Healthiest Oils For Sautéing Vegetables

Different cooking methods require different oils. Many oils are very versatile but have dishes that they are better suited to cook than others. Depending on what you are cooking, the healthiest oil to use may vary.

An oil that is good for salad dressings may not be the best oil to sauté with. There are a few factors that dictate which oil you should use for each recipe. These factors include what you are cooking, how you are cooking it, the different kinds of fat in the oil, and the smoke point of the oil. If you use the wrong oil, your meal can be ruined as well as your diet. Here are a couple of guidelines to use when choosing an oil for sautéing.

Kinds of Fat

There are several different kinds of fat present in your foods. Some are good fats, and some not so good. Saturated fats and trans fats can cause your cholesterol to go up as well as cause unhealthy weight gain. Trans fat, in particular, increase your low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol) and decrease your high-density lipoprotein (good cholesterol). Other factors may include adverse effects on heart health, the risk of cancer, and obesity. The American Heart Association suggests that you lower your trans-fat intake to less than 7 percent of your caloric intake.

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats have a different effect. They are known to improve cholesterol levels. Monounsaturated fats, in particular, are crucial to pay attention to when cooking. Monounsaturated fat has a high resistance to the oxidation and hydrogenation processes that can occur when cooking in high heat. These are the processes that can turn many oils into trans fats, which is definitely not what you want. Monounsaturated fats don’t have this problem because they are extremely heat resistant. If your oil is low in monounsaturated fats, then it may not be a good idea to sauté with it. However, sautéing does not require as much heat as many other forms of cooking. This can make it a little easier to find an excellent oil to sauté with because the monounsaturated fat content isn’t quite as crucial. Either way, to be safe, I would still recommend using heat resistant oils for cooking any meal.

Smoke Point

The smoke point is also a crucial factor when choosing an oil to cook with. The smoke point is the temperature that oil degrades at. When it gets to that point, the oil will begin to produce toxic properties that you should not consume. This is because oil is becoming more oxidized. When the oil has a higher smoke point, the food cooks more quickly and absorbs less of the oil. This is much better for your health. When sautéing foods, the temperature range is between about 170 to 320-degrees Fahrenheit. However, it is entirely dependent on what you are cooking. This makes choosing a sautéing oil different on a case-by-case basis. If you sauté with an oil that has a lower smoke point then required by the food item, you will lose most of the health benefits that the oil has to offer. In addition to killing the unique taste of the oil. You can tell when you are overcooking an oil by the smoke that will start to rise.

Stir-Frying vs. Sautéing

Sautéing and stir-frying have quite a few similarities. However, sautéing is a faster cook in a small amount of oil and a medium amount of heat. Alternatively, stir-frying requires much more fatand a much higher temperature. With sautéing, all the pieces can be cut to different sizes, while in a stir-fry all of the ingredients all need to be split evenly. They are both pretty high-speed cooking techniques, but a stir-fry requires constant movement of the pot or preferably wok. Stir-frying was named as such because of the continuous stirring required in the method. Sautéing can be used to cook part of a meal with the other pieces using an alternative cooking method. A stir-fry is always stir-fry. This means that all of the ingredients were cooked at the same time, all combined in the same pot. I would highly recommend using a wok for stir-fry to get the best results, but with sautéing you can use a standard cooking pan.

Tips for Sautéing at Home

Sautéing is a crucial technique to master. With proper sautéing skills, you will have hundreds of different recipes at your disposal. Sauté is a French word that means to jump. The cooking method is called this because you don’t want your food sitting in the pan for too long. When beginning, you should preheat your pan at about 212-degrees Fahrenheit. Once preheated, you can add your oil. If you add the oil to soon it will degrade. If the oil is straight out of the refrigerator, it will lower the heat of the pan considerably, so keep this in mind. You may want to turn the heat up a bit right before adding the oil to prevent the temperature from getting to low. You will know when the oil is ready when it begins to shimmer. Once you add your ingredients, be sure that they don’t start to smoke. If it does smoke, then take the pan off of the heat for a bit. If it burns too much, you may need to start over. Trial and error will help you with cooking times for each item because it can vary. You need to flip the items regularly, preferably with a cooking spoon. Never use a fork, it will cut into the meat, and the essential juices will escape.

5 Healthiest Oils for Sautéing

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil is much healthier than all of its lower grade siblings. However, it does have a lower smoking point than the other grades at only 325-375-degrees Fahrenheit. Anything over 375-degrees, and it will lose its flavor and health benefits. This makes it unsuitable for many kinds of cooking. Fortunately, it is high enough to sauté with. Extra virgin olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats and full of flavor. It is also a great finisher to drizzle on your finished product.

Safflower Oil

Safflower oil comes from the seeds of safflower and is mostly produced in California. It has an extremely high smoke point at 510-degrees Fahrenheit. This makes the oil very versatile and can be used for several kinds of cooking. Safflower oil is low in saturated fats and high in omega-9 fatty acids. Omega-9 fatty acids are known to improve cholesterol by increasing HDL levels and lowering LDL levels. They also destroy plaque build-up in the arteries, which contributes to heart attacks. Splurge on the cold-pressed safflower oil, and you can’t go wrong.

Peanut Oil

Peanut Oil is also known by the name groundnut oil. It has a light taste to it, which makes it a reliable option for several different dishes. Peanut oil also doesn’t absorb the flavor of the foods cooked in it. This is good because you can sauté a variety of items in it and not worry about the taste carrying over. Its smoke point is high at about 440-degrees Fahrenheit. However, it is high in polyunsaturated fat. This means that it is not very heat resistant, which makes it vulnerable to oxidation. However, this isn’t a big issue when sautéing. Peanut oil has great advantages to heart health, blood flow, and cholesterol. This makes it a healthy option for your sauté.

Sesame Oil

Sesame oil has a low smoke point of 350-degrees Fahrenheit. This makes it an unhealthy choice for high heat cooking. Fortunately, it is high enough to sauté with. You don’t need to use a lot of oil to get the job done. It is cold-pressed, like extra virgin olive oil, so you avoid the chemicals involved in the heat pressing process. Sesame oil is high in antioxidants, helps to lower your blood pressure, and helps in preventing diabetes.

Canola Oil

Canola oil is amongst the most highly regarded oils to sauté with. It has a medium-high smoke point at 400-degrees Fahrenheit, which makes it more than high enough to sauté with. The oil has a neutral flavor and will not overpower any of the ingredients in your dish. Canola oil is low in saturated fats and high in monounsaturated fats. The monounsaturated fat helps to lower harmful cholesterol levels, prevents clogged arteries, and heart disease. They also raise good cholesterol levels, which gets rid of the build-up in the arteries. The monounsaturated fat also makes canola oil very heat resistant and helps to avoid oxidation while cooking.

5 Unhealthiest Oils for Sautéing

Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed oil does have some health advantages but should be avoided when cooking. Its smoke point is shallow at only 225-degrees Fahrenheit. The low smoke point of flaxseed oil can make it quite harmful when exposed to high heat. If exposed, all of the health advantages that it has will then decline. Flaxseed oil is also very vulnerable to the oxidation process. When using flaxseed oil, I would recommend using it for skin care purposes or as an addition to smoothies.

Hemp Seed Oil

Hemp seed oil has a pretty low smoke point at 330-degrees Fahrenheit. This is enough to sauté with, but that doesn’t mean that you should do it. Hemp seed oil is best when used as an addition to salads or yogurts. I do not recommend using it for cooking at all. If used for cooking, you will lose most of its nutritional value, and it will be vulnerable to the oxidation process. This makes it unhealthy to sauté with.

Soybean Oil

Soybean oil has a very high smoke point of about 450-degrees Fahrenheit. This makes it suitable to sauté with, but I would still recommend against it. Soybean oil is highly refined and goes through the bleaching and deodorizing process. This process butchers the healthiness of the oil. The oil is high in polyunsaturated fat, which makes it vulnerable to oxidation. This makes it a poor choice for cooking. Soybean oil is a prevalent oil in the fast-food industry and has been heavily linked to obesity. Soybean oil is just an extremely unhealthy choice to cook with.

Palm Oil

Palm oil isn’t a healthy option for a sauté. The oil mostly consists of saturated and monounsaturated fats. The high saturated fat content makes it likely to cause harm to your cardiovascular health. This can ruin the health value of your entire meal. Also, for you environmentalists, palm oil production is said to be very harmful to the environment. Palm oils smoke point is about 450-degrees Fahrenheit.

Pumpkin Seed Oil

Seed oils, in general, are risky to cook with. Pumpkin sees oils smoke point is relatively low at about 320-degrees Fahrenheit. This makes it reasonably unstable when heated. Pumpkin seed oil is at its best when it is used in salad dressings or marinades. It also has an intense flavor and can leave an undesired taste to your sauté. Pumpkin seed oil isn’t necessarily unhealthy but isn’t a good choice for cooking.

Closing Thoughts

Practice makes perfect, and it may take a little while for you to perfect your sautéing skills. However, once you do master it, it is excellent for cooking a variety of meats and vegetables. Like always, don’t reuse your oils from meal to meal to avoid oxidation. Also, pay attention to the flavor profile of the oil that you are using. This way, you can prevent different tastes. Now, get to jumping.

Is Soybean Oil Bad For You?

Soybean oil is one of the most consumed commercial cooking oil. This is mostly because it is cheap and readily available in local groceries stores. Top manufacturers also prefer to use soybean oil in processed, and packaged foods.

With all of its popularity and frequent use in many fast food stores, soyabean oil continues to divide opinions. Some people believe in the oil’s ability to enhance general body health, and some people don’t.

That you are reading this article right now, is proof that you are probably in search of answers too. So to clear the air and attempt to provide answers to all of the questions that you may have, we will take a look at all that soyabean oil has to offer shortly.

But before we go into of all that, let’s first take a look at some basic characteristics of soyabean oil.

What is Soy-bean Oil?

Like every other seed oil, soyabean oil is pressed from soybean seeds. Though it has a lot of nutritional constituents, soyabean oil is predominantly high in polyunsaturated fats. This means that in 100g of soyabean oil, you are guaranteed to get 58g of polyunsaturated fat (basically, linoleic and linolenic acid).

Linoleic acids or omega-6-fatty acids which make up most parts of polyunsaturated fat found in soy oil, are bad fat that’s easily damaged on exposure to heat. Also, soyabean oil is very low in saturated fat which is probably why most people believe that it is ‘healthy’.

Whether this is true or not, we shall see shortly. In the meantime, let’s examine how soyabean oil is made.

How is Soya Bean made?

While soyabean oil is pressed from soybeans, it is not cold-pressed like other forms of vegetable oil. This is because it is pretty difficult to squeeze oil out of soyabean. As a result, extracting oil out of soybean seeds has to follow all of the processes listed below.

Mechanical Pressing

This process involves the use of heat and pressure to forcefully press oil out of the seeds.

Solvent extraction

After pressing oil out of the soybean, there are chances that small amounts of oil may remain in the seeds. To get them out, a solvent called hexane is used. Afterward, steam and vacuum are used to remove hexane solvent since it is a toxin.

Bleaching

The extracted oil is then bleached to remove inherent impurities that are unwanted in the finished product.

Deodorization

The semi-finished soybean oil still contains some oxidation products which may give it an unpleasant smell. This is why a deodorization stage is greatly required to complete the production process. To accomplish this, a high- temperature (180 to 220-degree Celsius) distillation process is applied.

Note: This extraction process is peculiar to soybean and canola oils that require bleaching and deodorization during their production.

NUTRITIONAL FACTS

For every tablespoon of soybean oil that you take or mix with your cooking, you are guaranteed to get all of the nutritional benefits highlighted below.

Fat (13.6g)
Saturated fat (2.1g)
Monounsaturated fat (3.1g)
Polyunsaturated fat (7.9g)
Omega-3-fatty (0.9g)
Omega-6-fatty (6.9g)
Vitamin E (1.11mg)
Vitamin K (25.1 mcg)
Selenium (6.24mcg)
Calories (120Kcal)

If you look at the list above, you will notice that carbohydrate and protein were omitted. Well, this is because soybeans contain 0g of both.

Now that we have some basic information about soybean oil, let’s answer the big question you have been waiting to get answers to.

Is soybean oil bad for you?

Well, to answer this question, we’ll examine some health effects of consuming Soybean oil and we’ll take things up from there.

SOYBEANS-HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS

1. Soybean oil contains polyunsaturated fat that’s easily oxidated

Unlike fully stable saturated fat, polyunsaturated fats are more prone to oxidation. This is because their molecular structure contains too many double bond gaps which exposes its carbon atoms. So instead of linking to another hydrogen atom upon exposure to heat, the carbon atom forms two more links with other carbon atoms.

As a result, polyunsaturated fats contained in soybean oil have very poor oxidative stability when compared to other forms of vegetable oils like avocado oil, butter, and extra virgin olive oil. In the presence of high temperature, polyunsaturated fats oxidize to form complex compounds that may hurt your health.

For example, a study has shown that heating soybean at a high temperature of 185 degrees celsius or more can trigger the production of 4-hydroxy-2-trans-nonenal (HNE) which is known to have mutagenic and cytotoxic effects.

A rat study has also shown that consuming re-heated soybean oil has caused rats to develop vascular inflammation and high blood pressure.

While it can be argued that what applies to rats may not apply to humans, the deductions from the studies cannot be swept aside just like that. Yes, we may take solace in the fact that we don’t re-heat oil in our homes, but can we say the same about fast food stores? Chances are that they will use vegetable oil over and over again.

So it may be safe to say that polyunsaturated fat-rich soybean oil is not as heat-stable as other cooking oil.

2. Soybean Oil May Contribute To Obesity

Most people are always looking to shed off some weight whether it is for cosmetic or health reasons. Some individuals even go out of their way to take on diet routines that are sometimes very difficult to keep up with.

Which is why you need to know that your everyday consumption soybean oil could be contributing to your weight gain without you knowing. Some studies claim that soybean oil is more obesogenic than fructose and even coconut oil. So it is quite clear why most fast foods trigger weight gain.

If you are currently looking to cut down weight, then you are better off removing soybean oil from your diet.

3. Soybean triggers inflammation

Taking a close look at the nutritional information of soybean oil, its clear to see why experts believe it is a pro-inflammatory food.

Severe inflammation is known to contribute to most age-related disease. Eating anti-inflammatory foods is one of the best ways to avoid these diseases or prevent them from getting worse.

Polyunsaturated fat is one of the major components of soybean oil, which is closely followed by omega-6-fatty acids. A diet rich in this type of fat can increase your risk of inflammation and other associated diseases.

4. Soybean Oil is bad for the heart

Soybean oil tends to oxidize pretty rapidly and this poses a risk for the heart. Also, high omega-6-fatty acid content in your diet is bad for your cardiovascular system.

So if we add both situations together, it is clear to see that taking too much soybean oil is detrimental to your heart.

5. Soybean makes diabetes worse

According to the study on the health effect of consuming polyunsaturated fat, “a diet high in soy-bean is detrimental to the body’s metabolic health”. As a result, insulin resistance and glucose intolerance can be made even worse by consuming soybean oil consistently. This makes soybean pro-diabetes and diabetogenic.

In general, if you are diabetic or pre-diabetic, it will makes a lot of sense to remove soybean oil from your diet.

6. Immune Toxicity

Experts believe that soybean is likely to have negative effects on the immune system.

In one research, participants were given soybean oil and olive oil for two weeks consecutively. After the observation period, their neutrophile and lymphocyte levels were tested.

It was discovered that those who took only soybean oil appeared to have lower neutrophile and lymphocytes levels. This means that they ended up with a poorer immune system than they started with. Immune cells are meant to fight against disease and your body will be in danger if they are depleted.

Soybean Oil Smoke Point

The smoke point is a fixed temperature at which oil breaks down and burns. This goes on to give food an unpleasant taste and generally makes it inedible. At the smoke point, oils give off free radicals that are harmful to the body.

Every cooking oil has a specific smoke point range, and soybean oil has a pretty high one. Your cooking soybean oil has a smoke point oabout 450 degree Farhenheit hence it is perfect for drying frying routines.

Uses Of Soybean Oil

Cooking

Soybean oil is mostly used for cooking purposes. They are so popular that it is safe to assume that almost all fast food stores make use of soybean oil because it is cheap and readily available. Some people also use soybean oil as a flavor enhancer and they argue that this is the best use of the oil.

As Biodiesel

Large volumes of soybean oil are sold as raw materials for the production of biodiesel.

Final Verdict

While soybean oil will continue to find relevance in most parts of the society, from the details of this post is pretty obvious that it poses a high health risk.

So is soybean bad for you? Based on scientific evidence, yes it bad for you. However, reduced and occasional usage of the oil may not be as bad.

10 Healthy Fats and Oils To Incorporate in Your Diet

Eliminating fats altogether as a way to meet your weight management goals or lower your cholesterol is not at all healthy because all fats are not the same. Some fats–specifically monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats–are essential to maintaining brain and cardiovascular health as well as helping you stay lean. Unlike carbs, fats makes you feel full longer.

Most people don’t understand the relationship between food, fat and cholesterol. You cholesterol levels in your blood test is a reflection of the food you eat. The cholesterol in your blood is a result of the fat in the food you eat and the cholesterol your liver produces.

Although your body makes cholesterol you will still need to eat some. Your liver produces about 80% and you should eat about 20%. As long as you are healthy and don’t have liver disease then you liver will produce cholesterol at its regular rate.

If you eat too much fatty foods your arteries will get clogged by too much cholesterol circulating throughout your arteries. However, eating the right kind of fats or oils in the right amounts can clean out the clogged arteries.

There are some fats that are beneficial to your body that your body is not able to make. Your body cannot make Omega-3 fats and therefore you have to eat your Omega – 3 fatty acids in the form of fish, nuts, oils, flaxseed and leafy vegetables.

Here are ten nutritional oils and fatty acids to consider incorporating into your diet. The first nine are recommended in an article published by Food Technology, the journal of the Institute of Food Technologists.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Studies have already demonstrated the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids in wild salmon, sardines, and other oily fish. Omega-3 fatty acids are linked to proper brain development, lower risk for developing depression and dementia, as well as keeping the eyes and cardiovascular system in tip-top shape.

Pinolenic Acid

Pinolenic acid is loaded with unsaturated long-chain fatty acids, which curbs your appetite by stimulating the body’s hunger suppressants and makes you feel fuller. This weight-loss promoting fatty acid is found only in pine nuts and the oils made from them. Siberian pine nuts contain up to 27 percent pinolenic acid, while Korean pine nuts have pinolenic acid content in ranges that peak at 20 percent.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid

You may be able to manage your weight through moderate intake of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which reduces body fat and elevates lean body mass. Aside from CLA supplements, there are foods that normally contain this fatty acid. Eggs and dairy from grass-fed cows are two examples.

Fish Oil

There is a solid reason why regular consumption of oily fish is highly recommended by health professionals. Fish oil spans the gamut of beneficial effects, including support and promotion of cardiovascular, cognitive, and neurological health.

Flaxseed Oil

Regular consumption of flaxseed oil is an effective way to achieve the required balance of three essential polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9. Among the manifold health benefits of flaxseed oil include reduced inflammation, lowered risk for breast cancer, as well as prevention of chronic diseases like arthritis and heart disease.

Hemp Oil

Like flaxseed oil, hemp oil offers a balanced proportion of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Hemp oil is also a viable source of powerful antioxidant vitamin E. Studies have shown the beneficial impact of hemp oil intake, including improved cardiovascular function, strong immune system, and reduction in the aesthetic effect of skin aging.

Canola Oil

Derived from rapeseed, canola oil is one vegetable oil you might consider using in moderation. It is considered heart-healthy because it is low in saturated fats and rich in polyunsaturated fats. Studies have also shown the effectiveness of canola oil at controlling blood sugar levels among people with type 2 diabetes.

Soybean Oil

When choosing the type soybean oil to use, consider opting for high-oleic soybean oil because it delivers thrice the usual amount of healthy monounsaturated fats and has a low level of saturated fat. Consumed in moderation, high-oleic soybean oil supports good cardiovascular health and immune system as well as reduces the risk for developing osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s disease.

Coconut Oil

Your diet can use some fragrant and flavorful coconut oil now and then. This healthy fat has been associated with enhancing skin elasticity and dental health, as well as boosting energy levels.

Olive Oil

Like omega-3 fatty acids, there is just no way to ditch this heart-healthy staple of the Mediterranean diet. Study after study has linked regular intake of extra-virgin olive oil to the reduction of risk for Alzheimer’s disease, brain cancer, and breast cancer.

On a whole, know which oils and fats to avoid.

Common in processed foods, trans fats such as partially hydrogenated oils must be avoided like the plague because of their potentially deadly artery-clogging effect. The same is true for most animal fats, which contribute to elevating bad cholesterol level, among other negative health results. On top of your regular consumption of oily fish, consider selecting plant-based oils and fats for the most part.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are healthy and must be consumed regularly and in moderation. Aside from the ones listed above, other widely available food sources for the latter two types of healthy fats include avocados, peanut butter, sesame oil, sunflower oil, nuts, and seeds.

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