Posted on June 28, 2017 by Kate Halsall
Use this one for stir fries and that one as a salad dressing; don’t let that one burn; butter is now good for you; make sure you use refined, cold-pressed, virgin……..sometimes it feels like my head is swimming in oil!
There’s a lot of information out there about which oils you should or should not use for cooking, so this blog is designed to try and sort this out and help you decide which oils you use for cooking. Keep in mind that there is still a lot of contradictory stuff out there, so we have tried to go with the majority.
Some Definitions First
Acrolein – the chemical that gives burnt foods their acrid smell.
Aldehydes – is an organic compound which is created when cooking at a high temperature. Some research has shown a link between an increased risk of heart disease and cancer through consuming or inhaling volatile aldehydes. Research has also now shown that Sunflower oil produces high levels of these.
Cold-Pressed/ Virgin – the oil is naturally crushed/pressed and bottled immediately after extraction.
Refined – where heat or chemicals are used in the method of the oil’s extraction
Smoke Point – temperature at which the oil starts to burn and smoke. If you heat an oil past its smoke point, the fat starts to break down, releasing free radicals and acrolein.
So What’s The Deal? Which Oils Do You Use For Cooking?
Not all oils are created equal and as such they cannot all be used for the same thing. For example unrefined oils such as virgin olive oil, are packed with minerals and enzymes; but these enzymes don’t do well under heat. So if you want to avoid inhaling aldehydes and prevent a nasty burning smell in your kitchen, you need to need to choose your oil wisely. The other important thing to note here is that research is happening all the time, so whatever we list here is based on what is recommended NOW.
- Stir Fries & Roasting: Wok cooking is fast with hot oil. As such, you’ll want a high smoke point oil, and – as with roasting – an oil which comprises of both saturated and monounsaturated fat as this is more resistant to heat (and this reduces aldehyde production). This is why Coconut oil is currently a “big thing”, whilst it doesn’t have as high a smoke point as some oils such as Peanut Oil (which other sources say to continue to use for Stir Fries), it is more heat resistant.
- Salad Dressings – choose oils with a higher Omega 3 and 9 eg flaxseed, extra virgin olive oil
To Summarise
It used to be the case that the higher a fat’s smoke point, the more cooking methods you can use it for and Sunflower oil was deemed healthy – but now, research says it’s no longer the case. It’s confusing!! The best piece of advice for the time being is to look at what the fat is made up of before you heat it up. An oil high in polyunsaturates shouldn’t be heated. Oil consisting of saturated and monounsaturated is best, so for now, Coconut oil is the way to go!
Reading
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33675975
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814609011303
http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/05/cooking-fats-101-whats-a-smoke-point-and-why-does-it-matter.html
https://jonbarron.org/diet-and-nutrition/healthiest-cooking-oil-chart-smoke-points
https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-choose-cooking-oils-2355997
https://authoritynutrition.com/healthy-cooking-oils/
https://authoritynutrition.com/saturated-fat-good-or-bad/