Cooking oil question?

[droverjess]

Hi
I wonder which cooking oil the brilliant cooks on here use most? And which oil is you think is healthiest, and why?
I find there is a lot of conflicting advice.
Thx in advance DJ

[cookie1]

I'm no brilliant cook, but I do love cooking. I use EVOO most of the time and grapeseed oil for mayonnaise and rice bran oil for stir fries. Having said that I also use avocado oil for some salads and have recently starting using walnut oil for a couple of things.

[Amy :-)]

It really depends on the dish you are cooking DJ. Most recipes specify which oil to use.

In saying that, I just use olive oil for everything... I know its bad, but I hate having heaps of bottles of different oils in the pantry. If a buy bottle and use 10ml for a dish, chances are I may never cook that dish again or use the oil.

When it comes to healthiness of oils, you've got to remember that they're all just fats, so are very high in kilojoules. Coconut oil is the worst though, as it is almost 95% saturated fat, which is bad fat.
Apparently avocado oil is very healthy, but better for dressing salads rather than cooking.

[tarosuma]

Ooooh..... you are about to delve into some very varied answers I think!  
I know what you mean about the conflicting info as some oils which have dubious health claims have been very cleverly marketed as healthy.  And oils/fats which has been regarded as fattening and unhealthy are now in vogue again because they are natural and stable.  I have read lots of info about the processing of so-called healthy oils like canola and rice-bran.  The basic idea is that they are basically rancid and have gone through massive industrial processes to make them appear edible.  Many health experts will now tell you that they are the oils iin fact contributing to heart disease, not the good old fashioned fats/oils like butter and lard.
I am a big fan of real food and I have no problems with fat content as I don't believe the fat/cholesterol/heart disease hypothesis based on Ancell Keyes study has much credibility.
I therefore use butter, coconut oil, lard and ghee for high heat cooking and any of the less stable but unrefined oils like avocado, EVOO etc for dressings and the like.

[achookwoman]

DJ, I use Ricebran oil for most cooking ( high smoking point),  walnut oil in salad dressings and some breads and Canola oil to spray in Bread tins.  EVOO to saute veggies in TMX.  2/3 Ricebran oil and 1/3 EVOO in Mayo. I have spray cans and bulk of all listed except Canola , where only spray.  walnut oil is best kept in fridge once opened. I also use coconut oil in some baking and love the taste of butter.  Have not a clue about what is healthy or not as it seems to go in waves of fashion as to what we should/ should not eat.

[Amy :-)]

DJ, here is something I typed up for you from a magazine:

AVOCADO OIL - rich in healthy monounsaturated fats and vitamins A, D and E. Has a mild flavour and can be used to saute meat, fish or chicken, or make salad dressings.

RICE BRAN OIL - rich in vitamin E and healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, but also has a high saturated fat content compared to other plant-based oils. Widely used in deep-fried Asian dishes.

VEGETABLE OIL - usually a blend of canola and soybean oils, but can sometimes contain palm oil which is best avoided due to its high saturated fat content. Nutrition differs due to different blends.

CANOLA OIL - high in healthy monounsaturated fat, and has one of the lowest saturated fat contents of all oils. Also contains heart-healthy omega-3 fats. Suitable for both high and low heat cooking, and is also widely used to make reduced-fat table spreads and mayonnaise.

LIGHT OLIVE OIL - milder than extra virgin olive oil. In this case, "light" does not refer to nutrition. It refers to the lighter colour and milder flavour.

PEANUT OIL - moderately high in healthy monounsaturated fats. Good for stir-fries and does not absorb or transfer flavours during cooking.

SUNFLOWER OIL - rich in vitamin E and low in saturated fat. Very mild flavour and can be used in most types of cooking.

SESAME OIL - has a rich, nutty taste. Well-suited to high-heat cooking or cold Asian-style salads.

GRAPESEED OIL - rich in healthy polyunsaturated fats. Can be used in high heat cooking or cold dishes.

MACADAMIA OIL - very high in healthy monounsaturated fats. Has a strong, nutty flavour and is suitable for high-heat cooking or salad dressings.

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL - primarily contains healthy monounsaturated fats. Best used for dressings, marinades, sauces and low heat cooking, but can also be used for high heat cooking.

COCONUT OIL - almost 90% saturated fat. This oil is best avoided.

WALNUT OIL - contains one of the lowest levels of saturated fat of all oils. Has a rich, nutty flavour and is best for cold dishes such as dressings, sauces and dips.

FLAXSEED/LINSEED OIL - rich in healthy omega-3 fats, but is not stable and breaks down quickly, meaning it is best suited to cold dishes such as salads. Also best stored in the fridge.

Hope this was helpful DJ. 

[Merlin]

I think Amy summed up things perfectly- well done!

[fundj&e]

Canola or veg oil for frying

OLIVE OIL for cooking

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL for  salad dressing and to drizzle over cooked foods

[Amy :-)]

I think Amy summed up things perfectly- well done!

Thank you Merlin

By the way, the information I typed up was written by an accredited practising dietitian. So it is reliable

[Merrilyn]

Thanks for that Amy and fundj.  Very helpful.  I've printed it out for future reference.

[droverjess]

Thankyou everyone. I knew this was the place to ask.

Fab list Amy, and agree achookwoman think fashion plays a part. As a child everything was fried in dripping!

I used to use margarine for baking, but as I learnt more about content and chemistry I returned to butter. Still use it on cost grounds if baking to bulk sell at coffee morning etc.
Always used butter as spread, couldn't stand taste of marg, rather do without.

I tend to use EVOO for dressings, OO for regular cooking.
Used to use cold pressed rapeseed (canola) more for cooking but then was told not so good.
Which is why I posted because here oes seems to be some confusion.
I guess some of these reports one has to ask who has sponsored the research?

[achookwoman]

Yes,  DJ, a can of worms.  Probably best to not use much of any.