It’s no secret that frying is not the healthiest cooking method available to us. However, it does not have to become our biggest enemy in the kitchen, especially if you know how to fry as God intended.
That’s why many people ask the same question. what is the best oil for cooking? Should I use olive oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil or palm oil?
What is the best oil to fry food when you cook
The oil we use to fry has a huge impact on how healthy the food is. If you intend to make a deep frymeans that you will immerse the food in an oil that will generally be between 175ºC and 190ºC.
Some oils are able to tolerate this heat and even more. However, you should keep the following guidelines in mind as you make your choice:
The oil should have a high smoke point.
The smoke point refers to the heating point of a substance; especially cooking oil or edible fat, where the smoke released by acrolein from fats becomes visible.
In that area it smokes, giving the food an unpleasant taste. Above the smoke point arises the ignition point, where combustion begins.
The oil must also be stable
Particularly when it reacts to oxygen when exposed to high temperatures. If the chosen oil reacts with oxygen, a process known as oxidation. Unfortunately, this is not good news because it allows the formation of free radicals and other harmful compounds.
The oil must have saturated and monounsaturated fats
If not, at least have one of these fats. The more saturated fat the oil has, more resistant will be at high temperatures.
Be sure to stay away from oils that contain high amounts of polyunsaturated fats.
In this type of fat, bonds are formed that easily react to oxygen.
So which oil should you use?
If we consider all the factors mentioned above, the best option is the coconut oil. Science has shown that coconut oil maintains its quality even after being heated for 8 hours at 185ºC. In addition, 90% of the content of this oil are saturated fatty acidsso it is very resistant to high temperatures.
