These days, the conversation around fat is super confusing. Fats are good fats are bad, buy low fat, buy whole fat, eat this, don't eat this, cook with this for this and cook with that for that...WHAT???!!!!
Reality is, fat makes food taste good! It's the backbone of any meal - and it's actually good for you - well some variations are.
One of my favourite fats is oil. I use oil in pretty much every dish I make from salad dressings to marrinades to sauces and even baking - natural oils can be the healthy alternative to processed and refined fats.
One of the major reasons I decided to look into this topic was because I, like many healthy conscious individuals, prefer to use olive oil over other types of oil for it's rich taste and versitility in dishes. However, over and over I was hearing that it was not safe to heat olive oil above a certain temperature and it was recommended to use a vegetable or other type of oil that has a higher smoke point.
So, if you care to keep reading, I hope I can convince you to love cooking with oil.
Q: But how do I know which oil to use?
The easiest way to figure out what oil to use in your dish, largely depends on two main factors; what health benefits (or not) that you want to get out of the oil and how you intend to incorporate the oil into your dish.
A: Know the smoke point!
The smoke point is the temperature at which the oil starts to smoke. This produces toxic fumes and harmful chemicals. A good trick to know which oil to use is that the more refined the oil, the higher the smoke point.
Oils with High Smoke Points: coconut, canola, butter, animal fats - These oils can be used for searing, frying and browning.
Oils with Medium-High Smoke Points: extra-virgin olive, palm, avocado, macadamia nut - These oils can be used for baking, cooking or stir-frying
Oils with Low-Medium Smoke Points: flax, hemp, peanut, grapeseed, nut oils, corn, sesame - These oils can be used for light sauteing, sauces and low-heat baking.
Oils that should not be heated: flaxseed, fish, wheat germ, walnut - These oils can be used for dressings, dips or marinades.
The best way to classify the differences between different oils is to understand what is monosaturated fat, polysaturated fat and saturated fat and what oils fall under each category.
Good Fats
Pretty much, consider monosaturated and polysaturated fats to be the 'good fats'. They have been proven to improve blood cholesterol levels by helping to lower the 'bad' LDL cholestoral while improving 'good' HDL cholestoral levels. They generally have low to medium-high smoke points and they are in liquid form at room temperature.
Monosaturated fats: olive, palm, avocado ~ Polysaturated fats: fish, peanut, sesame
*Tip: store these types of oils in dark, cool places (like a refrigerator). And don't freak out if your oils high in monosaturated fats solidify and get a bit cloudy....that's totally normal :)!
Not So Good Fats
I caution calling all saturated fats 'bad' fats because there is mounting evidence disproving that fact daily. However, nutritionists will say that less than 7% of your daily fat calories should come from saturated fats so there's no need to O.D. on these types. Included in the saturated fats family is trans fats, which you want to stay clear of. However, not all saturated fats are bad for you in moderation. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and liquefy once heated.
Saturated fats: coconut oil (great choice for high temperature cooking), canola, butter, animal fats
Things you need to know:
~ Extra virgin and virgin olive oils are 'cold pressed' and as a result retain more phytochemicals and nutrients compared 'pure', 'light' or 'plain' olive oil, which have been refined.
~ Canola oil needs to go through a very harsh processing method to derive at the final product. This process includes the use of a toxic solvent hexane among others. Point is, there are probably better alternatives.
~ Although coconut oils is high in saturated fats...it's really quite good for you. It has powerful health benefits and can even increase feelings of fullness compared to other fats. Point is, use it (probably instead of canola oil ;)).
~ Less is more. You will get a healthier, more flavourful meal if you use less of the good fats instead of more of the bad...or any for that matter.
At the end of the day, you need to find what works for you. Compare prices and think about how to swap out 'bad' fats for 'good' ones into the dishes you're already making. Then, buy 2-3 types of oils that work for you (at the very least one with a high smoke point and one with a med-high, aka. olive and coconut) and make sure you store them well so that they don't go rancid.
Resources:
http://authoritynutrition.com/healthy-cooking-oils/
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/healthy-cooking-oils-buyers-guide
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyCooking/Healthy-Cooking-Oils-101_UCM_445179_Article.jsp#.ViD3-_lViko
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20637182,00.html
http://health.clevelandclinic.org/2014/10/heart-healthy-cooking-oils-101/
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/ask-a-health-expert/whats-the-healthiest-cooking-oil/article566592/
PS: For those of you looking for natural alternatives for beauty products...start using oils as moisturizer! My grapeseed and coconut oil blend is doing wonders for my skin!