Monday, February 9, 2009

Which Cooking Oil Is Best For You And Your Food

The skinny on oils can be very confusing. Oil is fat, plain and simple. But not all fat is equal. Since each tablespoon of oil has approximately 120 calories and 14 grams of fat, your best bet is to use oil sparingly. Be aware that some oils are more useful than others in light and healthy cooking. So before you pop the top on your favorite bottle, do you know which one to grab and why?


Extra-Virgin Olive Oil is produced from the first pressing of the olives that have been picked the same day. It has a strong olive flavor and a peppery finish. This oil is perfect for salad dressings or as a condiment. It has a low smoke point which means that if exposed to high heat the oil will “burn”, discolor, decompose in nature and yields an unpleasant flavor to the cooked food.

Canola Oil is pressed from canola seeds. It is mild-flavored, omega-3-rich oil that possesses the least amount of saturated fat. The taste is mild and offers no interfering flavor. The oil is best used for cooking, frying and baking. Having a high smoke point, it is all-purpose oil or primary cooking oil.

Macadamia Nut Oil has a delicious, light macadamia nut flavor, making it especially complementary to fish, chicken, vegetables, baked goods, and salads. Its high smoking point also makes macadamia nut oil ideal for stir-frying and sautéing.

More details here.

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