There are so many options for cooking oil: olive, sunflower, even avocado.
To make your selection simpler, dietitian Chris Nixon says cooking oils fall into these categories: never use, use with caution and safe for searing.
Flaxseed oil falls in the first category.
“You never want to cook with flaxseed oil. In fact, you actually want to keep it refrigerated to prevent it from being oxidized.”
She said oxidized oils can cause strokes and high cholesterol.
“It can lead to cardiovascular disease and increased risk for cancer as well," she said.
Medium heat may take longer, but you have plenty of options for oils that can cook at temperatures between 300 and 500 degrees.
“If you're doing more of a stir fry or baking or cooking, then the grapeseed or the extra virgin olive oil, peanut oil or canola oil would be good options,” she said.
For cooking at high temps, like searing or browning meat, our dietitian has one favorite.
“For cooking, I would go with the sunflower oil. It's got a very light mouth feel so it doesn’t have a strong flavor, and it's got a high flashpoint, so I know I’m safe if I’m cooking with sunflower oil,” said Nixon.
Another thing to consider is whether your oil has the unsaturated fats you want, such as what's found in sunflower, canola, olive and grapeseed oils. The most saturated fats are in what Nixon calls "tropical oils."
“Saturated fat, we know it's linked to heart disease and increased risk of stroke (and) high cholesterol," she said. "I would not use coconut oil.”
However, not all dietitians agree.
That's because research shows that virgin coconut oil can raise "good cholesterol."
The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to no more than six percent of your daily food intake.
