Oils are an essential part of cooking and with a good selection it can give many dishes, both cooked and raw, healthy fats and just the right taste. A variety of oils are drizzled over vegetables and bread and added to marinades and salad dressings, while others are particularly useful for preparing fried, grilled, or sauteed foods.
Oils are extracted and pressed from many sources of seeds, nuts, fruits, and vegetables, and each has its own taste and properties that make it suitable for some dishes and not others.
First, what is a smoke point?
The smoke point of oil is the temperature at which it begins to smoke as opposed to shimmering. As soon as this happens, the oil begins to break down and oxidize.
A number of factors determine the smoke point, including color – the lighter the oil paint, the higher the smoke point – age, degree of refinement, processing and storage method. Oil that has been broken down by heat, light, and air has a reduced smoke point.
Unrefined oils, like extra virgin olive oil, offer more flavor and nutritional value, but have lower smoke points and are less suitable for cooking at high temperatures. When oil is heated above its smoking point, it can give off an unpleasant smoky taste, but it also becomes dangerous as the smoke releases free radicals that are harmful to the body.
Popular Cooking Oils: Smoking Points, Best Uses, and Health Benefits
almond: Limit use to cold dishes; best for salad dressing or as a finishing oil. Mild, nutty taste. Available refined or cold-pressed. Can increase a person’s HDL, or “good” cholesterol.
avocado: (510-520 ° F) Highest smoke point. Squeezed from fresh avocado pulp. Best for roasting, sautéing, roasting, sauces and salad dressings. Mild, buttery taste. Heart-healthy, rich in monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acids with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, vitamin E and lutein. The healthiest way to eat it raw, cold-pressed.
coconut: (350 ° F) Best for searing, roasting and baking. Mild coconut flavor. Unrefined extra virgin or refined. Boosts HDL cholesterol and metabolism, protects brain health. Considered to be easier to digest than other oils.
Corn, rapeseed and vegetables: (400-450 ° F) Neutral taste. Best for frying and deep-frying. Refined with minimal health benefits.
linseed: (225 ° F) Not used for cooking. Best with dressings, dips and smoothies. Nutty taste. Heart-healthy with the highest omega-3 content of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) of all oils.
Grape seed: (390-420 ° F) Best for dressings, searings, baking, stir-fries. Neutral taste. Rich in Vitamin E and Antioxidants; improves insulin resistance. Cold pressed offers the best health benefits.
olive: (325-375 ° F); Extra virgin: (465 ° F-470 ° F) Best in vinaigrettes, sauces, or for searing and roasting; extra virgin is an excellent finishing oil. Can be spicy, peppery, fruity, grassy. Refined has a more neutral taste. Contains vitamins A, D, E, K and beta-carotene; rich in antioxidants. They are heart healthy and contain large amounts of monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Palm tree: (450 ° F) Best for searing, roasting and in spicy dishes. Contains monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats; rich in antioxidants.
peanut: (448-475 ° F) Best for deep-frying, roasting, grilling. Nutty taste. May lower blood sugar levels and reduce risk factors for heart disease.
Safflower: (440-520 ° F) Best for dressings, roasting, baking. Almost tasteless. Recommended for heart disease and stroke prevention.
sesame: (410 ° F) Often paired with ginger and soy sauce in Asian marinades and stir-fries, it is also used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. Neutral to nutty taste. Full of Antioxidants; can lower blood sugar levels.
Sunflower: (450 ° F) Best for frying, salad dressing, baking. Neutral taste. Rich in vitamin E.
walnut: (320 ° F) Best when not heated. Best to use sparingly in soups and salads, marinades, dressings or as a finishing oil. Tender, nutty. Rich in unsaturated fatty acids; can improve skin health and memory.
