KBW | What Is The Best Oil To Use For Cooking Healthy?

You’ve probably been told that saturated fats and trans fats are bad…but the truth is, there’s a lot more to the story than that. I’m going to break down which fats are healthy, which are not….and out of the fats that are actually healthy, how to store them, and how to use them properly so they STAY healthy! 

  When I work with my one-on-one clients, I use bloodwork to make even more informed decisions when it comes to their diet, especially when it comes to saturated fats and animal fats, but even without bloodwork, there are some basic recommendations I can give you about cooking oils that will go a long way towards improving your health. 

 Cooking Oils to Use and Avoid

Let’s start with the bad oils first. These are oils that have been highly processed using loads of chemicals which turns them into a sort of Frankenstein molecule that is extremely damaging to the body. 

Avoid these cooking oils at all costs.

• Canola oil
• Corn oil
• Soy oil
• Cottonseed oil
• Sunflower oil
• Safflower oil
• Grapeseed oil
• Rice bran oil

 Buy these oils instead

• Olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Avocado oil
• Macadamia nut oil
• Sesame oil
• Walnut oil
• Flaxseed oil
• MCT oil

 Why Heat Matters

The next thing you need to learn is what a smoke point is. Basically, this is the temperature the oil can reach before it begins to oxidize and get damaged, and begin to smoke. Once you reach this point, this previously good oil is now in the bad oil category.  

One of the highest smoke point oils is avocado oil. It has a smoke point of 510F. This is your best choice for high cooking like grilling or frying. As an added bonus, it’s also high in oleic acid, which improves heart health.  

Coconut oil also has a high smoke point, and it’s a great replacement for butter when baking. 

EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) has a low smoke point, while regular olive oil has a higher smoke point. To keep things simple and easy to remember, I recommend using avocado oil for cooking, coconut oil for baking, and EVOO for salad dressings. Easy peasy.  

Why Storage Matters 

The way you store the oils matters as well. You want to store them in a cool, dark place, preferably in your pantry and away from your oven or dishwasher or anything else that puts out heat.  

It’s also best if the oil comes in a dark glass bottle to shield it from the light as well. This will protect the oil and keep it from oxidizing.  

What’s the MCT Oil Hype?

You may have heard of MCT oil by now. MCT stands for medium-chain triglycerides, and it’s basically just the medium-chain portion of coconut oil (which has varying chain lengths present in its pure form).  

MCT oils behave a bit differently in the body than most other oils; it essentially bypasses the GI system and heads straight to your liver for some pretty immediate fuel. This is why it’s a favorite addition to Keto coffees, caffeine plus instant energy?! Win-win right?  

MCT oil is one of my FAVORITE oils when it comes to the Keto diet too. I use it in my keto course to help you enter ketosis more quickly and easily while still maintaining the ability to eat more carbs than on “old school keto” or “dirty keto.” 

Interested in my clean Keto but not sure where to start? Check out my course on how to do Keto the HEALTHY way!

Check out my Keto Course here!