All cooking oils are NOT created equal!

I used to think I was SO healthy by cooking with olive oil-- All. The. Time. Baking, frying, you name it, I used it. And every time I fried something in the olive oil, my husband would ever so lovingly say to me, "You know, you're not supposed to use the fire alarm as a timer for when the food is done." (You can imagine the look I gave him!)

I just couldn't figure it out, why did my food smoke and burn so much? Then, one day, not so long ago, I saw an article stating that you should never cook at high temperatures with olive oil. I read on with horror as I saw that olive oil burns at a relatively low temperature and once it goes past that temperature, it turns into trans fats! So much for my "healthy" cooking :(

So then I was left with the question-- what do I cook with? Luckily Sarah shared with me that she cooks almost exclusively with coconut oil. I began using this and guess what? My fire alarm has stayed silent ever since!!

But as much as I enjoyed coconut oil (and no, it does not give your food a coconut taste), I wanted to know if I had any other options out there. Turns out I do! Here is a handy chart that shows you the abilities of each oil, and how to use it correctly. Don't set off your alarms like I did!

(http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/guides/tips_cooking_oils.html)

I should mention that if you heat your oil to the point of it smoking--known as the "Smoke point"--then you should discard it. Clean the pan and start over. The point where oil smokes signals that the oil has been damaged and cancer-causing agents have formed.

Another issue is to know which oils are often GMO (which means some of the oils in the list above are not recommended by the MRLs!). Soy, corn, and canola are the most common crops and all are used for oil sources. 90% of canola oils on the market are GMO. My coconut oil is USDA organic, as is my sesame oil. The avocado oil I use is not, however I have to hope it's because Avocados are on the "clean 15" list and as a result, can be made "cleaner" without the organic label. I use avocado oil sparingly, so I figure it's ok. I also use organic butter and mix it 50/50 with one of the above oils if I want my food to have a crispy finish. By combining butter with these high heat oils, it actually increases the smoke point of butter!

Another thing MRLs keep an eye on is oils high in polyunsaturated fats, which are not great for the body for a host of reasons (causing free radicals, inflammation, oxidation of cholesterol, hormone interruption, etc.). The list of these oils includes Grapeseed, Sunflower, Corn, Vegetable/Soybean, Cottonseed, and Canola oils.

So is olive oil not the amazing healthy oil it's touted to be? Not at all! It is great to use as a salad dressing, in sauces, for dipping bread, or in hummus!

Ultimately, make sure you're using the correct oil based on what you are cooking. If you are going to be using high heat, make sure your oil is compatible! ~Briana