Any suggestions?
It depends on the temperature you’re cooking too. This really is the most important factor to consider because of the smoke point of each oil. Cooking at too high of a heat with a low smoke point oil is when you have chemical composition changes.
High heat frying >400F: sunflower oil, avocado oilBaking: canola oil, grape seed oil Low heat or no heat for dressings or drizzles—choose the one you prefer the taste of: olive oil, sesame, etc.
*all oils mentioned are high in unsaturated fats which are considered to be the more favorable “healthy” fat.
Olive oil has the most research demonstrating health benefits. Vegetable oils are also fine, the largescale switch to canola is part responsible for the decline in heart disease and stroke deaths. They are still calorie dense so should be used sensibly but if the fat is poly or mono unsaturated its heart healthy.
Try and avoid animal based sources as they will be high(er) in saturated fat. If you really want to use animal fat for something duck fat is probably the best choice (and IMHO does better then tallow or lard anyway).
When choosing a cooking oil, it’s important to consider the smoke point, which is the temperature at which the oil begins to smoke and break down. Oils with higher smoke points are better for high-heat cooking methods like frying, while oils with lower smoke points are better for lower-heat cooking methods like sautéing or salad dressings.