Which Oil Is Best?

There is a lot of controversy out there as to what the best oil to cook with is. Sources all over have bombarded us with how good Olive Oil is. Then there was a surge of information on the benefits of Canola Oil. So what should be believed? Well, the first thing to realize is that one oil that is good for one thing may not be the best choice for others. What we mean by that is, oils are fats, and fats are not all the same. They have different properties at different temperatures. This change in properties can affect the benefits or even the negative properties of certain oils.

Cooking
When you’re choosing an oil to cook with or one that is going to be exposed to high heat, you need to use an oil that can withstand that increase in temperature. As surprising as this may be, Olive Oil, especially EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), is not an oil that can handle high heat. When it is used for things such as sautéing foods the properties of the oil are destroyed and all of its supposed benefits decline. At high temperatures it’s more readily exposed to oxidative damage and can actually increase the risk of certain health problems.

One oil you should be adding to your pantry is Coconut Oil. Many people may think we are crazy for saying this because it is an oil made up of saturated fats, but it’s true. It’s extremely healthy to cook with. Coconut oil is made up of medium chained fatty acids (MCFA’s) which have been thoroughly researched and found to have many health benefits. A few advantages of this oil that have been studied are:

1.	MCFA’s tend to be burned for energy quicker than other fatty acids therefore supporting a healthy metabolism,
2.	It’s been shown to help with thyroid problems, infectious, metabolic, and chronic diseases, and
3.	Studies show it helps reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. On top of all of this, Coconut Oil adds great flavor to food. Try sautéing fish with it and add a little curry!

Non-Heat Uses
Don’t get rid of your Olive Oil so quickly though! There is a big place for EVOO in our diet. When ever you need to add oil/fat without heating grab the Olive Oil. Use this for salad dressing or drizzling over already cooked foods. Pasta, meat, and vegetables all taste great with a little added Olive Oil before serving. With its heart healthy antioxidants and unsaturated fats it can add great benefit to our health. If you are going to heat up your Olive Oil very quickly (less than a minute) you can certainly use it to cook with. But it’s beneficial properties are best gleaned from adding it after cooking.

Is that all?
Coconut and Olive Oil are our favorites and the ones We think provide the most benefit. This isn’t to say that there aren’t other healthy oil choices. Grapeseed oil for example is another oil that may be better to use than Olive Oil for cooking. The point is that you need to not only think about how a healthy a food is while it’s sitting on the shelf, but what your intended use is and how that will change the food. There are many choices for oil out there. Be smart about what you use and how you use it.