How Healthy is Your Cooking Oil?

By Christine Dominguez

What’s all the fuss about?

The commonly used oil we know as vegetable oil isn’t actually oil from a vegetable. They’re seed oils (canola, sunflower, soybean, cottonseed, grapeseed, rice bran) which have undergone significant industrial processes.

Because it’s much easier, and cheaper, to extract oil from seeds than it is to raise and slaughter an animal, says David Gillespie, author of Toxic Oil, seed oil is all too prevalent in our modern diet that it can pose a risk to our health. The major sources of vegetable oil (or seed oils) are your cooking oil, margarine, pre-made sauces, as well as baked goods and fried food from your local takeaway, which is often cooked in seed oil.

How does it affect our health?

Seed oils are essential to our survival but only in the levels you would find in whole foods (about 6g a day), says Gillespie. “The massive excess in seed oils in the modern diet caused by the complete replacement of animal fats (lard, tallow, butter or ghee) in processed foods is what causes the problem. They put our bodies into a state of oxidative stress which makes us especially vulnerable to cancers and heart disease. They also create a chronic state of inflammation which is likely to be implicated in rheumatoid arthritis and auto-immune diseases (including allergies).”

Beware of cooking sprays, canola oil and mixed vegetable oils, says nutritionist Kira Sutherland. “They’re highly processed, refined and high in Omega 6 which we already consume in high amounts in our diets. If you’re eating your seeds and nuts you don’t want to be adding extra omega 6s from these oils as it’s just adding unnecessary fat that is processed.”

The best alternative is to simply eat whole food. But if that’s not practical, then the next best thing is to carefully avoid the major sources of seed oil. “If you are eating processed food, carefully avoid those that contain added ‘vegetable’ oil (which is how it will appear on the label),” says Gillespie.

So what are the best oils to use?

Extra virgin olive oil Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fat which is fantastic for the body.
BONUS: Olive oil’s monounsaturated fats enhance heart health, protect against chronic disease, and assist in lowering ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and spiking the healthy HDL variety.
Use it: for a quick sauté, dips and dressing for salads.

Coconut oil Ideal for cooking up to 200°C, coconut oil is solid at room temperature but liquefies at low heat. Use it in moderation—it’s92% saturated fat.
BONUS: Despite coconut oil’s high sat fat content, research suggests it’s metabolised in the body more like unsaturated oil, possibly because it comes from a plant (rather than an animal) source. ‘Much of the saturated fat in coconut oil is in the form of Medium Chain Fatty Acid which the body prefers to burn as a fuel for energy rather than store as a body fat,” says Sutherland.
Use it: As a vegan-friendly baking substitute for butter.

Refined avocado oil Avocado oil has a mild, nutty flavour and a high smoke point of 255°C.
BONUS: Avocado is high in mono-unsaturated fats that assist in lowering ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and spiking the healthy HDL variety.
Use it: Because avocado oil can withstand high temperatures, it’s great for a wide variety of cooking
methods, including sauteing, roasting, frying or baking.

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