Recently a friend of mine said: ” I wish I knew what oils to use for what type of cooking?” so here it is, my quick guide to cooking with oil.
BASICS:
- each oil has a smoke point, which is the point where the oil starts to burn and smoke. It may release harmful free radicals ⇒ avoid the smoke point!
- depending on what you want to cook and the smoke point of the oil ⇒ select the best oil for cooking.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST OILS:
- chose a dark bottle: oils are sensitive to light and loose nutrients when exposed.
- select virgin or extra virgin: the 1st press ( extra) is the highest grade of oil and contains more nutrients.
- most articles I read say to avoid canola, rapeseed, peanut, vegetable and sunflower oil. They are high in Omega 6 &3 but most of us get enough through our balanced diet, overdoing it will negate the benefits. The chemical process in which they extract the oils and make the oil highly refined is also an issue as it leaves the oil unstable. This can mean it easily breaks down when cooking and releases toxins.
COOKING GUIDE:
<150 C – NO HEAT cooking; dressings and dips:
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- olive oil
- flax seed oil
- pumpkin seed oil
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150 C – 199 C – MEDIUM HEAT cooking; light sautee, low-heat baking, sauces
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- coconut oil
- olive oil
- sesame oil
- butter
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200 C – 299 C – MEDIUM – HIGH HEAT cooking; stir-frying, oven-baking
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- olive oil
- canola oil
- rapeseed oil
- sesame oil
- argan oil
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> 230 C – HIGH HEAT cooking; deep-frying, searing, browning
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- peanut oil
- vegetable oil
- coconut oil
- avocado oil
- sesame oil
- sunflower oil
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