What is your choice of a Cooking Oil?

Written by Dr Harold Gunatillake FRCS, FICS, FIACS, MBBS, AM (Sing)-Health writer

75 years ago, we had only one brand of cooking oil for all purposes and that was coconut oil. Those who lived in that era would remember how fresh thick amber colored sweet appetite smelling oil was doled out into your bottle from a container with a vertical handled spoon, at any grocer. That oil was fresh, unprocessed stone ground, and was used for deep frying, adding onto dough making flat bread, and so on. It became the favorite oil in the Food industry including biscuit manufacturers. It was applied even on the scalp for hair growth, dandruff, and shine. Cholesterol numbers were never heard of and people suffered more from communicable diseases like malaria, syphilis, tuberculosis and gastroenteritis due to poor sanitation.  If it was chest pain, it was double pneumonia and there was no such disorder as heart disease.75 years ago, we had only one brand of cooking oil for all purposes and that was coconut oil. Those who lived in that era would remember how fresh thick amber colored sweet appetite smelling oil was doled out into your bottle from a container with a vertical handled spoon, at any grocer. That oil was fresh, unprocessed stone ground, and was used for deep frying, adding onto dough making flat bread, and so on. It became the favorite oil in the Food industry including biscuit manufacturers. It was applied even on the scalp for hair growth, dandruff, and shine. Cholesterol numbers were never heard of and people suffered more from communicable diseases like malaria, syphilis, tuberculosis and gastroenteritis due to poor sanitation.  If it was chest pain, it was double pneumonia and there was no such disorder as heart disease.

Then, came the super-markets of today, and shelves displayed a confusing set of varieties of oils, and choosing what’s best for you was a puzzle.The oils that occupied these shelves are mostly- vegetable oils, Canola oil, cotton seed oil, olive oil, grape-seed oil, pea-nut oil, among others. Then, you found more grades of coconut and olive oil, extending from virgin oils to grades of processed ones.Next confusion in the minds of most people is the fat (fatty acids) content in these oils and which oils contained fats that are good for you, especially to prevent cardio-vascular disease and obesity.

For simplicity all dietary fats (fatty acids) are classified into four varieties.

• Saturated fats

• Un-saturated fats includes Omega-3 types and Omega-6 types

• Mono-unsaturated fats

• Trans-fats (man-made)

No oil is 100% saturated or unsaturated. They have about 90 % or more of the principle fatty acids and 10 % or less of others.

Saturated fats:

Saturated fats are labeled as saturated because every carbon atom in the chain is linked to a pair of hydrogen atoms. Simplifying this- if you enter the compartment in the train, and when you look around if there is no vacancy you call it “saturated with people”.

Saturated oils are solid or frozen like at room temperature. Next time when you buy virgin coconut oil check whether it is solid at room temperature. Processed coconut oils are liquids at room temperature and trans-fats are added to prolong their shelf life.

Omega-3 type of polyunsaturated fats has a vacancy in the 3rd carbon link and in the omega-6 has a missing link of a pair of hydrogen atoms in the 6th carbon atom in its chain.
Trans-fats are man-made synthetic dietary fat made from vegetable oils: they go through about 10 processes for the oil to look like butter and it’s called margarine. Read the label before buying any oil and avoid trans-fat containing foods at any cost.

Smoking Points of Cooking Fats & Oils

Boiling point of water is 100C at which point starts steaming. When it comes to oils they smoke before the boiling point and when choosing a fat or oil for cooking it is especially important to consider the smoking point. At this smoking point fats and oils breakdown due to heat and can create a very off-putting smell and flavor.When oil is used for cooking once it smokes should not be re-used due to the high concentration of free radicals it creates. Coconut oil seems to be an exception and our ancestors used it for frying more than once. It does not produce the awful smell the other oils emanate.Our cows were given a biscuit smelling pieces of dried coconut mixed with water and that was called ‘Poonac’. We drank the fresh milk from such-fed cows, and did we have an increased risk of heart disease compared to purely grass-fed cows?

Smoking Points of Cooking Fats & Oils

Fat/Oil Smoke Point °F Smoke Point °COlive Oil (extra light) 468°F 242°CPeanut Oil 450°F 232°CSesame Oil (unrefined) 350°F 177°CSoybean Oil (refined) 460°F 238°CAvocado Oil 570°F 271°CButter 250-200°F 120-150°CCanola Oil (refined) 400°F 204°CCoconut Oil (extra virgin) 350°F 177°C

Coconut oil is not suitable for high temperature cooking. It is used mainly for deep frying. On the other hand Canola Oil with a smoking point of 400C can be used for sauntering, pan frying and baking.

Avocado oil (refined), almond oil, corn oil, canola oil, grape seed oil, peanut oil safflower oil, sesame oil and sunflower oil have high smoking points of 400F. These oils are better suited for cooking at high temperatures.

Chinese use vegetable oils having a smoking point of over 400F for fast stir frying on the wok which emanates lots of smoke, but you don’t have to worry about ‘free radicles’ as the smoking point is high in those vegetable oils including corn oil.Saturated fats come from meats, poultry, cheese, dairy products and tropical oils, such as coconut and palm oils. Consuming foods containing saturated fats are supposed to be a risk factor for heart disease.
After evaluating the evidence, the panel for the American Heart Association recommended to decrease the use of saturated fats and oils and replace with unsaturated ones including polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.

Though coconut oil is mainly a saturated fat, it has been proved beyond doubt after century’s usage by the people in the tropics, subtropics and the Pacific basin the incidence of heart disease is no higher than the epidemiological studies on people who do not use coconuts in their daily food.The government’s U.S.Dietary Guide lines recommend that Americans include a small amount of oils in their diets every day to supply essential fatty acids.Such a recommendation implies that the government’s U.S Dietary guidelines are not definitive as all oils are composed of all varieties of saturated and unsaturated fats.

There is a coordinated attack against the popularity gaining coconut oil over the others, and the American Heart Association just published a “Presidential Advisory” on Dietary fats condemning once again that link between coconut fats and heart disease. 

It is known today that not only coconut oil but all saturated fats in general, debunk the old lipid theory of heart disease that saturated fat and cholesterol cause heart disease. The incidence, it appears that heart disease is much higher in those whose cholesterol levels and saturated fats are low.

These attacks could be the influence and the efforts of the Big Pharma to promote their cholesterol lowering statin industry.

Olive Oil

Just like coconut oil being popular for centuries in Asian countries, olive oil seems to be the dietary oil in the Mediterranean countries. The health qualities of extra virgin oil are unquestionable. . It has abundant polyphenols, powerful antioxidants for good health and prevents cardiovascular disease.

It could be used for Asian cooking, though expensive, as the smoking point is over 400F.

Canola Oil

This oil, so popular in Canada is obtained as an extract from rapeseeds that have been bred to contain less of some unfavorable substances.

It has about 7% of saturated fat, 63% of mono-unsaturated fat and 28% with omega-6 and omega-3 in the ratio of 2:1. It is generally considered a monounsaturated fat which is healthy and heart friendly.

Canola oil seems to be very popular in Sri Lanka. Most house-wives seem to like Canola, may be because it’s cheaper than olive oil.

Peanut oil has 16.9 percent of saturated fatty acids, and 46.2 % of mono-unsaturated fatty acids, 32% of omega 6 fatty acids and 44.8 % of omega 9 fatty acids. No omega -3 oils. The smoking point of peanut oil is 450F. Deep frying your food in peanut oil will give your meal a light, somewhat nutty flavor. Use it for Chinese cooking. It is a healthy oil as it is considered mainly a mono-unsaturated oil, though hasn’t got any omega-3 fatty acids.

Rice Bran Oil: has 19.7% of saturated fatty acids, 39.3% of monounsaturated fatty acids, 33.4 % of omega-6 fatty acids, 1.6% of omega-3 fatty acids and 39.1 of omega 9 fatty acids. Not suitable oil for daily cooking.

Sesame Oil has 14.2% of saturated oil, 39.7% of monounsaturated fatty acids, 41.75 of polyunsaturated fatty acids, 41.3 % of omega 6 types of fatty acids, 0.3% of omega 3 types, and the ratio 137:1 with omega-3 oils and the smoking point is 450F. Unhealthy oil only to be used for flavoringSunflower oil has 10% of saturated fatty acids, 45.4% monounsaturated fatty acids, 40.1% of polyunsaturated fatty acids, 39.8% of omega 6 fatty acids, 0.3% of omega 3, 45.3% of omega 9 fatty acids and the ratio of 199:1 with omega 3, smoking point 450F most popular unhealthy oil used freely among Sri Lankans. It is sold as vegetable oil.

Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids are essential oils, because they are not formed in the body. Omega-9 fatty acids are not essential because the body can produce them from other unsaturated fats. The best known member of the Omega-9 family is oleic acid. Oleic acid is present in olive oil.Conclusions: Choose your favorite oil for cooking specific cuisines that you have confidence in, irrespective of the fact that it may be a risk factor for heart disease. Don’t worry about the variety of fats in the oil and their link to heart disease. After all, you only use a few drops of oil for any type of cooking except for deep frying. Be aware that all oils are calorie- dense and hence use sparingly.