Legend:

Select oils for cooking that have a high smoke point, contain a high MUFA, LA and little or none of ALA (See – ‘Good and Bad Fats’), as animal (fish) based Omega-3 oils are better than ALA which, though also an Omega-3 oil, is plant based and also contains LA. Choose those oils having a ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 at 1:1 up to 1:4 or even 4:1. Unheated organic oils are preferable and Seed Oils are better than Vegetable oils. See ‘Notes’below for a more comprehensive explanation.

Notes:

Smoke Point: The temperature at which a cooking oil starts to burn and produce chemicals that are potentially harmful. The higher the smoke points the better. Every oil, no matter how good it may be, will burn when you heat it up long enough. And when oil burns, it rapidly denatures and produces potentially carcinogenic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Cooking oils with a high smoke point, or solid fats such as coconut oil or butter or ghee should be used for frying. Saturated fats are more stable when subjected to heat. Fine oils are not only sensitive to heat, they also tend to capture ‘Free Radicals’ from the air. Free Radicals do a lot of damage to our bodies as they attach themselves to almost any other substance in our bodies, thus leading to inflammation, ageing of skin and nerve diseases and the like. That is why, to prevent oxidative damage, it is necessary to always close the oil bottle or container carefully after using the oil in it and then keep it in the refrigerator or in a cool dark place.

Use butter, ghee, macadamia, virgin coconut oil and mustard oil for all stove-top cooking. Peanut, not really a nut but legume, its oil is therefore more like a vegetable oil. May be used in recipes but avoid cooking or frying in it.

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