Choosing a Cooking Oil

Naturally, when choosing an oil to cook with you want an oil that will not be damaged by high cooking temperatures. Of all the available oils, coconut oil is the oil of choice if you are watching fat intake for cooking because it is nearly a completely saturated fat, which means it is much less susceptible to damage when it is heated.

• Butter, margarine, and olive oil are not good choices for deep frying or cooking that involves high heat because of their low smoking points. The smoking point is exactly what it sounds like: the temperature at which they begin to release puffs of smoke.

Following are some general guidelines on using different oils for different cooking needs:

• In your baked goods: Coconut, palm, canola and high oleic safflower and sunflower oil work best.
• For your fried foods: Avocado, peanut, palm and sesame oil are ideal for frying because they stand up so well to the high heat of frying.
• Sauteeing: Avocado, canola, coconut, grapeseed, olive, sesame and high oleic safflower and sunflower oils.
• Dips, dressings and marinades: For your dressings and marinades, or finding oil that's perfect to serve alongside crusty bread for dipping, you want terrific flavor. Look to flax, olive, peanut, toasted sesame or walnut oils.

Caution: The temperature at which the oil begins to smoke is called the "smoke point". Heating oils beyond their smoke point generates toxic fumes and harmful free radicals.

See also:  Cooking with Olive Oil, Using Olive Oil for Baking, Margarine Mayhem, Margarine Madness

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