Which cooking oils are healthy? Which oils are not so healthy?

So many people are now at home and more people are cooking at home.  This can be good for your health.  When you are preparing food for yourself and your family, what cooking oil are you using?  Just like most things in nutrition there are a lot of myths about what cooking oils are good for your health and what cooking oils are not so good.  Why would a person buy a cooking oil that is bad for their heart health?  I noted this before but I was watching a couple in the cooking oil aisle struggling to figure out what cooking oil to buy.  They would pick up a bottle, look at it, talk about it, put it back and then pick up another bottle.  Choosing and buying a healthy cooking oil is not hard.  Here are some tips.

One might think most cooking oils are the same.  And they are pretty much the same when it comes to calories and fat content.  But, the type of fat in the oil really makes a difference health wise.

Healthy Choices for Cooking Oils    Most experts now recommend oils high in monounsaturated fats like Olive Oil, Canola Oil or high in polyunsaturated fats like Safflower oil, Sunflower Oil or Corn Oil.  These oils are the healthiest choices.  Why?  Because cooking oils high in these fats lower your risk of heart disease.  The Cleveland Clinic recommends “When cooking and eating, it’s important to choose the most heart-healthy oils.”  The American Heart Association recommends cooking oils that contain more of the better fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats) and less saturated fats.  (See What are healthy fats?)


o   Olive Oil – this oil is considered heart-healthy because it is high in monounsaturated fats.  Choose Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO).  Why?  Because EVOO has more of those good antioxidants.  Experts say EVOO seems to have the most health  benefits.

o   Canola Oil – This oil is “generally considered a “healthy” oil because it is very low in saturated fat (7%)”.  Similar to olive oil, the fat in canola oil is a monounsaturated fat.  It also contains the heart healthy Omega-3 fat.  Interesting, that canola oil contains a substance that actually reduces “the absorption of cholesterol into the body”.

o   Corn, Safflower, Soybean and Sunflower Oils – the American Heart Association also lists these vegetable oils as heart-healthy oils.  Why?  Because they contain so little saturated fats. 


Not Good Choice for Cooking Oils

·        Coconut oil – although trendy, this oil is not a healthy choice. They are those that say coconut oil can reduce your belly fat, and is even good for your immune system.  The once popular Paleo Diet pushed coconut oil.  But not so fast. 

o   Saturated fat – most people know saturated fat is not heart healthy.  Saturated fat is the fat that raises your bad cholesterol, the LDL cholesterol.  Coconut oil is not only high in saturated fat, but 80-90% of fat in coconut oil is saturated.  That is why coconut oil is solid at room temperature. 

o   LDL cholesterol – this is the cholesterol that builds up in your arteries and considered the “bad cholesterol”.  A number of studies have found that coconut oil leads to an increase in LDL cholesterol. This would increase one’s risk of heart disease.

o   Coconut oil is one cooking oil to leave on the shelf

·         Palm Oil – another oil high in saturated fat.  I am always disappointed when I try to choose a healthier microwave popcorn and then the ingredients list “palm oil” as it is not a heart-healthy oil. 

What cooking oil to choose?  Actually, you may want a couple of oils in your pantry.  Have a bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and then have some Corn, Safflower, or Sunflower Oil.  This way you are getting the benefit of oils that are low in saturated fat and you are getting some different heart-healthy oils.  


Sources:  experts , Cleveland Clinic, American Heart Association , EVOO , Experts , Canola Oil , This oil , vegetable oils , fat, studies, Palm Oil    Image Sources: corn oil , Heart healthy oils , EVVO

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