There are so many different types of cooking oils on the market, it’s hard to know which ones to use for what. They are such a great source of healthy fats, but there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing which oil to use for what. Smoke point, flavor and type of fat all play a role in which oils I choose to use. I used to have a handful of different oils in my pantry, but these days I keep four: extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil and sesame oil. Let’s take a deeper look at why these are my go-tos.

What Is A Smoke Point?

One important aspect of oils is their smoke point. This is the temperature at which an oil begins to break down. For a long time I thought this just meant that an oil might get a burnt taste (which still isn’t pleasant), but there are actually health consequences to an oil breaking down.

As an oil heats up past its smoking point, it starts to break down and begins to oxidize (essentially when oxygen starts mixing with the elements in the oil). This oxidization releases free radicals, which wreak havoc on our cells, and in turn our organs & systems (i.e., hormones, circulatory system, etc). Antioxidants protect us against free radicals, but it’s best to try to avoid things that cause them in the first place.

Smoke points for my preferred oils are as follows:

Extra virgin olive oil - 350 degrees F
Avocado oil - 520 degrees F
Coconut oil (unrefined) - 350 degrees F
Sesame oil - 410 degrees F

It’s best not to expose these oils to temperatures higher than what’s listed here to avoid them breaking down.

Flavor

My top four oils really do have varying flavors. Olive oil has fruity undertones, while coconut and sesame taste as you would expect. Avocado oil is very mild, with no real noticeable flavor.

Type of Fat

As I wrote about in Fats: Friend or Foe?, there are different types of fat that all play a role in our overall health. While saturated fat is still sometimes considered “bad,” it’s actually not, so long as it’s a healthy source, you’re eating it in moderation and you are balancing it with unsaturated fat.

Olive oil, avocado oil and sesame oil are great sources of unsaturated fat, while coconut is a source of saturated fat. I don’t use coconut oil often, but I like having it on hand for certain baked goods or to sauté apples or even make French toast. It just brings a little variety into our diet and exposes us to different nutrients.

Using My Top 4 Oils

Given the lower smoke points of extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil, I tend to either reserve them for salad dressings (olive oil) or sautéing over a medium/medium-low heat. Coconut oil is a good option for baking as well, since the oven is usually around 350F. My kids also love sautéed apples, which I’ll do in coconut oil with a sprinkle of cinnamon; I’ll also use coconut oil to cook French toast sometimes. It’s a simple way to add a little variety to our diets.

Since avocado oil has a much higher smoke point, I use that to roast veggies, which I tend to cook around 400-425F. I’ll also use it to sauté since it has such a mild flavor. Sesame oil has a very distinctive flavor, which I love in stir fry, or even on some roasted veggies. Just remember with sesame oil, a little goes a long way!

What Are Inflammatory Oils?

You may be seeing things about “inflammatory oils.” Yes, some oils are more inflammatory than others, but that’s typically because they are either higher in omega-6s or in saturated fat. Remember from Fats: Friend or Foe?, that omega-6s are still considered essential, meaning our bodies need them. We don’t make essential fatty acids ourselves, so we need to get them from foods. And while omega-6 is considered inflammatory, we actually need that for things like wound healing. The problem comes when we have too much inflammation, or, we’re not eating the proper ratio of omega-3 to omega-6, which is a common issue in the Standard American Diet (SAD).

Oils that are considered inflammatory include:

palm oil (also contributes to deforestation)
soybean oil
canola oil
safflower oil
sunflower oil
peanut oil
corn oil

Oils to Avoid

I try to limit our consumption of oils that are considered inflammatory, however, we generally eat a well-balanced diet that includes lots of omega-3s and other anti-inflammatory foods. But like anyone else, especially fellow parents, life gets busy and sometimes we need to rely on some packaged foods, and oftentimes those foods have trace amounts of inflammatory oils, mostly safflower or sunflower oil. Do I love it? No. Do I panic? Also no. I’m aware of it and intentional about when we have them.

With that said, one of the oils I wouldn’t purchase and try to avoid in general is canola oil. This is because there is nothing “natural” about canola oil. Almost all of the canola plants grown in the US are genetically modified, and on top of that, chemicals are needed to extract the oil from the plant. So at the end of the day, there’s really nothing natural about canola oil. Alternatively, sunflower oil comes from sunflower seeds, which come from a sunflower plant. See the difference? However, (I know, there’s always a “however”), expeller-pressed is slightly better, as it doesn’t utilize the same chemical process. So again, I do try to avoid it all together, but if I can’t, I look for expeller-pressed.

Storing Oils

Oils do go rancid, so I keep mine in cool, dark places and never buy more than I need at any one time. Because we go through them pretty quickly I store them in our lazy Susan in my kitchen. Some sesame oils, though not all, will say to keep in the refrigerator, so just check the label after opening!

How to Choose A Cooking Oil