To enjoy the healthiest results, choose organic, unrefined fats. Think about the flavor you want, and choose the appropriate fat for the cooking heat.
Experiment with our experts’ favorites, listed here by cooking-heat recommendations — or keep things simple and stick with extra-virgin olive oil, butter or ghee, and coconut oil.
FAT | COOKING HEAT |
FAT SOURCE |
PREDOMINANT FAT TYPE |
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS |
GOOD TO KNOW |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ghee | High | Animal dairy | Saturated | Keep in a cool, dark place |
Ghee is butter that has been clarified to remove the milk solids; it has a much higher smoke point than butter |
Coconut Oil | Medium-high | Fruit | Saturated | Keep in a cool, dark place | This is a great source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which have numerous health benefits. |
Butter | Medium | Animal dairy | Saturated | Keep in a cool, dark place, or refrigerate | Butter from grassfed cows delivers health-promoting fatty acids and other nutrients. |
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil |
Medium | Fruit | Monounsaturated | Refrigerate | Choose unfiltered oil: cloudiness indicates the presence of phytochemicals and other healthy compounds. |
Avocado Oil | Medium | Fruit | Monounsaturated | Refrigerate | This mild-flavored oil is high in antioxidant carotenoids including beta-carotene. |
Lard, Rendered Bacon Fat, Schmaltz |
Medium | Animal fat | Monounsaturated | Refrigerate | For the healthiest nutrient profile, choose organic, unprocessed lard from animals that had access to sunlight and forage. |
Sesame- Seed Oil | Low | Seed | Polyunsaturated | Refrigerate | While most polyunsaturated fats should not be heated, sesame-seed oil works well in low-heat cooking. |
Walnut Oil | None | Nut | Polyunsaturated | Refrigerate | Use in raw preparations, such as salad dressings, drizzles, and dips. |
Flaxseed Oil | None | Seed | Polyunsaturated | Refrigerate | This is one of the richest sources of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid. |
Hemp- Seed Oil | None | Seed | Polyunsaturated | Refrigerate | Nutty and herbal in flavor, this is interchangeable with flaxseed oil. |
This originally appeared in the November 2016 issue of Experience Life. To view the full version see “The Facts About Fat.”
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