No single cooking oil is “the healthiest” for every recipe. A practical choice depends on the type of fat, flavor, cooking method, cost and how the oil fits into your overall eating pattern. For heart health, a useful principle is to replace foods high in saturated fat with sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat.
Unsaturated plant oils are useful everyday choices
Olive, canola, sunflower, soybean, corn, safflower, peanut and avocado oils contain mostly unsaturated fats. They can be used for salad dressings, sautéing, roasting and many other cooking methods. Different oils vary in flavor and price, so there is no need to rely on only one.
Olive oil
Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat and works well for dressings, marinades, sautéing and roasting. Extra-virgin olive oil also contributes flavor and plant compounds. It does not need to be restricted to uncooked food; it can be used for ordinary home cooking when handled appropriately.
Canola and other neutral oils
Canola oil is relatively low in saturated fat and has a neutral flavor, which makes it useful for baking, sautéing and recipes where a strong oil flavor is not wanted. Other nontropical vegetable oils can also be good choices.
Avocado, peanut, sesame and specialty oils
These can add variety and distinctive flavor. Avocado and peanut oils are often used for higher-heat cooking, while toasted sesame oil is usually used in smaller amounts for flavor. Specialty oils can be nutritious, but they are not required for a healthy diet and may be more expensive.
Butter, coconut oil and other saturated fats
Butter, coconut oil, palm oil, lard and other solid or tropical fats contain more saturated fat than most nontropical vegetable oils. They can still be used for flavor or particular recipes, but routinely replacing some of them with unsaturated plant oils is a heart-healthier pattern.
What about margarine?
Modern soft spreads vary considerably. Instead of assuming all margarine is good or bad, check the ingredient list and Nutrition Facts label. Products based mainly on unsaturated vegetable oils can differ substantially from older stick margarines that historically contained partially hydrogenated oils.
Smoke point and storage
Use oils within the cooking range recommended by the manufacturer, and discard oil that smells rancid or has been repeatedly overheated. Store oils tightly closed in a cool, dark place. Buying a smaller bottle can make sense if you use a particular oil slowly.
If an oil is visibly smoking, reduce the heat. Repeatedly overheating or reusing cooking oil can degrade it, so routine home cooking is better served by using fresh oil in appropriate amounts.
A simple way to choose
- For everyday cooking, choose a nontropical plant oil you enjoy and can afford.
- Use extra-virgin olive oil when its flavor fits the dish.
- Use neutral oils such as canola when you do not want a strong flavor.
- Use butter or tropical oils more selectively if you are trying to reduce saturated fat.
- Do not pay a premium for an oil solely because marketing calls it a “superfood.”
Bottom line
The overall fat pattern matters more than finding one perfect oil. For most everyday cooking, olive, canola and other nontropical plant oils are versatile choices that provide more unsaturated fat and less saturated fat than butter, lard, coconut oil or palm oil.
