Fat isn’t just a nutrient essential for your body, it’s also a key player in healthy cooking! The trouble is, between the mass of misinformation and misleading advertising, it seems almost impossible to determine which oils to choose as part of a healthy diet. Oils are used primarily for cooking, baking, and in salad dressings. With that in mind, there are 3 things to consider:
- What is the smoke point of the oil? The smoke point is the point at which an oil literally begins to smoke. Oils begin to break down at their smoke point, leading to the formation of potentially harmful compounds. To prevent this from occurring, heat your oil just until it shimmers, and make sure you choose the right oil for the type of cooking you are doing!
- What are the natural health benefits of the oil?
- What flavor will the oil impart to the food?
To simplify, let’s use a stoplight analogy to help determine which oils are best!
RED LIGHT— Stop and swap for a healthier choice!
- Partially Hyrogenated Oils
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