Which cooking oil is good for your health? Here, dietitians share the best cooking oils, including the best cooking oils for your heart and high heat.
Experts are constantly telling us that cooking at home is linked to better diet quality. In some cases, it can be nicer to your wallet, too, since cooking at home tends to cost less than dining out. But what you add to your dishes when you cook your homemade meals can be an important detail to consider when channeling your inner Iron Chef. Since many dishes require oil for cooking, it makes sense to put some extra thought into the kind you’re using — especially when considering which cooking oil is good for your health.
Cooking oils are a kitchen necessity and come in various types, each with its distinct characteristics and nutritional profiles. Olive oil, rich in monounsaturated fats known for heart health benefits, is a staple in Mediterranean cuisine. Canola oil, with a balanced ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids and a high smoke point, is versatile for various cooking methods. And avocado oil, high in monounsaturated fats and an incredibly high smoke point, is ideal for high-heat cooking.
When looking for the best cooking oils, it’s best to consider the oil’s fatty-acid composition, smoke point, and stability under heat. Plus, the oil should remain stable under heat, meaning it should resist oxidation, a process that can produce free radicals that may harm your health.
You can also consider the bottle as a potential indicator of the quality of your cooking oil, says Carrie Gabriel, a California-based registered dietitian. High-quality oils usually come in dark glass bottles, which keep out light and oxygen and prevent the oil from going bad. Larger plastic bottles tend to be lower quality and oxidize more quickly. Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule, as some higher-quality oils are being offered in innovative squeezable bottles that are dark enough to avoid light oxidizing the oil.
If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to cooking oils, ahead we had registered dietitians (myself included!) share which cooking oils are worth exploring if you’re trying to cook healthy dishes, and which are best left on the grocery shelf.
