The Top 5 Healthiest Cooking Oils

It is a fact that a lot about our health depends upon the kind of food we eat and the way we cook it.  The cooking oil we use to prepare our foods in also has a big impact on our health. It is important to use vegetable oils for preparation of foods and also for frying as these oils are packed with nutrients that can prove good for us.  But since there are so many vegetable or cooking oils, it may be difficult to pick which is the healthiest. Thus for your reference, we have brought to you a list of the top 5 healthiest cooking oils.

1. Sesame Oil- Sesame oil is surely one of the healthiest cooking oil and is one that is made out of the nutrient rich sesame seeds.  The lighter colour of this oil is used in India and Middle East and is made from pressed untoasted seeds. On the other hand, the darker variety has a nutty aroma and works well in many Asian foods. This oil is full of calcium, manganese, magnesium, zinc and many other nutrients which are essential for the health.

2. Sunflower Oil- This oil is known for the high amount of Vitamin E and is thus excellent for the skin.  The oil is obtained from the seeds of sunflowers and is a combination of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

3. Canola Oil- Out of the gamut of cooking oil varieties, canola oil stands out as one of the safest oils to cook and fry in. It is made using the crushed seeds of the canola plant and has the lowest content of saturated fat among all oils. This oil has a lot of omega 3 fatty acids and this is one of the many reasons you must use it to cook foods in.  It works well for sautéing, baking and frying.

4. Virgin olive oil- Olive oil is popular for cooking Italian dishes but has rapidly gained popularity as cooking oil for a number of different cuisines around the world.  It is loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols and is excellent for the heart health. This is why heart patients are asked to switch to olive oil for cooking.  It is used in pastas, salads and also for many cold dishes.

5. Avocado Oil- Rich in monounsaturated fats, avocado oil is an excellent cooking oil which is also high in the content of vitamin E. This oil works well not just as cooking oil but also for dressing on salads and other cold dishes.

Make sure you switch to these oils rather than refined and other harmful oils for healthy living and a healthy heart.