{"id":13566,"date":"2024-07-10T11:08:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-10T15:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp2.dinnertime.com\/content\/?p=13566"},"modified":"2024-07-10T15:32:07","modified_gmt":"2024-07-10T19:32:07","slug":"olive-avocado-and-coconut-oh-my","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp2.dinnertime.com\/content\/2024\/07\/10\/olive-avocado-and-coconut-oh-my\/","title":{"rendered":"Olive, Avocado and Coconut…Oh My!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Which oil is the best to use when I cook? I get this question a lot from my friends. They understand certain oils are “bad” for us….which ones are “heart-healthy,” etc… they just want a clear direction of what not to use, what to use, and why. There is a scene<\/a> in the movie The Help<\/em> where Minnie is instructing Celia to cook with Crisco. I remember gasping and laughing out loud at this scene because few people use Crisco these days. Crisco is vegetable fat in a solid form, and while it is easy to cook with due to its high smoke point, it’s also high in trans fat. Yep, that means try to avoid it.<\/p>\n

Which fats are healthiest?<\/h2>\n

\"\"Fats are important to include in our diets.\u00a0 Just like it’s important to keep your car lubricated to keep it running, using quality engine oil and keeping the oil clean and full, will help your car run at peak efficiency for the longest period. As always, moderation is key. Overall a balanced diet is what’s most important, so prioritize healthy fats, such as olive oil, avocado oil, and sesame oil, and limit less healthy oils, such as soybean, corn, and peanut oil.<\/p>\n

I’m not a professional chef, but I understand that certain oils have a flavor that lends itself to specific recipes. Due to their smoke point, some oils are better for saut\u00e9ing foods and others for use in salad dressings.<\/p>\n

Taste Matters:<\/h2>\n

\"\"Refined Oils<\/strong> <\/span>include heat-refined, chemically extracted, bleached oils. All of these come from some of the most genetically engineered crops, including corn oil, soybean oil, and canola oil. The nutritional value of these oils has been stripped during the treatment process.<\/p>\n

Unrefined Oils<\/strong><\/span> are extracted and filtered to remove impurities. They retain much more of their nutritional value, but they aren\u2019t as shelf-stable. These cold-pressed oils include avocado, grapeseed, sesame, hemp seed, flaxseed, pumpkin seed, walnut, and coconut.<\/p>\n

Naturally Refined Oils<\/strong><\/span> are minimally processed and retain some of their original flavor and nutrient value. Oil from hard seeds such as soybeans requires heat in the processing, as they need to be steamed before pressing for good extraction.<\/p>\n

High Smoke Point:<\/span><\/strong> An oil’s smoke point is when it reaches it stops shimmering and starts smoking. The smoke point varies greatly among oils, ranging from less than 250\u00b0F to more than 500\u00b0F. The faster an oil hits its smoke point, the faster it breaks down and affects the taste of the recipe. Some oils, like walnut oil, don’t heat well and are better used in salad dressings.<\/p>\n

Favorite Cooking Oils<\/h2>\n

Olive Oil:<\/h3>\n

Ever notice how TV chefs use specific types of olive oil depending on the recipe? One type for salad and another for cooking over the grill? Well, there is a reason for that, and it’s due to how refined the olive oil is and, consequently, its taste and smoke point. Olive oil is my everyday oil. I have several bottles, including herb-infused olive oil.\"\"<\/p>\n