The Healthiest Oils for Cooking [Part 2 of 3]

The first part of our blog series, The Healthiest Oils for Cooking, focussed on fish oil, butter and animal fats. If you missed it, click here: The Healthiest Oils for Cooking [Part 1 of 3]. The second blog focusses on canola, flax, palm, seed and vegetable oil.

Canola oil:

The fatty acids in canola oil are mostly monounsaturated, as well as Omega-6 and Omega-3, in a ratio of 2:1. Although this is good in terms of health, canola oil goes through a harsh process to produce the final product which includes the use of a harmful toxin called hexane.

Flax seed oil:

Although flax seed oil contains the plant form of Omega-3 (Alpha Linolenic Acid), it is advisable to use fish oil instead. The ALA in flax oil makes it difficult for the body to process it effectively while the oil also contains polyunsaturated fats. Therefore, flax oil is not recommended for cooking purposes.

Palm oil:

Palm oil is good for cooking since it contains only small amounts of polyunsaturated fats and mainly saturated and monounsaturated fats. Unrefined palm oil is even better as it contains, amongst other, Vitamin E and Coenzyme Q10.

Seed and vegetable oils:

Industrially produced seed and vegetable oils contain high levels of Omega-6 fatty acids and should, therefore, be avoided for both cooking and consumption. Although these oils were initially thought to be good for your health, recent research has linked many of these oils to heart disease and cancer. See the below list of seed and vegetable oils that you would want to avoid.

Seed and vegetable oils to avoid:

• Sunflower oil
• Sesame oil
• Rice bean oil
• Safflower oil
• Grapeseed oil
• Cottonseed oil
• Canola oil
• Corn oil
• Soybean oil

Continue reading to find out more about the best oils for cooking: The Healthiest Oils for Cooking [Part 3 of 3] looks into avocado, peanut and nut, olive and coconut oil. It also provides tips for storing and preserving cooking oils.