Should I use olive oil for frying? How to choose the right cooking oil

Should I use olive oil for frying? How to choose the right cooking oil. When you walk down the supermarket aisle, you see many bottles of cooking oil. There are cheap options like sunflower and vegetable oil, and more expensive ones like olive, avocado, and coconut oil. Each claims to have health benefits, but it can be confusing to know which one is best for you. Oils and fats have been debated for years because they affect cholesterol levels in your body. Cholesterol is a fatty substance made by your liver and found in some foods. Too much bad cholesterol can block your blood vessels and lead to health problems.

With so many choices and opinions, picking the right oil can feel overwhelming. Professor Nita Forouhi from the University of Cambridge says there is no single oil that is perfect for health. She also clears up some common myths about cooking oils. First, she recommends using sunflower and vegetable oils for cooking. These oils are often criticized for being ultra-processed, but there is no evidence that they are harmful. In fact, they contain only 5-10 percent unhealthy saturated fats and are high in healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats, like omega-3 and omega-6, are important for your brain and heart. Replacing butter, lard, or ghee with these oils can lower your risk of disease. Sunflower and vegetable oils are also affordable, making them a good choice for home cooking.

Second, margarine can help reduce bad cholesterol. Margarine used to contain trans fats, which are linked to heart disease, but modern margarines have almost none. This means margarine can be part of a healthy diet and help lower bad cholesterol. Butter is not completely off-limits, and you can still enjoy it if you like. However, it is better to use oil for cooking because it has less saturated fat. UK health guidelines suggest keeping your saturated fat intake below 10 percent of your calories, and using oil instead of butter can help you do that.

Third, olive oil is not suitable for deep frying. Oils react differently to heat, and extra virgin olive oil has a low smoke point. This means it breaks down and releases unpleasant flavors and harmful compounds when heated too much. Extra virgin olive oil is best for salads or drizzling over food. For deep frying, like making chips or battered fish, vegetable or sunflower oil is better because they can handle high temperatures. Some studies show that oils heated above their smoke point can release toxic chemicals, but this is rare in home cooking. Long-term studies show that vegetable oils are linked to better health outcomes.

So, which oil should you use? For everyday cooking, sunflower or rapeseed oil is healthy, affordable, and versatile. You can also use basic olive oil. For salads and finishing dishes, extra virgin olive oil adds flavor and health benefits. For deep frying, stick with vegetable or sunflower oil. If you want to try new flavors, you can use sesame, coconut, or avocado oil for cold dishes. Professor Forouhi says it is better to look at your whole diet instead of worrying about which oil to buy. Choose oils based on taste and cost, and experiment with different types to find what works for you. This way, you can enjoy cooking and get some health benefits at the same time.