Site navigation and social media links
Smoke Points For Cooking Oils and Their Benefits
Health | September 06, 2015
The smoke point of any cooking oil is when it reaches a temperature that causes it to break down, burn and not be very suitable for cooking anymore. According to the good doctors over at the Cleveland Clinic, cooking oils can become downright toxic when they have reached their smoke point and also lose some of their nutritional value.
Smoke points vary depending on what kind of oil being used. In general, the more refined (think processed) the oil is, the higher the smoke point. That’s great if you need to your oil to be scorching hot, but not so great from a nutritional standpoint. Also, if you’re just sautéing instead of searing or deep-frying, you don’t need to use oils with high smoke points.
Here’s a list of cooking oils with their corresponding smoking points and benefits.
Walnut Oil – Semi-refined walnut oil has a smoke point of around 320˚F while refined walnut oil is around 400˚F. Walnut oil is a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids. It’s good for cooking as well as for dressings.
Peanut Oil – Peanut oil has a high smoke point at around 450˚F. It’s used in a lot of Asian cuisines, especially dishes that require a lot of frying. Interestingly enough, peanut oil contains resveratrol, the heart-healthy substance found in grapes and red wine known to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Coconut Oil – Coconut oil has a pretty low smoke point of about 350˚F. I use it a fair amount in the morning when I make my bulletproof coffee. Coconut oil promotes the development of good HDL cholesterol in the body.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – Extra-Virgin olive oil also has a low smoke point of 320˚F. An important part of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil has an abundance of benefits including being heart-healthy and high in Omega-3’s. It’s also fantastic as a dressing.
Butter – Butter has a smoke point of around 350˚F. Of course, my love of butter is well known, in particular, unsalted, grass-fed butter. As with coconut oil, I use butter in my morning cup of coffee as well. Butter is a healthy fat and a great source of energy.
Grape Seed Oil – Grape seed oil is similar in benefits to olive oil in terms of being heart-healthy and has the added benefit of having a higher smoke point at about 420˚F. It is very light tasting which can be a good or bad thing depending on the recipe.
What kinds of oils to you usually cook with? Are you motivated by flavor, nutrition or both?
Private Member |
I’m an oilfree cooker 😉 sometimes I add oil at the end of the cooking for some nice flavour and only if it fits my macros on that day.
Private Member |
seattle, washington
Pretty much all of the above. Another important point is all oils goes rancid and this is not a good thing.
Private Member |
Growing up I used to eat low cal, and hardly any fat, i simply wanted to eat w/o worrying about portions. i always thought fat was (bad) i recently bought grape seed oil, olive oil, coconut oil, coconut milk, and avocado (all things i wouldn’t even consider in the past) i soooooo appreciate the education on the oils. I realize that the quality of my meal gives me sustained energy and satisfaction. this diet teaches me to enjoy smaller portions which also stretches my stomach less and allows me to be hungry when my body is actually hungry. Plus, I am getting my omega naturally (i also don’t like sea food) I have some fresh salmon my boyfriend brought back from a family visit to Canada. You have so many recipes i think salmon is a definite fav of yours 😉 Im going to cook a wonderful meal for lunch- excited! Thank you again xoxoxoxoxo
Private Member |
Sorry, but butter promotes LDL, the bad kind of cholesterol. If you want the omegas, choose Alaskan salmon oil – all of benefits of the omegas, none of the LDL. I’d also like to add that all fats are a good source of energy because 1 gram of fat is 9 calories.
Private Member |
uk
Avocado oil, has got the highest smoke point 520F ☺ x
Private Member |
curitiba, parana, brazil
Hi Zuzka…I just started using flaxseed oil (brown or golden flaxseed oil) or coconut oil. I use Canola and Sunflower just to deep fry something that it will waste lots of oil, otherwise for rice and vegetables I use a little bit of coconut or flaxseed oil. I will soon try peanut oil also. I love coconut flavor and peanut also. Normally I look for cheaper one among the healthy ones. Normally I cook with very little oil so I guess I can pay little more and use a good one. Olive pomace oil is not easily available here and the extra-virgin I read we should not warm it…so my choices are those one. See you and take care.
Private Member |
prague, czech republic
Zuzka,
is the smoking point of butter related to the whole butter or to the pure fat (e.g. ghee)?
Thank you 🙂
Private Member |
Good tips for various uses of oils. Coconut oil is gaining in popularity and although it does improve the ratio of HDL (good cholesterol) to LDL (bad cholesterol) it also increases overall LDL levels. So there is still more research needed to understand if there is an increased risk of heart disease with the consumption of coconut oil (beyond the daily recommendation of saturated fat intake). Coconut oil is a saturated fat (10% of daily calories should come from saturated fats) and it can be part of a healthy diet, especially for vegans and vegetarians who may not consume dairy or lean meats which are other sources of saturated fats. I like butter too and I can definitely taste the difference when using butter instead of oil to cook my veggies. Overall fat has had a bad rep for a while with the lowfat diet fads but it’s such an important part of the diet and it really makes you feel more satisfied and full after you consume a meal with fat, which may help prevent over eating in the long run.