First, let me remind you of a few reasons you might want to stay away from certain oils and fats for cooking, mainly seeds oils.
Saturated fats tend to be more stable than unsaturated oils.
Saturated fats’ chemical structure will not be damaged by heat, light, or air.
Have you ever wondered why high-quality olive oil is sold in opaque containers such as dark green glass? It is to prevent light from damaging the oil. Do you ever wonder why coconut oils don’t “go off” or smell rancid if left unattended on a counter, but vegetable oils like soybean or corn oil? These oils become rancid when they are exposed to air. This means that the oils are now more damaged than they were at bottling.
The presence of hydrogen bonds at every carbon in the fat’s chemical structure separates saturated fats from unsaturated fats. A double bond in the chain carbons creates an unstable structure. This is what you see when fat becomes liquid at room temperature. The group of unstable fats together forms a liquid, whereas the stable fats form a solid or semisolid.
2. Seed oils contain many monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in varying amounts. All are susceptible to oxidation, but PUFAs are the most vulnerable.
Fish oil is not something you would cook with, wouldn’t it? Why would you cook with oils high in PUFAs, anyway? Even beyond PUFAs, MUFAs can be quite easy to damage (olive oil has a high level of MUFAs).
3. Be aware: Some refined oils claim to have a high smoke point and are, therefore, “ideal” for cooking.
This is not the end of the story. A higher smoke point is valid when the oil or fat is stable. It may also help determine which fat is best to use.
However, using the smoke point to decide what oil you use for cooking is ineffective. You will end up with a rancid oil (most likely due to how it was processed) that you can damage with high heat.
What fats are safe and suitable for cooking?
Here’s a handy list of common cooking oils and fats. It ranks them from best to worst.
However, it is safe to assume that most naturally occurring saturated fats can be used in cooking. Most unsaturated fats, called oils because they are liquid at room temperature, are not safe to use in cooking and are best for cold applications if possible.
Remember that trans-fats made by man are not healthy to consume: Crisco, Earth Balance and Smart Balance, Crisco, Margarine, Country Crock, and I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter.
Those with the highest percentage of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and the highest smoke point rank at the top, while those with the highest percentage of PUFAs and the lowest smoke point at the bottom. Then, make the call for yourself whether you want to 1- cook with it, 2- use it cold- or 3- avoid it entirely.
