45 replies to this topic

[suspire]

With so much discussion on the positives of negatives of various cooking oils, I thought it'd be helpful to take a look at what the membership uses for cooking oils. What are people's Top 5 and why?

I'll start it off with my top three:

1) Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Numerous documented health benefits. Downside, it has a low smoke point.
2) Grapeseed Oil (cold-pressed): My info on the health benefits of it are sketchy, though I imagine it shares some of the same benefits of grapeseed extract. It also has a higher smoke point than olive oil.
3) Extra Virgin Coconut Oil: A number of health benefits attributed to it. Downside, it isn't the most liquid of oils and it has a low smoke point.

That's it for me for now. Any other ideas, thoughts and recommendations? And yes, I know there are less than 5 on this list--I didn't actually have 5 I use. But maybe others do!

Edited by suspire, 05 February 2009 - 06:40 PM.

[Johan]

The only one I use is olive oil, since it's the best one available to me.

[tomnook]

1. Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
2. Walnut Oil (good Omega-3 / Omega-6 ratio - smoke point appx 320F similar to Coconut Oil)
3. Virgin Olive Oil

Cooking oils and their smoke points information here.

Edited by tomnook, 05 February 2009 - 07:37 PM.

[drmz]

1.Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
2.Olive Oil

nothing else. Might try grapeseed oil in the future (depends if they have it in the stores here)

[.fonclea.]

It depends what i am cooking:
Sunflower oil for salad and friyng
Olive oil for salad and mediteraneen cooking
Nut oil for salad and cakes (exeletent one )
Grappe seed oil also for salad, cakes,...

[Dmitri]

My mother buys Canola Oil and Olive oil, though she uses Canola more since Olive is more expensive despite it’s lower quantity.

[ajnast4r]

i try to avoid cooking with olive oil in general as its low heat tolerance lends towards a damaged oil...the damage most likely occurs long before the actual smoke point is achieved. http://www.whfoods.c...=george&dbid=56

ideally coconut oil should be used for higher heat but if you dont like the flavor then you will, imo, be better off using a high w-6 oil like canola for frying/high heat sauteing than you will using olive oil.

if i want to saute something i will use a tiny bit of canola oil and a few tbsp of water... this lends a nice texture to vegetables, almost a 1/2 steamed 1/2 sauteed. then i will allow them to cool slightly, and pour the uncooked olive oil on top of the veggies.

Edited by ajnast4r, 05 February 2009 - 10:57 PM.

[thefirstimmortal]

Cook with Canola Oil
For Cold, Flax.

[suspire]

i try to avoid cooking with olive oil in general as its low heat tolerance lends towards a damaged oil...the damage most likely occurs long before the actual smoke point is achieved. http://www.whfoods.c...=george&dbid=56

ideally coconut oil should be used for higher heat but if you dont like the flavor then you will, imo, be better off using a high w-6 oil like canola for frying/high heat sauteing than you will using olive oil.

if i want to saute something i will use a tiny bit of canola oil and a few tbsp of water... this lends a nice texture to vegetables, almost a 1/2 steamed 1/2 sauteed. then i will allow them to cool slightly, and pour the uncooked olive oil on top of the veggies.

Is coconut oil any better for higher heat? Both extra-virgin olive/coconut have roughly the same smoke points, I believe. As for high omega-6 oils, like canola, I try and avoid them.

What about just plain old butter? How much do people use that to cook/sautee? Do folks use it much? I actually tend to use it a lot more than most oils--not sure if this is wise or not.

What about ghee? Lard? Do people use it?

[niner]

Refined coconut oil has a much higher heat tolerance than extra virgin. So says Spectrum, who makes both varieties. It also is supposed to not have the coconut flavor, though I haven't actually tried it. Not only that, but it's cheaper than extra virgin, despite more processing. Supply and demand, I suppose; not many people want a cheap slutty oil when they can get the extra virgin... Like ajnast said above, I would hesitate to heat any unsaturated oil. Various oxidations and rearrangements may occur, none of them particularly good for you.

[EmbraceUnity]

MCT Oil is good in moderation, just like coconut oil. The thing about these tropical plants is that by eating them you typically are destroying the rainforest, unless you are absolutely sure this isn't the case. MCT oil isn't always tropical-based. I believe it can be chemically synthesized or made from mixtures of other more local plants.

High oleic oils in addition to Extra Virgin Olive Oil are good also. There is a high oleic variant of sunflower oil.

[JLL]

- Red palm oil
- Coconut oil
- Sesame oil
- Olive oil

[edDe]

I fry with avocado oil. It has a high smoke point, and a high level of mono unsaturated fat.

[ironchet]

For cooking I only use coconut oil and palm oil, both refined.

Those that use conola oil, are you concerned about the omega 3 turning rancid? During processing conola is exposed to high heat. Also, 80% of conola are genetically engineered (GMO) to resist pesticides.

[caston]

For cooking I only use coconut oil and palm oil, both refined.

Those that use conola oil, are you concerned about the omega 3 turning rancid? During processing conola is exposed to high heat. Also, 80% of conola are genetically engineered (GMO) to resist pesticides.

You got this 80% figure from where?

Besides GMO doesn't make it bad or good... but perhaps I may even trust GMO food more as it goes through quite stringent testing.

[ironchet]

For cooking I only use coconut oil and palm oil, both refined.

Those that use conola oil, are you concerned about the omega 3 turning rancid? During processing conola is exposed to high heat. Also, 80% of conola are genetically engineered (GMO) to resist pesticides.

You got this 80% figure from where?

Besides GMO doesn't make it bad or good... but perhaps I may even trust GMO food more as it goes through quite stringent testing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canola

Genetically modified canola which is resistant to herbicide was first introduced to Canada in 1995. Today 80% of the area of canola is sown with genetically modified canola

The Great Con-ola

[Live Forever]

Lard mixed with butter for that artery clogging taste.

[thefirstimmortal]

When you fry up bacon or chicken, always save the grease for the next time you fry up hamburger. Oh, to be sure canola oil is probably the healthier option, but it isn't the tastier option.

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Edited by thefirstimmortal, 07 February 2009 - 12:45 PM.

[thefirstimmortal]

It has been years since I have enjoyed a Bacon Maple Square, and someone once suggested I try chasing it down with a Bacon Grease Martini.

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[Shepard]

Tallow
Coconut Oil
Ghee

I use olive oil and butter for taste purposes, neither cooks well.

[DukeNukem]

MCT oil (comes from coconut oil)
olive oil (for low heat cooking, like chili)
tea seed oil (high heat)
butter
macadamia nut oil (another good high heat option)

I do not use oils like canola and grape seed that are >10% in polyunsaturated fats.

Meanwhile, I also consume coconut oil, palm oil, olive oil, and tea seed oil everyday as food, such as in my daily shake.

[sdxl]

I only use refined coconut oil for cooking.

[ajnast4r]

ghee... i forgot about ghee.

[Bodhi]

1 Palm oil

2 Coconut oil

3 Ghee

4. Lard

You really shouldn't cook with cold pressed olive oil, but it is very good for salads and marinades....so that's #5 I guess.

[eternaltraveler]

coconut oil and avocado oil is what I cook with

I make mayonnaise out of olive oil and put it on everything.

Use walnut oil for salad dressing.

[Forever21]

hello friends,

would you recommend PINE NUT OIL?

not for cooking but for salads.

i read it suppresses appetite but its also high in polyunsaturated fat.

[malcasid]

For cooking I only use coconut oil and palm oil, both refined.

Those that use conola oil, are you concerned about the omega 3 turning rancid? During processing conola is exposed to high heat. Also, 80% of conola are genetically engineered (GMO) to resist pesticides.

You got this 80% figure from where?

Besides GMO doesn't make it bad or good... but perhaps I may even trust GMO food more as it goes through quite stringent testing.

Haha, wow... GMO, stringent testing? I would be careful about where you are getting your information. Do your research before believing such a fallacy.

[Recortes]

I only use Olive Virgin Extra. The reason is that it is the only one healthy and cheap where I live.

[thefirstimmortal]

Meanwhile, I also consume coconut oil, palm oil, olive oil, and tea seed oil everyday as food, such as in my daily shake.

What are some of your shake recipes?

[VespeneGas]

For cooking (low heat):
Extra virgin coconut
Butter

For salads:
extra virgin olive

My morning shake:

EV coconut oil 2 tbsp
whole milk 2 cups
whey protein 25 g
wild blueberries 3/4 cup
1 banana (a senseless luxury, I know)
1/2 cup oatmeal
raw spinach 2 cups
cocoa powder (optional)

soooo tasty