Coconut oil, avocado oil, pumpkin seed oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, flaxseed oil, sunflower seed oil, canola oil, corn oil, hemp seed oil, olive oil, extra virgin olive oil… overwhelmed yet? Me too!
The different oils on the grocery store shelves are dizzying and with ever-changing nutrition advice, no wonder you are left scratching your head! I’d like to mention that you are not alone when it comes to being confused about which cooking oil is best for meal preparation. As I trek my way through my dietetic internship, I’ve stumbled across many different opinions from various health professionals, which made me even more confused. Hence my quest to learn the truth! Although it may not be as easy as 1+1 = 2, I will try my best to answer your questions (and mine too). Be sure to check out Let’s Face the Fats (Part 1) before reading on to learn friend from foe when it comes to the different types of fats found in food.
How to choose the right cooking oil
Which oil you choose will depend on how you intend to use it. Are you sautéing vegetables? Are you baking pumpkin-spice muffins just in time for fall? Or are you craving a fresh and hearty salad? To keep it simple, consider:
Temperature
Flavour
Price point
How much Fat is OK to have?
In Part 1 of Let's Face the Fats, I talked about why fat is not bad (our body's need it for so many reasons!). For good health, Canada’s Food Guide recommends including a small amount (2-3 Tbsp) of unsaturated fat each day. This includes salad dressings, margarine, mayonnaise, and of course… cooking oil2.
Smoke Point
Smoke point refers to the temperature at which an oil starts to burn and smoke 1 . When an oil breaks down under heat aka past its smoke point, beneficial nutrients are destroyed and harmful free radicals are created1. Oh, did I also mention you’re left with a nasty burnt flavour? Yuck!
The smoke point of oils varies widely. Some have higher smoke points than others meaning they are more suitable for cooking at high temperatures without setting off your smoke alarm! High smoke point oils are good for deep frying, pan frying and sautéing 2 . If you’re cooking with low heat, feel free to use an oil with a lower smoke point, otherwise save these oils for drizzling on salads or making homemade spreads/dips.
High smoke point oils:
o Avocado oil - 520°F
o Light olive oil - 468°F
o Safflower oil - 450°F
o Peanut oil - 450°F (refined)
o Sunflower oil - 440°F (refined)
o Almond oil - 430°F
o Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 410°F
o Canola oil - 400°F (refined)
o Grapeseed oil - 400°F
Medium smoke point oils:
o Coconut oil - 350°F
o Sesame oil - 350°F
Low smoke point oils:
o Hemp oil - 332°F
o Walnut oil - 320°F (unrefined)
o Flaxseed oil - 225°F
Define “refined”!
Refining an oil removes certain properties and free fatty acids that can cause the oil to smoke1,3. It may decrease antioxidant and vitamin content during the process, but this isn’t something to sweat over (unless you’re only cooking with refined oils)3. A good rule of thumb is: the more refined an oil, the higher its smoke point. For example, light olive oil has been refined and has a higher smoke point than extra virgin olive oil, which has not been refined1. This doesn’t mean extra virgin olive oil isn’t suitable for cooking because if you’re the typical average joe cooking on a home stove over medium-heat, you are eh-okay1! And if you’re one of the many who heard that olive oil’s smoke point is too low for cooking… myth busted!
WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE?
Similar to many nutrition topics, when it comes to fat, the answer for ‘what to do’ isn’t as black and white as we would like. However, variety is key so keeping a few small bottles of various oils in your pantry and using a combination is probably your best bet. Just remember… don’t go overboard!
References:
1. Beck L. “Smoke point” maters when cooking with oil. The Globe and Mail. [Internet]. 2018 May 15 [cited 2019 Sept 17]. 2p. Available from: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/smoke-point-matters-in-cooking-with-oil/article26569060/
2. Dietitians of Canada. How to use different oils when cooking [Internet]. In Unlock Food; 2018 [cited 2019 Sept 17]. 3 p. Available from: https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Cooking-And-Food/Cooking-Methods/How-To-Use-Different-Oils-When-Cooking.aspx
3. Manchanda SC, Passi SJ. Selecting healthy edible oil in the Indian context. Indian Heart J. 2016; 68(4) 447-449. doi: 10.1016/j.ihj.2016.05.004
Brooklyn Seal is currently completing her dietetic internship with a Master of Science in Foods and Nutrition at Western University. Prior to this, she earned her Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Nutrition from the University of Guelph. She is passionate about health and wellness and believes that balance is key. She loves being a part of a person’s journey in achieving their goals, while making sure the process is enjoyable. Above all, she aspires to help individuals improve their relationship with food and their body.