Healthy cooking oil or vegetable oil is commonly used in frying, where it acts as a heat transfer medium and adds flavor and texture to foods. Good cooking oil should be stable under the harsh conditions of deep-fat frying such as high temperature and moisture.
Vegetable oil falls under healthy cooking oils. Healthy cooking oil such as nut or vegetable oil contains less saturated fat and more polyunsaturated fat. It is also good for reducing the risk of heart disease.
Why A Good Cooking Oil Is Important?
A healthy cooking oil like vegetable oil enhances food flavor and offers a delicious taste to the food. It is also the primary carrier of essential nutrients that offers health benefits like growth, good metabolism, brain cells protection, and risk of heart disease. It contains high levels of good cholesterol and Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids. Good cooking oil is essential overall to benefit your body.
What Are The Healthy Cooking Oils To Cook With?
Olive Oil
Olive oil provides fewer trans fats and bad calories that result in light and tasty food. It is high in monosaturated fats and protects your heart and body. Cooking food with olive oil like AmazonFresh Italian allows you to indulge in your favorite finger-licking foods without much guilt. The smoke point of olive oil is 350 F and is ideal for cooked and baked foods.
Avocado Oil
Avocado oil is a natural oil that is extracted from the avocado fruit. The customer reviews of BetterBody Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil show that its mild and smooth flavor enhances the taste of the food. It is a healthy alternative to other oils such as olive oil or coconut oil. It has a tropical, fruity, and nutty taste that mimics olive oil and can be used in place of olive oil during cooking. Avocado oil is extracted from the flesh of the avocado plant. The oil is popular with preparing different dishes. Avocado oil is highly nutritious and contains large amounts of monounsaturated fat and antioxidants and results in a healthier body and mind.
Sesame Oil
Sesame oil is a versatile oil. You can use it as cooking oil, herbal medicine, or as a cosmetic. Kevala Organic is a nice sesame oil that you can consider buying. You can also use it in many other ways because of its unique properties. It is a popular ingredient in various forms of cooking like stir-fry and condiments. Its mild flavor makes it suitable for sauces, dressings, and desserts. It is also a key ingredient in many medicines.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is different from other oils. It contains a unique composition of fatty acids. 90% of these fatty acids are saturated. It is also known for its high content of saturated fat lauric acid. This makes up around 40% of its total fat content. Coconut oil like Viva Naturals Organic is highly resistant to oxidation at high heat. This makes coconut oil suitable for high heat cooking methods like frying.
Sunflower Oil
Sunflower oil is also known as Rapeseed Oil. This oil is edible oil. It is extracted and produced from the plant rapeseed seeds. It is a member of the mustard family, which makes it suitable for use as a cooking oil. Sunflower oil like Spectrum Naturals Organic has a light yellow color where the seed processes into powder or liquid form. It is popular in salad dressing, bread, and meat recipes. Sunflower oil has a nutty flavor and offers good flavor to the food.
Hempseed oil is also a healthy option for cooking food. Nutiva Organic hemp seed oil's reviews mark that it comes with omega 6 fatty acid with rich antioxidants and chlorophyll.
Which Cooking Oils are Bad for You?
Partially Hydrogenated Oils
Partially hydrogenated oils increase the bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower the good cholesterol (HDL). This can harm your heart's health.
Palm Oil
Palm oil has a high saturated fat content as to other liquid oils. For example, palm oil contains approximately 34% saturated fat and olive oil contains less than half. Saturated fats can increase the chances of heart diseases and other chronic illnesses.
Tips for Cooking with Healthy Oils
- Healthy cooking oil is suitable for baking, stir-frying, and seasoning the griddle but not for complete cooking. You can read our blog on griddle pan seasoning to know more about it
- Ensure to not let the oil go beyond its smoke point. Throw the oil and start over in that case
- Do not use the oil if it releases a foul odor. The oil oxidizes if you store it for too long
- It is advisable not to reheat the oil. This creates bad components in the oil
- It is best to get smaller containers of cooking oil to avoid wastage. Online platforms like Amazon offer good deals on them during the sale season.
La Tourangelle Grapeseed Oil's customer reviews say that it is a great option for everyday cooking.
Key Takeaway
There are plenty of options to choose from with vegetable oils. It's essential to maintain their stability when cooking at high temperatures. It is also essential to choose the right pot or pan while cooking with healthy oils as the material may become hotter than the oil, leading to a fire. When oils are past their smoke point they degrade and produce harmful compounds. Olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, and safflower oil are healthier cooking oils that can withstand higher cooking temperatures.
Another way of healthier living is having fruits in your diet. Read this blog to know the benefits of fruits in a diet.
BestViewsReviews rates and reviews hundreds of top-rated cooking oils and best camping pots on the basis of their heat resistance, packaging, and convenience.