Many people around the world love fried foods. There is nothing to be ashamed of by falling in love with deep fried foods. You might ask yourself which is the best oil for deep frying your meal and which ones you should avoid. Good news is that you will have a lot of options when it comes to the right oil you can use to fry your food.
Although fried foods are viewed as being unhealthy, it doesn’t mean that you have to totally give them up. If you use the right type of oil that is healthy, you won’t have to worry about any health effects. Before we look at the healthiest oils for deep frying, let’s first look at the pros and cons of frying food.
We have heard a lot of negative things about fried foods. However, frying your food is something that you cannot avoid. At some point in your cooking, you are going to find it necessary to deep fry your food.
Here are some of the advantages of deep frying.
- Frying potatoes increase their dietary fiber content.
- Deep frying foods lower the amount of vitamins that are leached since it takes place over a short period of time at high temperatures.
- Some cooking oils are a great source of vitamin E.
All of that said, you should eat fried foods in moderation since they contain high quantities of calories.
4 Healthiest Oils You Can Use to Cook and Deep Fry With
You can now understand why it isn’t necessarily a bad idea to fry your food. If you do it in moderation, you stand to benefit from some health benefits. However, you have to stay away from using unhealthy oils so that you protect yourself from their ill effects.
Here are 4 healthy oils you can use to deep fry.
Coconut Oil
This is the best choice among the oils suitable for deep frying. It is among the top choice because it is an incredibly stable oil. It has a smoke point of 204 degrees Celsius. This means that you can continuously deep fry your food in coconut oil at a temperature of 170 degrees Celsius for 8 straight hours without the oil breaking down.
On top of that, there are a number of health benefits associated with coconut oil. First of all, coconut oil helps to speed up metabolism by burning calories faster. As a result, you can shed more weight if you are using coconut oil, making it a perfect choice for you if you are dieting.
Coconut oil also has several health benefits among them being boosting your HDL cholesterol levels, treating brain disorders, fighting inflammation in the body and improving your satiety.
Olive Oil
It is one of the healthiest and the most versatile oils one can cook with, according to cooking and nutrition experts. However, olive oil is best used when extra virgin, which means that it is not refined and is of high quality. Unrefined olive oil contains a lot of essential monounsaturated fats that are linked to improved heart health.
Olive oil also has anti-inflammatory effects and is also a good antioxidant. This is due to an important chemical known as oleocanthal which it contains. Oleocanthal also has some pain-killing abilities that make it one of the best choices of deep-frying oil. Even better, you can safely use olive oil even at relatively high temperatures.
Avocado Oil
Avocado oil can be a perfect alternative to olive oil. It shares the same composition as olive oil. Avocado oil has one of the highest smoking points of 270 degrees Celsius. As a result, you can use avocado oil to deep fry your food at temperatures that are relatively high without worrying that it will polymerize. It has a light and nutty flavor.
Avocado oil contains oleic acid, which is an essential nutrient that is useful in treating high blood pressure. It also has other additional nutrients that are good for better eye health. Avocado oil is also good for people suffering from arthritis. Besides being a healthy option for deep frying oil, avocado oil can also be used cold in smoothies, salads, dressings and so on.
Macadamia Nut Oil
Oils from nuts are not always considered a good option for deep frying. They contain high amounts of polyunsaturated fats which make them unstable. However, not all oil from nuts is unsuitable for deep frying. There is one exception; macadamia nut oil. With a smoke point of 199 degrees Celsius, macadamia nut oil is also a great choice for deep frying.
Macadamia nut oil has a light flavor and will give your food buttery taste. It has a composition that is similar to olive oil. It contains several antioxidants which give it anti-inflammatory properties.
Oils You Should Avoid
Palm Oil
Since palm oil has high quantities of saturated fats, using it is not recommended when deep frying food. You will be putting yourself at high risks of heart diseases. If you are also suffering from diabetes, you should stay away from palm oil.
Partially Hydrogenated Oils
These types of oils are made from vegetable oils such as cottonseed and soybean. They are trans fats hence they will increase your risks of heart diseases. You should, therefore, eliminate from your diet any hydrogenated oils. Other oils to avoid include sunflower oil, corn oil, grape seed oil, and canola oil.
As Long as You Stick with Healthy Oils, Deep Frying Foods is not Entirely Healthy
Eating fried foods all the time is unhealthy since they have high amounts of calories. However, with the right type of oil, you can help lower the health risks of consuming a lot of fried foods.
Frying your food using healthy oils is a good way of boosting the fiber in your meal and add vitamin E to your food. The best oil for deep frying include the likes of avocado oil, olive oil and coconut oil which contain essential nutrients and are good for your cardiovascular health.