What to look out for when choosing a cooking oil
With so many different cooking oils on the market and so much conflicting information as to which ones are the healthiest, it becomes daunting to figure out which ones to choose when cooking your favorite meals.
Today I’m going to help you discern the good from the bad.
One factor to look out for is the smoke point of the oil. The smoke point is the temperature at which the oil actually begins to smoke and therefore, break down. This is important because when an oil decomposes, free radicals and other chemical compounds form that can cause damage to our bodies.
Besides paying attention to the smoke point, It is also important to look at highly refined oils such as soybean, cottonseed, corn and safflower oils. These are composed mostly of polyunsaturated fats, that when are exposed to light and heat, are also prone to oxidation and free radical production, which again, is highly inflammatory to the body.
So what are my favorite, healthy oils?
- Organic extra virgin olive oil-high in polyphenols (antioxidants) and anti-inflammatory, monounsaturated fats but has a low smoke point (320 degrees) so best for salad dressings and to pour on already cooked veggies
- Avocado oil-high in anti-inflammatory, monounsaturated fats and is great for high temperature cooking (smoke point 520 degrees)
- Virgin coconut Oil-high in lauric acid, which has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Good for sautéing and baking (smoke point 350 degrees)
- Organic grass-fed ghee- a staple in traditional Indian cooking, ghee is made by boiling butter and removing the milk solids (including lactose) and proteins (whey and casein). High in butyric acid (good for colon and gut health) and conjugated lineolic acid (a fatty acid known to be protective against carcinogens, artery plaque and diabetes). Great for high heat cooking (smoke point of 485 degrees)
Word of caution: Although these oils have benefits, excessive consumption is not recommended, as you will be significantly increasing your dietary fat intake. Like anything, too much of a good thing is not a good thing!
With love and good health,
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