Which ones to choose for a healthy and flavorful meal? Which ones to avoid? Which ones to use for frying and which ones for salad dressings? And what is the difference between refined and unrefined oil? With all these questions, deciding which oil to use for cooking can be extremely confusing. But with a bit of knowledge of the main characteristics of various oils you will find it much easier to make the best choice for you. And knowing a few tricks will also help you to cook not only healthy but also savory.

Diet, health or flavor?

Perhaps the first thing to understand is what all these choices of cooking oil are all about. The "best" choice of cooking oil will depend not only on the oil's characteristics, but also on the point of view that is most important to you. When choosing a cooking oil, some have in mind the fat budget, others the cholesterol level and others the food flavor.

You can take into consideration all these aspects, but some depend more on the type of cooking oil while others depend more on the amount of oil that you use for cooking and on the cooking style. Having diet in mind, the sad truth is that all oils are pretty much the same: 100% fat.
The good news is that a moderate amount of fat is actually recommended for a healthy life -- a small amount of fat helps regulate body functions and helps carry fat-soluble vitamins. So cooking oil is fine when used with moderation, although any type of cooking oil you choose will still be 100% fat.

The "light" label on some cooking oils does not refer to the amount of fat, but to the flavor. A "light" oil will have a lighter flavor, but the same amount of fat. Choose a light oil for preserving the original flavors and taste of the ingredients of your meal. Don't choose it for a less fat diet. If you are trying to reduce your fat intake, try instead to reduce the amount of oil that you use for cooking.

If all oils are 100% fat, are they just as bad to our health? No, absolutely not, because there are "good" fats and "bad" fats. The good ones are monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats while the bad ones are saturated and trans fats.

The good fats lower the level of total cholesterol and some even increase the level of the good cholesterol (i.e. HDL) while lowering the level of the bad cholesterol (i.e. LDL). The cooking oils that are low in bad fats include canola oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, flax seed oil, and corn oil. The cooking oils that are best avoided because of their high level of bad fats include coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil.

How about the flavor? Cooking oils range in flavor from neutral (they add no flavor to a dish) to very invasive (a strong flavor of their own). The canola oil is an example of neutral oil while olive oil has a strong flavor.
However, the exact flavor can vary with every batch of main ingredients, and thus not all olive oils will taste the same even if they are from the same producer. Neutral oils are best for cooking (the flavor goes away with the heat anyway) and for dishes where you want to preserve the original taste of the ingredients. Oils with strong flavors are best for sprinkling over the finished dish or for salads and dressings.

The more obscure types of cooking oils are the flavored oils. These are typically olive oils flavored with berries, nuts or citrus. The flavoring process is natural and thus the oil preserves its original qualities while it gains subtle hints more like the wine.

Any cooking oil (regardless of its basic ingredient) can be refined or unrefined, extra virgin, virgin or just plain, pure or blended.

Refined or unrefined refers to the way in which the oil is extracted from the basic ingredients. Refined oils are purified in various ways, including chemical processes to remove any toxic particles, suspended particles, most of the flavor, color and odor.
Unrefined oils are obtained only through traditional cold pressed method and afterwards just filtered to eliminate various suspended particles. There are two main effects of the refining of cooking oils: refined oils don't have any flavor and they have a higher smoke point. The smoke point is the temperature at which oil starts deteriorating and smoking when heated.

Thus, it is better to choose a refined oil for frying (where flavor of the oil is lost anyway) and, if possible, an unrefined oil for salads. Unrefined oil should never be used for frying, but it is still safe to use for simmering. However, unrefined oil is also more sensitive to storage conditions and thus it is better bought in small quantities and stored in cool, dry places. If stored improperly or for too long, unrefined oil is more likely to alter and become unusable.

The extra virgin oil is the oil obtained from the first cold press of the main ingredient. The virgin oil is obtained at the second press. Finally, the plain oil (the one which is labeled simply "olive oil" or "sesame oil") can be obtained in a variety of ways, including industrial process. Keeping in mind that the closer to nature, the healthier.

The best cooking oil would be the extra virgin followed by virgin oil. The main difference between the extra virgin and virgin types of oil is mainly of acidity level, thus of taste. The extra virgin oil also tends to have more anti-oxidants and is thus considered better for preventing cancer and heart diseases.

Tips for cooking with oil

1. Use flavorless oil for frying.

2. Use strongly flavored oil for dressings, marinades and dips.

3. Replace butter with oil whenever possible. Instead of putting butter on bread, try using a dip of olive oil.

4. Use a bit of oil on meats while grilling or roasting to keep the juices inside and to help brown.

5. Heat the oil before frying. The food will be less greasy as it will not soak excess oil.