Today, I was asked this great question about what types of fat to use: I heard from few people that we shouldn’t cook or fry with extra virgin olive oil. I use that for everything. Do you recommend another type of oil for cooking, sauteing onions etc?
Knowing what fats to include in your diet and for what purpose is really important. Here was my response:
Olive oil is mostly monounsaturated and suitable for cooking at low-medium temperatures (e.g. a gentle sautee). I don’t generally recommend higher cooking temperatures due to AGE formation. However, saturated fats such as unrefined coconut and red palm oils are stable at higher temperatures.
My preferred oils include:
For cooking: coconut, red palm, olive
For dressing (should not be heated): olive, flax oil, nut oils, seed oils.
Choose: unrefined oils, first pressed (contain the most antioxidants, which is the cloudiness you see)
Avoid: vegetable oils, hydrogenated fats
Try to get a variety of oils in your diet, including saturated (coconut oil, red palm oil, grass fed butter if dairy is OK for you), monounsaturated (olive oil, avocados) and polyunsaturated (flax oil, fish, nuts and seeds).