Understanding cooking fats and oils

Healthy choices

With so many cooking fats and oils on the market choosing which one to use can be difficult. Which ones are the healthiest for you when used in moderation?

• Choose liquid oils that are high in monounsaturated fat such as canola, olive and peanut oil.
• Choose soft (tub), liquid or spray margarines. Look for margarines that contain no trans fats. There are many at the grocery store.

Sources and types of fats

Knowing the source of cooking fats and oils is as important as knowing how they are made, or processed.

Saturated fats are found in animal products such as butter, cheese, whole milk, ice cream, and fatty meats. They are also found in some vegetable products such as coconut, palm and palm kernel oil. Saturated fats and trans fatty acids raise blood cholesterol more than anything else you eat. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature.

Trans fatty acids (trans fats) result from a chemical process known as hydrogenation. Trans fats can raise LDL cholesterol levels and add to heart disease. Shortening, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, and hydrogenated vegetable oils are examples of trans fats. Trans fats are often used in cooking in many restaurants and fast food chains. (Note: Trans fats occur naturally in some foods such as meat and milk.)

Monounsaturated fats usually come from seeds or nuts such as avocado, olive, peanut and rapeseed (canola) oils. Monounsaturated fat, in appropriate amounts, may reduce total cholesterol and LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol, the bad cholesterol. They are liquid at room temperature. Monounsaturated fats contain oleic acid, an essential fatty acid your body needs.

Polyunsaturated fats usually come from vegetables, seeds or nuts such as corn, safflower, sunflower, soybean, cottonseed and sesame seed oils. Polyunsaturated fats can help reduce blood cholesterol, if you use them in place of saturated fats. They are liquid at room temperature.

• Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats. They include flaxseed, flaxseed oil, soybean, soybean oil, canola oil, walnuts and fatty fish (such as salmon, mackerel, herring and trout). Omega-3 fatty avids help your heart by lowering your risk of rrythmias, your triglyceride levels and your blood pressure.

Comparing cooking fats and oils

Use the chart below to compare the amount of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat in 1 tablespoon of various fats and oils.

In general, the higher the monounsaturated fat and the lower the saturated fat content, the healthier the fat or oil will be.

Note: Numbers were rounded.