When cooking with vegetable oil there are a number of factors to be aware of in order to be both healthy and safe. There are a number of different vegetable oils available, from olive oil to canola oil, and soybean oil to palm oil.
It may surprise you to know that many of the vegetable oils out are a danger to your health.
Many oils are hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated. Unfortunately, the process that makes cooking oils hydrogenated introduces trans fats into the oil. While different types of saturated and unsaturated fats have varying effects upon health, there is no question regarding the damaging potential of trans fats.
In fact, it has been said that there is no safe level of trans fat. So it is best to stick with vegetable oils, like palm oil, that are trans fat free.
When selecting which oil to use, whether for deep-frying or sautéing, know the smoke point of the oil that you’re working with.
Recently, scientists have discovered that at many oils, including canola oil and soya oil become toxic at around the smoke point, and so are best avoided for anything above low temperatures.
Any polyunsaturated oil is believed to hold this risk. Consuming these oils or inhaling their fumes can lead to painful, prolonged diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or heart problems.
So a better option would be something like palm oil, with its high smoke point and its extreme stability at high temperatures. Palm oil also has the benefit of high antioxidants.
If you plan on frying or sautéing with a vegetable oil, remember — safety first! Should a an oil fire start, water will only worsen the fire, spreading it. So never use water on an oil fire.
Many of the more healthy oils, like olive or palm oil, have a characteristic flavor to them. Some, like olive oil, have stronger flavors than others, limiting them to more specific uses.
Cost should be considered as well when selecting a cooking oil, though not without regard to one’s health. Olive oil can become quite expensive, and tends not to hold up well at higher temperatures, so perhaps it is not as good an option as some suggest.
Vegetable oils should be stored in a cool, dark place, and sealed in such a way that they are not exposed to excess oxygen. When some oils are stored in a cold place, such as a refrigerator, parts of the oil may partially solidify, but this does not damage the oil.
Some vegetable oils can play double-duty. Besides being used for cooking, they can also be used for shortening when baking. Palm oil is a good example of such an oil. Outside of the US, it may be the most commonly used oil, due to its multiple functionalities and its durability during transport.
Selecting a vegetable oil for cooking can be a challenging task, due to the number of factors involved. Ensure that health comes first, then price and taste. Stored properly, your cooking oil should last for months.
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