Choosing the right fat for cooking

CHOOSING THE RIGHT FAT FOR COOKING

Now that you know fats are an essential component to Optimal Eating and you understand how to eoelect the fats are the most nutritional dense while avoiding those that are toxic (see blog here to catch up if you missed it!) you need to know which ones are best for what applications.

It is important to consider how to use these fats appropriately to avoid damaging them through excessive heat exposure. Oxidation is the process of an unfavorable chemical configuration change from excessive light or heat. When a healthy fat gets oxidized it can shift its composition from a cis-bond to a trans-bond, aka you can make an otherwise healthy fat into a trans-fat by using it at too high of a heat!

Fats that are saturated are at no risk of becoming a transfat as their bonds are saturated with hydrogen thus closing the bonds making them less vulnerable. Monounsaturated fats have one (mono) exposed bond lacking a hydrogen seal which allows the possibility of oxidative damage, where polyunsaturated fats have many (poly) open bonds creating the highest risk for oxidation. The temperature at which an oil gets oxidized can also be referred to as the “smoke point” as this is when the volatile compounds release forming toxins from its otherwise nutritionally sound form and a bluish smoke can be seen on the pan or in the air.

Cooking Oils Guidelines:

Best for high heat (generally up to 450 degrees F, check label)	Keep at low heat (less than 325 degrees F in a sautee):	Do not heat (use for salad dressings, drizzle on top of a dish, add to a smoothie):	Avoid these processed toxic oils!
Ghee, tallow, lard, chicken/duck fat, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, refined avocado oil and other refined oils	Olive oil, avocado oil (unrefined), sesame oil (toasted or untoasted), sunflower oil, grassfed butter	Almond oil, pumpkin seed oil, walnut oil, all virgin first cold-pressed oils and nutritional oils such as flax seed oil, evening primrose oil, GLA, black currant oil	canola (rapeseed), soybean, corn oil, partially hydrogenated oil, cottonseed oil