7 Best Cooking Oils for Your Health

Home cooking is one of the most effective ways to preserve good health. In this article, you can learn about the best cooking oils for your health.

We all know that the life span of ancient people is much higher than the present fast-paced world of today.

That was partially due to the way in which our ancestors ate more home-made food, unlike these urbanized generations.

Oils play a very important role when it comes to home cooking. Many of us are not well aware of what kind of oils can be used to live healthy.

There are plenty of choices when it comes to choosing the right oil to use when frying, sauteing or even drizzling.

Important insights into oil:

• Every type of oil will have its own smoke point. The smoke point is the point where the oil starts to burn and smoke.

• If you heat the oil beyond its smoke point, a lot of nutrients will be destroyed and the oil will release harmful free radicals.

• Always remember to discard it and not to use it further if you accidentally allow your oil to start smoking or catch fire.

• Never use the oil if it starts to smell bad. It usually happens when the oil has been stored for a long time.

• Try not to reuse or reheat any oil while cooking. This is the main effect on us when we eat street food from outside.

Different types of oils for cooking:

There are different varieties of Cooking oil. However, let us get into the details of those most suitable for Indian recipes.

Methods such as chemical processing, bleaching, and filtering remove heat-sensitive impurities from oils.

Some of the commonly used oils are Rice Bran Oil, Olive Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Canola Oil, Peanut Oil, and Sesame oil.

How to chose the Best cooking oils for your health?

It is extremely important to pick the right kind of Oil, as every oil has its own quality, which makes it ideal for certain uses. Choosing the right oil is beneficial to our health, particularly to the heart to prevent problems such as cholesterol blockages and strokes.

Some oils are used for baking, others are best in salad dressings and some are perfect for frying. Let’s get to know what kind of oil is right for what.

For Frying:

In the case of deep-frying, always try to pick the oil that has the highest level of the smoke point. Heat-sensitive impurities are removed from oils through chemical processing, bleaching, filtering.

High smoke point oils typically go through the above-mentioned processes and have a temperature of more than 375 degrees F. This is the temperature at which we normally fry.

You can use oils like Canola oil, pure olive oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil, safflower oil, and peanut oil are oils that have a medium and high smoke point.

For Baking:

Use neutral oil for baking purposes. Coconut oil, vegetable oil, and canola oil are ideal for baking.

For Sauteing:

Sauteing is a cooking technique that uses a small amount of oil in a pan over a fairly high flame. For Sauteing, you can use low and medium-smoking oils such as extra-virgin olive oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, and sesame oil.

For Salad Dressing:

Extra virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil, and flaxseed oil are best to drizzle on your salad.

Take a closer look at the list of Best Cooking Oils for your Health.

1. Canola Oil:

Canola oil is a vegetable oil that comes from rapeseed, a flowering plant. Of all vegetable oils, Canola oil appears to have the least amount of saturated fats and is therefore considered to be one of the healthiest oils.

It is rich in monounsaturated fats and Omega 3.

Omega 3 is good for the health of your heart and for lowering your blood pressure. Both deep frying and sauteing can be done safely with Canola oil because of its high smoke point.

2. Olive Oil:

Olive oil, a common name in the list of healthy oils, is another best cooking oil for your health. Derived from ripe olives, it is considered to be healthy if drizzled on salads and pasta.

Since Olive oil has a low smoke point, it is not advisable to use it for deep-frying. Olive oil is a rich source of antioxidants and is high in monounsaturated fatty acids.

They work wonders to reduce the risk of heart stroke and cardiovascular diseases. It is also one of the best oils for weight loss and breast cancer.

3. Extra Virgin Olive Oil:

Let’s first know the difference between olive oil and extra virgin olive oil before we get into the specifics of this wonderful oil.

Extra virgin olive oil is derived from fresh, cold-pressed olives and is unrefined, while regular olive oil is a processed variant of cold-pressed olives.

You can increase your good cholesterol and lower the bad cholesterol in your blood by using extra virgin olive oil on a regular basis.

Since it is rich in antioxidants, it can prevent cell damage. It also works well to combat inflammation and rising blood pressure.

Extra virgin olive oil has a relatively low smoke point and thus it is not advised to use this oil for deep frying or roasting.

This could cause the oil to lose its nutritional values and its natural flavor. This oil works best when used only for drizzling on salads or for dressing dishes.

4. Sesame Oil:

Sesame oil, a well-known oil that has been used for many years in India and other parts of Asia. This is definitely one of the best cooking oils to enhance your health.

There are two types of sesame seeds, light seeds, and dark seeds. This article addresses the advantages of light sesame oil.

Sesame oil is rich in antioxidants and can reduce the cell damage caused by free radicals. It has strong anti-inflammatory properties and is good for your heart because it contains 82% of the unsaturated fatty acids in it.

Sesame oil plays a significant role in the regulation of blood sugar and is beneficial to people with diabetes.

It also helps to preserve dental well-being. It has a fairly high smoke point and can be used for deep frying and roasting.

5. Flaxseed Oil:

Flaxseed oil, a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly for vegetarians. It can help to reduce the growth of cancer cells, but it is also great for your heart’s health.

It may reduce inflammation and can improve the quality of your skin. However, it is important to keep in mind that Flaxseed oil has extremely low smoke point and should not be cooked at all.

Because it is sensitive to heat, it can only be used as a drizzling and as a dressing for salads to gain maximum benefits.

It is also important to understand that flaxseed oil will spoil quickly and should be stored in the refrigerator.

6. Peanut Oil:

Peanut oil, also known as ground nut oil, is a great oil with a lot of nutritional values.

This oil is packed with many vitamins and minerals, making it one of the healthiest oil, particularly for Indian recipes.

Peanut oil contains monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that reduce the risk of heart disease.

Peanut oil contains oleic acid and its daily consumption increases the development of insulin for type 2 diabetes.

It turns out to be a perfect option for people with diabetes. It has been shown that peanut oil is used in the treatment of joint pain in the case of rheumatoid arthritis. For quick relief from joint pains, massage the area with Eucalyptus oil, and see the magic.

Peanut oil also helps increase blood flow and can prevent stomach problems. This is also beneficial for BP patients because it can minimize high blood pressure.

Why Peanut oil is more convenient and healthier for Indian dishes:

• Peanut oil has a high smoking point and can be used for deep frying.

• Also when the oil is heated beyond the smoke point, the harmful particles can only be formed after a long time. This is also perfect for deep-fried dishes.

• Peanut oil can be filtered and reused many times. When stored in a cool and dark place, this oil does not turn rancid.

7. Rice Bran Oil:

Rice bran oil is the oil derived from the outer layer (called bran) of the rice grain.

This oil is free of trans-fats and is rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

As Rice bran oil contains the right amount of antioxidant called oryzanol, which is used to remove cholesterol, rendering it heart-friendly.

It’s high in vitamin E and can help improve your immunity. Rice bran oil also contains high levels of natural antioxidants that can increase your metabolism and help you lose weight.

Due to the presence of a compound called Squalene, Rice bran oil can be easily absorbed by keeping the skin soft and moist.

The World Health Organization recommends Rice bran oil as the best choice for improving serum cholesterol levels.

Because of its high smoke point, it is a perfect option for deep frying and stir-frying.

The Bottom Line:

Now you know some of the best cooking oils for your health. Choose the right one for your food choices.

I would recommend that various oils be stored and used according to the type of food being cooked to maintain good health.

For instance, using Flaxseed oil or Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle on salads, pasta, noodles, etc.

Using Olive oil or Canola oil for shallow frying or sauteing, and Peanut oil or Sesame oil or Rice bran oil for deep frying.