_The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase._ _[best cooking oil]_ THE INSIDER PICKS: * COOKING OILS ARE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF A HEART-HEALTHY DIET, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT ONES FOR THE DISH YOU'RE PREPARING. WE'VE ROUNDED UP THE BEST OLIVE OIL, COCONUT OIL, FLAXSEED OIL, WALNUT OIL, CANOLA OIL, AND OTHER HEALTHY OILS TO HELP YOU DIVERSIFY THE COOKING OILS IN YOUR CUPBOARD AND ADD FLAVOR TO YOUR MEALS. Even an occasional cook needs to have some type of cooking oil in the pantry. These plant-based oils are used for everything from frying to baking to making salad dressings. But there are so many different types of cooking oils on the supermarket shelves, you might be tempted to throw your hands up in confusion, and then go home with the familiar bottle of vegetable oil. But that’s certainly not the healthiest choice, and there’s no need to stick with only one type of oil. Each type of cooking oil has its own flavor, level of fats, and smoke point, which is the temperature at which the oil will begin to smoke, indicating it is overheated and may lose health benefits. But why limit yourself to just one? A well-stocked pantry has a selection of flavorful cooking oils to choose from. If you cook with any regularity, your pantry should contain at least a bottle of canola and a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil. Add a small bottle of peanut or sesame oil if you love to stir-fry, and one or two others for variety in salad dressings. Moderate amounts of healthy cooking oil add beneficial fats to your diet, helping to keep your cholesterol balanced and your circulatory system healthy. If you’re wondering which cooking oils are worth adding to your pantry, we’ve done the hard work for you, and assembled this guide to 10 healthy cooking oils worth trying. * BEST OLIVE OIL: COLAVITA EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL * BEST CANOLA OIL: 365 EVERYDAY VALUE ORGANIC CANOLA OIL * BEST PEANUT OIL: LA TOURANGELLE ROASTED PEANUT OIL * BEST SESAME OIL: OTTOGI DARK SESAME OIL * BEST SUNFLOWER OIL: SUNVELLA UNREFINED HIGH-OLEIC SUNFLOWER OIL * BEST COCONUT OIL: VIVA NATURALS ORGANIC, COLD-PRESSED, EXTRA-VIRGIN COCONUT OIL * BEST SAFFLOWER OIL: EDEN FOODS ORGANIC HIGH-OLEIC SAFFLOWER OIL * BEST AVOCADO OIL: BELLA VADO ORGANIC EXTRA-VIRGIN AVOCADO OIL * BEST WALNUT OIL: LA TOURANGELLE ROASTED WALNUT OIL * BEST FLAXSEED OIL: PURITAN’S PRIDE ORGANIC FLAXSEED OIL READ ON IN THE SLIDES BELOW TO LEARN ABOUT ALL THE EXCELLENT HEALTH BENEFITS OF OUR FAVORITE HEALTHY COOKING OILS. THE BEST OLIVE OIL Colavita/Filippo Berio WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT: COLAVITA AND FILIPPO BERIO MAKE DELICIOUS OLIVE OIL THAT'S HEALTHY FOR USE IN FOOD PREPARATION. Olive oil is one of the healthiest oils you can cook with because it is very high in monounsaturated fat. It is lower in Omega-3 than some other oils, but it's still quite healthy. Olive oil has a distinctive, strong flavor, and comes in several varieties. Extra-virgin, which is the highest quality type, is pressed from whole olives within a day of harvesting and has a low smoke point that makes it unsuitable for frying or sautéing at high heat. Pure olive oil has been refined to reduce the strong olive flavor and has a higher smoke point. Our favorite extra virgin olive oil is made by Colavita. The oil is imported from Italy and made from olives that originate in Italy, Greece, Spain, or Portugal. It has a delicious flavor that's excellent for salad dressings and pasta sauce, as well as sautéing and grilling over low-to-medium heat. Pure olive oil can be used for frying, sautéing, stir-frying, and oven cooking, especially in Italian or Mediterranean dishes. For that purpose, we recommend Filippo Berio Pure Olive Oil. PROS: Healthy, nice flavor, great for pasta, versatile CONS: Can be expensive, low smoke point BUY TWO 25-OUNCE BOTTLES OF COLAVITA EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL ON AMAZON FOR $21.28 BUY A 25-OUNCE BOTTLE OF FILIPPO BERIO PURE OLIVE OIL ON AMAZON FOR $8.88 THE BEST CANOLA OIL 365 Everyday Value WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT: SOME PEOPLE MISTAKENLY THINK CANOLA OIL IS THE SAME AS LOW-QUALITY VEGETABLE OIL, BUT THE 365 EVERYDAY VALUE ORGANIC CANOLA OIL IS VERY HEALTHY AND GREAT FOR COOKING. Made from hybridized rapeseed, canola oil is high in monounsaturated fat, and contains a high level of Omega-3 fatty acids. It has a very mild taste that works with any sort of recipe, and has a fairly high smoke point. Because just about all supermarket canola oil in the US is pressed from genetically modified rapeseed, however, it’s best to choose an organic variety. Our favorite organic canola oil comes from 365 Everday Value, Whole Foods' in-house brand. You can trust that it's not genetically modified or altered in any way. Used at moderate temperatures, this canola oil is excellent for baking, sautéing, stir-frying and as a base for dressings. Its mild taste makes it a good match for any dish that has stronger spices or flavors. PROS: Versatile, lots of Omega-3, organic, works at moderate temperatures, affordable CONS: Mild flavor isn't for special dishes BUY A 16.9-OUNCE BOTTLE OF 365 EVERYDAY VALUE ORGANIC CANOLA OIL ON AMAZON FOR $4.99 THE BEST PEANUT OIL La Tourangelle WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT: LA TOURANGELLE'S FLAVORFUL PEANUT OIL ADDS CHARACTER TO ANY DISH THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM A TOUCH OF NUTTY GOODNESS. With its peanutty flavor and high smoke point, La Tourangelle's peanut oil is excellent for deep-frying and stir-frying. It is lower in healthy fats than olive oil or canola, but does have a good level of Omega-6. La Tourangelle's expeller-pressed roasted peanut oil isn't refined chemically, either, so it's extra healthy. Although refined peanut oil has the peanut allergen removed, it is still safest to avoid using this oil if you are cooking for anyone who might be allergic to peanuts. Peanut oil is popular in Asian stir-fry recipes and is also a good choice for frying potatoes or even a whole turkey. La Tourangelle's peanut oil is absolutely delicious and quite healthy. PROS: Delicious flavor, not refined chemically, delicious in stir-fry CONS: Bad if you're allergic to peanuts, expensive BUY AN 8.45-OUNCE BOTTLE OF LA TOURANGELLE ROASTED PEANUT OIL ON AMAZON FOR $9.99 SEE THE REST OF THE STORY AT BUSINESS INSIDER SEE ALSO: * The best TV stands you can buy * I grew basil and lettuce using this indoor smart garden — and the process was truly effortless * The best bike helmets you can buy SEE ALSO: THE BEST FOOD STORAGE CONTAINER SETS YOU CAN BUY
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