Best Cooking Oils: Healthiest Cooking Oil

Monday, August 13, 2012

Healthiest Cooking Oil

The healthiest oil to cook with is one that is composed primarily of monounsaturated fat. Processed oils containing a high degree saturated fats are considered the least healthy by most doctors, but saturated fats from natural sources can have some benefits.
Contrary to popular belief, fat is actually a valuable part of one’s diet, allowing people to absorb nutrients that require fat in order to metabolize in the body. One of the healthiest oils is canola oil. One drawback of canola oil is that it may not respond well to high temperatures. Another good choice, and actually a frequent one is peanut oil, which is also high in monounsaturated fat.
Most oils from nuts are considered fairly healthy, but one should be careful using oil derived especially from peanuts or walnuts as these are most frequently indicated in severe nut allergies. If one plans to use peanut oil on a dish served to guests, be sure to verify that no guest has a peanut allergy.
Olive oil is considered by some to be the healthiest oil because it provides a mix of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. It can also be obtained in very pure form, which most health experts recommend. When looking for choosing an oil, one should look for oils that are minimally processed. Frequently, the more processed the oil, the less healthy it is.