All about oil! This post will talk about the different kinds of oils we use in our salads, stir fries, baked goods and more. There are refined oils and unrefined oils, virgin, extra-virgin, cold-pressed…etc. What does this mean in terms of how healthy they are? If you want to know more about which cooking oils are healthiest and which are best for high-heat, low-heat, then keep reading. And remember to not be afraid of some oils. Healthy fats are good for you, when they are in moderation, as with everything else!
What are the Healthiest Oils to be using in our salads and in our cooking? Not all are created equally.
There are so many different kinds of oils available to us: Canola Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Rapeseed Oil, Avocado Oil, Sunflower Oil, Sesame Oil, Peanut Oil, Coconut Oil, Corn Oil, Soy Bean Oil and more. It can be a bit daunting if you are used to using the same kind for everything. Firstly, let’s talking about the two different categories of oil:
- Refined Oils
- Unrefined Oils
Do you know which oils fall into which category and what the differences between refined and unrefined oils? Which one is healthiest and which ones should we use for salads, stir fries, deep-frying and pancake-making? Keep reading and find out!
*UNREFINED OILS (not extensive list):
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Avocado Oil
- Sesame Oil
- Macadamia Oil
Unrefined oils are usually cold-pressed, which means the oils are mechanically extracted by a machine which applies pressure and not heat. This leaves the high flavour and nutrient content in the oils, making them a healthier choice. You may have seen “Cold Pressed Coconut Oil” at the store. This means it is an unrefined oil.
*REFINED OILS (not extensive list):
- Canola Oil
- Ricebran Oil
- Soya Oil
- Sunflower Oil
Refined oils are extracted using heat and a solvent, which are then bleached and deodorized. Doesn’t sound too healthy, does it?
The Smoking Points of Oils – Low and High Smoking Points and Why it’s important
Knowing the different smoking points of oils is important. You don’t have to memorize the temperatures, but it is important to know which are better for high temperatures and which are best for cold or low temperatures.
- When an oil starts to smoke when it is heated, it means that it is starting to break down. This also alters the flavour. Refined oils generally have a higher smoke point and are therefore more commonly used in things like deep-frying.
- Unrefined Oils, such as Coconut oil and Avocado oil are not good to use with high temperatures. There are a number of reasons for this. The more an oil is heated, the more it loses its flavour, and since unrefined oils have more flavour, you should use them in things like salads and cold dishes, or at least for when you are not needing to use very high temperatures. It is fine to use them in stir fries and for making pancakes and such (I love using coconut oil to make pancakes!), just don’t use them for things such as deep-frying, as the oil can even catch on fire if heated too high, which can be very dangerous.
What’s the difference between Virgin Olive Oil and Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and Pure and Light Olive Oil?
- Whether the Olive Oil is Extra-Virgin, Virgin, Pure or Light depends on the olive’s chemical attributes and the way the oil is pressed. Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Virgin Olive Oil are cold pressed, making them unrefined and a healthier choice than Pure or Light.
- Extra Virgin Olive oil is less acidic than Virgin olive oil. This gives it a sweeter flavour.
- Unlike wine, Oil is best when it is fresh. Oil should be consumed within the first 1-2 years that an oil is pressed. Check the bottle of oil for the “Pressed on” date. You shouldn’t bye oils in clear containers as light will degrade the oil’s quality. Store your oils, regardless of type, in a cool, dark place.
All these facts and information on oil are found in this very informative and concise 20 minute video on oils. I suggest giving it a watch as it is more enjoyable than reading my text and it has really been informative and I learned a lot in just 20 minutes. Note: You do have to sign up, but if you don’t want to get a subscription, just cancel before 10 days are up.
Watch What’s Really in Our Food.
Conclusion: Unrefined Oils are Healthier than Refined Oils. They have stronger flavours, more nutrients and because they are not used for deep-frying, the dishes you make using unrefined oils are probably going to be healthier than if you are using refined oils. Some unrefined oils, such as Coconut Oil are often said to aid in weight loss, despite the fact that all oils are made up of 100% fat. (Remember, our body needs certain kinds of fats in our bodies, so don’t omit all healthy fats from your diet. Everything is good in moderation and you wouldn’t be doing your body any favours by eliminating them).
Related Posts
May 2, 2012 at 9:24 am
I’m interested in Well.ca herbals, especially evening primrose and green tea.
May 2, 2012 at 11:17 am
I would love to try the Vitalux Plus Omega-3
May 2, 2012 at 12:01 pm
Coenzyme Q-10
May 2, 2012 at 1:11 pm
I am interested in the multivitamins.
May 2, 2012 at 6:47 pm
[…] Canada-only contests much more often. Link to Contest Page & Rules (near bottom of the page) http://calmmindbusybody.com/which-co…is-healthiest/ Good […]
May 2, 2012 at 8:39 pm
I would love to try the Jamieson Probiotics.
May 2, 2012 at 9:10 pm
I am interested in fish oil.
May 2, 2012 at 9:51 pm
I’m interested in Vitamin D, which I like to take on a regular basis.
May 3, 2012 at 12:08 pm
Vitamin D
May 3, 2012 at 12:42 pm
GRAPE SEEDS OIL
May 3, 2012 at 1:37 pm
I’m interested in Vitamin D as well as Vitamin C!
May 3, 2012 at 6:44 pm
Omega 3
May 4, 2012 at 3:28 am
i want to get this Nature’s Bounty Time-Released Vitamin C 1500 with Rose Hip
May 4, 2012 at 11:40 am
[…] Get free shipping on your order too! Contest ends on May 9th. Open to people living in Quebec. Enter here: If you liked this post, say thanks by sharing it:Share the savingsPin It Filed Under: Blog […]
May 5, 2012 at 12:10 am
Vitamin D!
May 5, 2012 at 3:20 am
I like the multivitamins
May 5, 2012 at 9:12 pm
I would love to try Quest Evening Primrose Oil With Vitamin E
1000 mg 240 Tablets. I like that it doesn’t contain artificial preservatives, colours, or flavours, or added sugar, starch, dairy, wheat, gluten, or yeast. I’ve had problems with phlebitis (blood clots) and I’ve heard that this can help prevent this problem.
May 7, 2012 at 11:57 am
I’m interested in the Jamieson Omega-3 Complete, we already use it in our family and it’s great.
January 24, 2014 at 11:52 am
Hey, I was about to send this page to my daughter because it looks so helpful, but I decided to read all of it first, and … gee I know this is two years later, but one little word kept me from sending it to her.
In the section where you show and tell your daily supplements, look at the holy basil… I am quite sure you meant to say “I am now back on it” but instead you said, “I am not back on it”.. confusing and reason to leave the page. Spelling!!
Correct it or delete it .. people are still reading it : )
Thanks from the world.
January 28, 2014 at 5:44 am
Sweet blog! I found it while surfing around on Yahoo News.
Do you have any suggestions on how to get listed in Yahoo News?
I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there!
Many thanks
February 18, 2014 at 1:50 pm
kindly tell me about mustard oil.and how healthy is it?? what if i use mustard oil for deep frying which is a common practice in some part of india ? whih oil is better for cookin non vegeterian items like meat and fish?refined or mustard oil ?
February 18, 2014 at 10:16 pm
Hi there – Unfortunately I’ve never used Mustard oil and I don’t eat meat or fish so I am not sure what the best oil for cooking meats are. Sorry about that! I hope you can find what you are looking for. 🙂
January 12, 2015 at 10:29 am
One day you are told this oil or that oil is healthy for you and the next day they are not good for you. How is one supposed to know what is true or not?
January 9, 2016 at 12:00 pm
We have all tried most of the anti-ageing lotions that are available
on the chemist shelves, and we have all given up hope
of ever finding something that actually works – not that this stops us from spending plenty of money still trying.
Hips oil also has high levels of Tran’s retinoic acid which is a derivative of
vitamin A and which our body needs in order to deter the
effects of pigmentation, sun damage, dehydration and premature aging.
Learn with, easy, soap making instructions, find soap recipes,
learn by doing with trial and error, find resources and more.
January 28, 2016 at 7:56 am
Nice Post! Thanks For Sharing Us!
March 30, 2016 at 1:49 am
At this moment I am ready to do my breakfast, afterward having my breakfast coming again to read
additional news.
August 13, 2016 at 1:46 am
I drop a comment when I especially enjoy a post on a site or if I have something to contribute to the conversation. Usually it’s triggered by the sincerness displayed
in the post I looked at. And on this post Which Cooking Oil
is Healthiest – The difference between Refined and
Unrefined – Calm Mind Busy Body. I was moved enough to post
a leave a responsea response 😉 I actually do have 2 questions for you if you do
not mind. Could it be simply me or do some of the responses appear as if they are coming from brain dead people?
😛 And, if you are writing at other places, I would like to follow you.
Could you make a list the complete urls of your community pages like your linkedin profile, Facebook page or twitter feed?
August 9, 2017 at 11:44 am
Hi admin i see you don’t earn on your website. You can earn additional bucks easily, search on youtube for:
how to earn selling articles
September 29, 2017 at 8:35 pm
Hello, all is going fine here and ofcourse every one is sharing facts, that’s actually excellent, keep up writing.
October 4, 2017 at 9:45 pm
Hello to every , since I am in fact keen of reading this website’s post to be updated daily.
It includes nice stuff.
December 19, 2017 at 2:14 am
Thanks to you for sharing nice information
March 15, 2018 at 8:08 am
It’s really a great and useful piece of information. I am satisfied that you
just shared this useful information with us. Please stay us up to date like this.
Thank you for sharing.
March 27, 2018 at 7:39 pm
Oh my goodness! Incredible article dude! Thanks, However I am encountering problems with your RSS.
I don?t know the reason why I can’t subscribe to it.
Is there anybody getting the same RSS problems? Anyone who knows
the solution will you kindly respond? Thanx!!
April 6, 2018 at 8:23 pm
I like this web blog so much, bookmarked.
November 14, 2018 at 4:23 am
[…] minyak yang unrefined seperti cold pressed virgin oil atau flaxseed oil. Jangan guna untuk menggoreng. Minyak boleh […]
March 12, 2019 at 8:35 am
Very Informative Post. Thanks for sharing with us.
April 1, 2019 at 8:07 pm
I see you don’t monetize calmmindbusybody.com, don’t waste
your traffic, you can earn additional bucks every month.
There is one good method that brings decent money, you can google it: money
making by bucksflooder
August 2, 2019 at 12:03 am
Wonderful blog! Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?
I’m planning to start my own site soon but I’m a little lost
on everything. Would you propose starting with a free platform like
Wordpress or go for a paid option? There are so many options out there that I’m completely overwhelmed ..
Any recommendations? Cheers!