Let us discuss Healthy Cooking Oils.
Substituting bad fats (saturated and trans) with healthier fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) is beneficial for your heart.
One means you can do this is by taking healthier nontropical vegetable oils for cooking and preparing food.
Use these oils rather than solid fats (including butter, shortening, lard, and hard stick margarine) and tropical oils (including palm and coconut oil), which can have a lot of saturated fat.
Here’s A List of Common Healthy Cooking Oils That Contain More Of The “Better-For-You” Fats And Less Saturated Fat.
- Canola
- Olive
- Corn
- Peanut
- Safflower
- Sunflower
- Soybean
Combinations of these oils are often sold under the name “vegetable oil,” and cooking sprays made from these oils are also great choices. Some specialty oils, like avocado, grapeseed, rice bran, and sesame, can be healthy but may cost a bit more or be harder to find.
In general, choose oils with less than 4 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon and no partially hydrogenated oils or trans fats.
You may find that some oils have distinctive flavors, so try different types to discover which ones you like. Also, some oils are better for certain types of cooking than others, so you may want to have more than one type in your pantry.
You Can Regularly Use Cooking Oils Just Like Solid Cooking Fats.
- Grill, sauté, stir fry, bake, or roast foods.
- Make your own salad dressings, marinades, dips, and sauces.
- Coat pans to keep food from sticking.
- Spread or drizzle on foods for flavor.
- “Season” cast-iron cookware.
- Replace butter, margarine, or solid fats in recipes.
Tips For Cooking With Healthy Oils:
- The healthier oils listed here are safe for most home-cooking uses, including higher temperature cooking such as stir-frying and pan-frying. We do not recommend deep-fat frying as a cooking method.
- Any oil starts to degrade once it reaches its smoke point. So, if you accidentally let your oil smoke or catch fire, get rid of it and start over.
- If the oil smells bad, don’t use it. When the oil is stored too long, it can become oxidized or rancid. It will have a distinct smell, and you should get rid of it.
- Don’t reuse or reheat any cooking oil.
- Buy cooking oils in smaller containers to avoid waste, and store them in a dark, cool place to keep them fresh longer.
