Avocado, Olive, Canola, Coconut, Safflower, Flax, and Walnut Oils…Which to Choose, When to Use, and What to Lose!

Don't you wish you had a trusted nutrition specialist you can rely on for answers to your nutritional questions? Well, you do...it’s me! I have been in the nutrition field for the past 20 years helping people live longer, healthier lives by fueling their bodies with beneficial foods! I will always provide you with the latest nutrition facts so you can feed yourself and your loved ones healthy delicious meals.

Today I will talk about popular edible oils -  which oils to use for cooking, and which to use on your salad or roasted veggies.

Avocado Oil is my favorite cooking oil because you can use it at a high temperature, and it does not spatter like olive oil. Avocado oil also has a high percentage of oleic acid, a heart healthy fat. It can also enhance the absorption of other nutrients and protect cells against free radical damage. Remember all oils have 120 calories per tablespoon so one tablespoon is sufficient for sautéing. (I usually spray the pan with a cooking spray first and then add a tablespoon of oil.)

Olive oil works well for baking, and sautéing at a lower temperature (up to about 350 degrees) or as a salad dressing. Olive oil is rich in Vitamin E which acts as an antioxidant and contains other antioxidant compounds that may have anti-inflammatory effects including lowering blood pressure and helping prevent LDL (bad) cholesterol from oxidizing.

Safflower oil is ideal for baking. Whenever a recipe calls for vegetable oil you can replace it with safflower oil. Safflower oil is low in saturated fat and contains a higher percentage of unsaturated fatty acids than vegetable oil. It also works well for marinades, sauces, and dips.

Coconut Oil is an oil I never recommend because it is high in saturated fat, a whopping 12 grams compared to avocado oil which has 2 grams of saturated fat. Saturated fat is what clogs up your arteries, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Canola oil can be used for sautéing, grilling, baking, and stir-frying. Canola oil is very low in saturated fat, only .5 grams per tablespoon. It is high in the omega-3 ALA. It is important to get enough ALA in our diet because our bodies cannot make it. The disadvantage of canola oil is that it is highly refined, which can reduce the amount of nutrients it offers. It is also high in omega-6, and we get more than enough omega-6 in the standard American diet. Some studies show that a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 can raise our risk of Alzheimer’s and heart disease, so I don’t use canola oil very often.

Flax oil and walnut oil should never be used for cooking because they have low smoke points. Reserve these oils for salad dressings.

I hope this helps you to choose the best oil for your next cooking endeavor. Send me an e-mail or a text to let me know your favorite oil and what you use it for!  Yours in health, Lisa