China Agriculture View

Oil is necessary for cooking. There are so many kinds of oil used in cooking, but do you know which one is best for our health? Which one do you like?which type of oil should you use for cooking? Olive, canola or soybean? Or perhaps corn, safflower or sunflower?Before we conclude the best cooking oil(s), let’s look at the essential – Fats 101.

Saturated Fats:Saturated fats raise total blood cholesterol as well as LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol).
Trans Fats:Trans fats raise LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) and lower HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol).
Monounsaturated Fats:Monounsaturated fats lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) and increase the HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol).
Polyunsaturated Fats:Polyunsaturated fats also lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Omega 3 fatty acids belong to this group.

When you do need a little oil for cooking, be aware that some oils are more useful than others in light and healthy cooking.Let’s learn something about these oil to help us choosing the good oil.

Soybean Oil
Most cooking oils that are simply labelled “vegetable oil” are made from soybean oil. This oil supplies a fair amount of omega-3 fat, though not as much as canola and walnut oils do. Like canola oil, soybean oil has a bland flavor that works well when you want to avoid adding any interfering flavors to your dish.

Walnut Oil
With a delicate nutty flavor, walnut oil is an excellent choice for baking, cooking, and salad making. Most grocery stores sell as least one brand of walnut oil such as Lorvia California Walnut Oil. Like canola oil, walnut oil contains a substantial amount of omega-3 fats. Most brands of walnut oil have been only minimally processed and can turn rancid quickly, so once opened, they should be refrigerated.

Canola Oil
Low in saturated fats and rich in monounsaturated fats, canola oil also contains alpha-linolenic acid, an essential omega-3 fat that is deficient in most people’s diets.Canola oil has a very mild, bland taste, so it is a good all-purpose oil for cooking and baking when you want no interfering flavors.

Olive oil
A great oil for cooking.  Strong flavored olive oils can be used for frying fish or other strong flavored ingredients.Olive oil has a high smoke point, 410 degrees F,  and doesn’t degrade as quickly as many other oils do with repeated high heating.  Use a variety of healthy vegetable oils when preparing food and incorporate a good extra virgin olive oil when you want its health benefits and wonderful Mediterranean flavor.