the recipe but you will not be using so much. If you deep fry something, make sure the oil is hot enough. If it is not, the food will absorb more of the oil.
