What is the best oil for cooking?
Oil is a product that is essential in any Spanish kitchen and is present in countless recipes and preparations, but, what is the best oil for cooking?
When we cook, we often don't pay much attention to cooking oil, and in many cases, we use the same oil regardless of whether we're frying, preparing a sauce, or dressing a salad. This is a mistake because, although it's true that all oils come from vegetable sources, not all oils are the same or behave the same way depending on how we use them.
As you may have noticed, there are different types of cooking oil, each with its own characteristics and properties, and it's important to know when to use one or the other depending on the preparation or dish you're making.
Therefore, at Olivarte, we're going to help you use the best oil for cooking by showing you the characteristics of each one. And if you have any doubts, use EVOO, because you won't go wrong with it.
Types of cooking oil: Which one to choose?
As we've mentioned, each edible oil has its own nutritional characteristics, both qualitatively and quantitatively, which will directly affect how to use it.
That said, let's review the different types of cooking oil and see which one is best for each cooking method.
EVOO, the best oil for cooking
In addition to being of the highest quality, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the best oil to use in cooking. Made without undergoing a refining process, it maintains the intense flavor of the olive, providing a delicious touch to any dish and, above all, it doesn't suffer when exposed to high temperatures.
Furthermore, it's not only the best edible oil, but EVOO is also the healthiest and most natural, characterized by being rich in healthy monounsaturated fats with antioxidant properties.
Due to its characteristics, EVOO is very versatile and can be used in the oven, on the stove, and even for frying, guaranteeing excellent results thanks to its high content of monounsaturated fats, which provide greater stability to heat, and it won't start burning until it reaches a temperature of 210ºC.
Now that you know which cooking oil is best, let's analyze the rest of the available options.
Virgin olive oil for cooking
After EVOO, virgin olive oil for cooking stands out as the next best option, offering a similar performance, although not reaching the excellence of extra virgin.
The main characteristic is that it contains a lower percentage of olive juice, resulting in a milder flavor.
An advantage is that it offers better performance when frying or sautéing, since being less natural, it has a higher smoke point at 240ºC, a temperature that is difficult to reach in conventional kitchens.
Sunflower oil
Sunflower oil is one of the most commonly used oils in Spanish kitchens, second only to olive oils, offering good performance.
It is an oil rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and linoleic acid and is an important source of vitamin E. It's also very versatile, being one of the best oils for frying all kinds of foods, although it can actually be used with all types of cooking techniques and even for dressing salads.
However, compared to EVOO, it has a very neutral flavor that is much less noticeable. Additionally, extra virgin olive oil mainly contains monounsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid, which offers significant cardiovascular benefits, while sunflower oil contains mainly polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can oxidize more easily and are less stable.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil has gained great prominence in cooking, offering good performance, although due to its high content of saturated fats, excessive consumption is not recommended.
If you do use it, the most advisable and highest quality is unrefined coconut oil, also known as "virgin" coconut oil, although it can start to burn from 170ºC, which is why it's not suitable for frying.
Avocado oil
After olive oils, avocado oil is one of the most notable for cooking, mainly because it's unrefined and has a very high smoke point, allowing it to be used for cooking all kinds of dishes. Additionally, it's rich in healthy monounsaturated fats.
Its main drawback is that it has a very mild flavor, which when mixed with other ingredients can go completely unnoticed. Although this can become an advantage if you're not looking to add any extra flavor to your dishes. It all depends on what you're cooking and your preferences.