Top Five Fats and Oils for Cooking, Baking and Frying

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January 26, 2014

Have you been to the supermarket lately? Did you notice that there's a whole aisle dedicated to cooking oils? That's right. You can get confused just figuring out which cooking oil or fat to use.
Choosing Health Oil at the Supermarket

Just in case you were busy trying so hard to follow what food authorities have repeatedly encouraged us to use as cooking oil, you'll be happy to know that saturated fats are slowly proving that they belong in the big league. They're actually the preferred fuel source of our bodies (as opposed to complex carbohydrates, which is old news). This would translate to a change in the playing field when it comes to cooking fats. Here are our top five fats and oils for your cooking, baking and frying needs:

1. Lard.
The source of lard can be any part of the pig. The best types come from the visceral fat deposits located around the pig's kidneys and loins (called leaf lard). You can barely taste the pork in it. This makes it very suitable for baking croissants, pie crusts and others. Because of its versatility, it can be used to roast your vegetables too. In comparison to olive oil, your veggies will not become greasy and soggy. They stay crispy. You'll be surprised to notice that lard isn't that greasy after all. Just don't call someone a tub of lard even if they're overweight and perspire a lot, okay? That's uncool. Lard is predominantly made up of triglycerides, composed of three fatty acids.
2. Coconut oil.
Coconut oil reminds me very much of sandy beaches, great warm weather and delicious food. Coconut oil is composed primarily of saturated fats (greater than 90%). It's because of this high saturated fat content, that they're very stable at high temperature (making them very safe for cooking, frying and baking). We've now embraced the benefits of saturated fat and have come to realize its true value. If you want the taste of coconuts, you'll want to use coconut oil for cooking.

A special type of saturated fat found in coconut oil is medium chain triglycerides (MCTs for short). MCTs can easily be absorbed and used as fuel for energy. In essence, it can bypass storage in your body. People who have recently undergone major surgery, those who have stunted growth and performance athletes can greatly benefit from MCTs. Virtually anyone (even the elderly) who want increased energy production in their bodies can consume MCTs.
3. Palm oil.
Palm oil is another stable cooking oil high in saturated fats, an important characteristic shared with coconut oil. Unlike coconut oil, palm oil doesn't leave an aftertaste. So, if you're one of those people who don’t like the taste of coconuts, this is your cooking oil of choice for high temperature cooking, frying and baking. Remember, it's called PALM oil because it contains a lot of PALMITIC acid (a saturated fatty acid with 16 carbon atoms in its backbone, that's it). Just make sure your source is sustainable and not destroying nature!
4. Butter.
There are two types of butter we will be considering here: ghee and regular butter.

Ghee or clarified butter, as it is alternatively called, is earning a lot of credits in Indian cooking. With most of the lactose removed, ghee is mostly made up of saturated fats enabling it to withstand high temperatures. It's the best choice for high heat frying because it can surpass most of the vegetable oils out there.

Regular butter is less suitable for cooking at high temperatures because it has a lower smoking point than the above fats. What it does is that it actually brings out the flavour of the food you're cooking. It's great for baking, adding to soups, stews or slow cooked meats as well as for adding to steamed vegetables and other dishes once they are cooked.
5. Olive Oil.
The Mediterranean diet uses generous amounts of olive oil in its recipes. Much of the fatty acids contained in olive oil are monounsaturated. Olive oil can be used for cooking, provided that its not over heated. Olive oil is also great to add to your food after it has been cooked such as drizzled over salads and other dishes.

A few other less common fats and oils which we have not included are duck fat which apparently makes great fries and avocado and macadamia nut oils.

How you choose the right fat for cooking primarily depends on the food you're making. One type of cooking oil or fat can't accomplish everything. We're certainly lucky enough to have several choices. The essential thing to do is not get confused. All this talk about cooking has really whetted my appetite. Let's start cooking! To read more about healthy vs unhealthy oils click Here and Here. And you can read about the Health benefits of Saturated Fat.