Oils beneficial to human health

When it comes to healthy cooking oils, it can seem like there are endless choices. Choosing an oil that is healthy for you and suitable for cooking can be a daunting task among the many options. With so many factors to consider—from smoke point to flavor to nutrient content—the choice isn't easy.

So which oils are good for humans, which ones are best to use in your kitchen in order to maintain and increase your health? Let's figure it out.

Healthy Cooking Oils: What to Look for

There are tons of different types of vegetable oil, each of which brings a distinct taste and unique set of benefits to both women and men. However, not all vegetable oils are created equal. There are many types of vegetable oils with different properties and benefits. These are all things to consider the next time you go shopping.

First of all, it is important to keep in mind the smoke points of cooking oil, depending on what cooking method you plan to use. Vegetable oils with low smoke points can oxidize and break down when exposed to high heat, resulting in the formation of harmful, disease-causing free radicals. So when your recipe calls for frying, it's best to choose a vegetable oil with a high smoke point. At the same time, healthy cooking oils with low smoke points can be used to season cooked dishes or enhance the flavor of sauces and spreads.

Some cooking oils also have different scents that can change the taste of the final product. For example, walnut oil can add a little nuttiness to dishes, while sesame oil has an intense flavor that lends itself well to Asian cuisine.

We have prepared for you the best eight oils with the most beneficial properties for the body. You can use these oils both in cooking and in personal care. These are the most beneficial oils for humans.

Oils beneficial for humans

Top 8 healthiest oils

Avocado oil

Reason: Avocado oil is great because it's rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and has one of the highest smoke points of all cooking oils, making it one of the most versatile and easy to use.
Smoke point: 271 degrees Celsius
Benefits: Avocado oil contains oleic acid, a type of monounsaturated fatty acid that has incredible health benefits, and also contains lutein, a type of antioxidant that can help maintain vision and eye health. Not only this, but other promising studies show that compounds extracted from avocados may reduce joint pain and stiffness in people with osteoarthritis ().
Best Uses: You can use avocado oil for cooking or baking in almost any recipe thanks to its high smoke point and mild flavor. Additionally, it can also be drizzled onto salads, smoothies, sauces and spreads to boost the heart-healthy fat content.

La Tourangelle, Avocado Oil, 16.9 fl. ounces (500 ml)

2. Ghee or Ghee

Reason: Oils beneficial to humans include more than just plant species. Ghee is beneficial because the milk solids and water in this type of butter have been removed, creating a final product that contains a higher concentration of fat than regular butter. It is rich in saturated fat, has a high smoke point and can be used in a variety of dishes and recipes.
Smoke point: 252 degrees Celsius
Benefits: Compared to other cooking oils such as soybean oil, heating ghee produces lesser amounts of toxic carcinogenic compounds such as acrylamide. It has been shown in animal models to increase levels of “good” HDL cholesterol and protect against the formation of breast cancer cells.
Best Uses: Ghee works well for stir-frying vegetables, as well as for cooking cereals, meats, or baked goods. You can use Ghee just like butter in any cooking or baking recipe to get additional benefits.

Pure Indian Foods, Ghee, 100% Organic Grassfed Buffalo, 15 oz (425 g)

3. Coconut oil

Reason: Coconut oil is an excellent source of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are a type of saturated fatty acid that has health benefits and medicinal properties.
Smoke point: 176 degrees Celsius
Benefits: MCTs found in coconut oil are metabolized differently than other types of fat and are sent directly to the liver, where they can be used as fuel or converted into ketones. The MCTs in coconut oil have been shown to boost metabolism, reduce food intake, and even improve brain function.
Best Uses: There are many ways to use coconut oil for cooking, and it can easily replace other oils using a 1:1 ratio in most recipes. You can also add a scoop to your morning coffee or smoothie, or even add it to your skincare routine as a dual-purpose lip balm, moisturizer, and makeup remover.

California Gold Nutrition, Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil, Superfood, Cold Pressed, Unrefined, 16 fl. oz. (473 ml)

4. Grapeseed oil

Reason: Grapeseed oil is a good source of polyunsaturated fat and vitamin E.
Smoke point: 215 degrees Celsius
Benefits: Grapeseed oil contains high amounts of vitamin E, which is an essential nutrient when it comes to skin health, immune function, and preventing oxidative cell damage (). One tablespoon of grapeseed oil can pack approximately 19% of your daily value, making it a great way to meet your daily needs.
Best Uses: Grapeseed oil should not be used for high temperature frying as it is high in polyunsaturated fats which can react with oxygen to produce harmful free radicals. Instead of using grapeseed oil for high-heat cooking, try blending it into salad dressings, sauces, or baked goods to maximize the health benefits.

La Tourangelle, Grapeseed Oil, 16.9 fl. ounces (500 ml)

5. Extra virgin olive oil

Reason: Oils beneficial to humans often include olive oil. And for good reason. It is considered the healthiest and best oil for cooking. Olive oil, a staple of the Mediterranean diet, is packed with antioxidants and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats that make it a staple in any nutritious diet.
Smoke point: 207 degrees Celsius
Benefits: Research shows that adding olive oil to your diet may reduce inflammation, improve blood sugar levels, and reduce some risk factors for heart disease (). Be sure to choose extra virgin olive oil whenever possible as the best olive oil for cooking. And check the ingredient label carefully to make sure you're getting the highest quality product.
Best Uses: Use olive oil drizzled over cooked foods such as cooked vegetables, grain dishes or salads.

Walnut oil

Reason: High in omega-3 fatty acids and packed with powerful health benefits. Walnut oil can add a delicious nutty flavor to your favorite recipes.
Smoke point: 160 degrees Celsius
Benefits: Walnut oil is rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 fatty acid that may improve heart health and reduce inflammation (). Omega-3 fatty acids, found in foods like walnut oil, also support brain function and promote proper growth and development ().
Best Uses: Take advantage of walnut oil's unique flavor by drizzling it over roasted fruits, vegetables, potatoes, or poultry. You can also add it to pasta or cooked meat or seafood dishes.

La Tourangelle, Nut Butter, 16.9 fl. ounces (500 ml)

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7. Sesame oil

Reason: Extracted from the super-nutritious sesame seeds, sesame oil is full of flavor and contains a good mix of both mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Smoke point: 210 degrees Celsius
Benefits: Sesame oil not only has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits, but can also help lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol to keep your arteries clear and reduce your risk of heart disease (). It may also help relieve constipation and improve bowel movements.
Best Ways to Use: When it comes to sesame oil for cooking, you should use it as a finishing oil and drizzle on top of finished dishes for added flavor. It can be used in a variety of recipes, but is especially good in meat, poultry, noodle and rice dishes.

La Tourangelle, Sesame Oil, Toasted, 16.9 fl oz (500 ml)

8. Red palm oil

Reason: palm oil is one of the oils that is beneficial for humans. With its heat stability and high smoke point, red palm oil is definitely a contender for the healthiest oil. Not only is it high in antioxidants, but it is also an excellent source of beta-carotene and can help boost vitamin A.
Smoke point: 232 degrees Celsius
Benefits: Research shows that palm oil can both lower cholesterol and lower triglyceride levels, helping the heart function efficiently (). Animal models have also found that compounds in red palm oil may improve brain function and improve skin health ().
Best Uses: Due to the many ethical and environmental concerns associated with palm oil, only choose products that are RSPO certified. And since it is very stable and has a high smoke point, you can easily use palm oil for baking and frying instead of vegetable oil.

Nutiva, Organic Red Palm Oil, Unrefined, 15 fl oz (444 ml)

Sesame

The benefits of tiny sesame seeds have been appreciated since ancient times. Not only for its taste, but also for its health-promoting properties, which the plant owes, in particular, to its high content of calcium, magnesium and easily digestible protein.

The most valuable and healthiest vegetable oil from sesame is considered to be the product obtained by cold pressing the seeds. It not only lowers blood pressure, but also slows down the aging process, has warming properties, and has a beneficial effect on the condition of bones and joints.

Sesame vegetable oil with a specific taste and intense brown color is highly valued in Asian cuisine. It enhances the quality of soups, salads, sauces, marinades and meat dishes. But it should not be exposed to high temperatures, so frying it in sesame oil is not recommended.

Oils to Avoid, Especially When Cooking

With so many types of cooking oils, it can be difficult to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy cooking oils.

Avoid highly refined vegetable oils such as corn, canola, soybean and safflower. Not only do they often contain high levels of inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids, but they do not contain heart-healthy omega-3s. Many of them often come from genetically modified crops, which can be harmful to your health. Because they also undergo extensive processing, they may be more susceptible to oxidation and breakdown, which can lead to the accumulation of disease-causing free radicals.

Also, avoid cooking oil brands that use hydrogenated fats such as margarine or vegetable oil. These ingredients are high in trans fats, which can increase the risk of heart disease and other health problems.

Finally, be careful when cooking with essential oils. While some essential oils can be used as healthy cooking oils in cooking, they tend to be very fragile, meaning they oxidize quickly when exposed to high heat. Use these cooking oils only for prepared foods to preserve the benefits and fight free radicals. And remember that not all essential oils can be used internally.

Story:

Sunflower was brought to Russia from Holland during the time of Peter the Great - then the flower was grown exclusively in gardens for beauty. And for almost a century no one even realized that oil could be obtained from the seeds of this unusual plant. Only in 1829, a serf peasant from the Voronezh province, Daniil Bokarev, decided to benefit from the “sun”: he collected the seeds and tried to extract oil from them. Four years later, the world's first oil mill was built in the village. The Church recognized sunflower oil as a lean product, which is how its second name appeared – vegetable oil. In those days, only unrefined sunflower oil was produced, and the technology for its production has not undergone major changes since then.

Ryzhikovoe

Contrary to the first impression, it is not related to popular mushrooms, but is related to rapeseed, since it is made from a plant called camelina or false flax.

The composition of fatty acids in camelina oil is better than in other popular products in this category. It contains up to 45% omega-3 fatty acids, which slow down cell aging, protect against cancer and heart attacks, and reduce triglyceride levels in the blood.

Camelina oil has a specific spicy taste, in which notes of onion and mustard are felt. It must be served cold: during heat treatment, its valuable properties are lost. Suitable mainly for salads, it is a tasty addition to cottage cheese, pasta, and porridge. Goes great with onions and garlic.

The answer to the question, which vegetable oil is the healthiest, the best, does not imply the only correct option. Each product is good in its own way from the point of view of both health properties and culinary advantages. Try and rate!