What Is the Best Fat to Cook With?

If you're not sure which healthy fats to keep on hand, this helpful guide will make selection a snap.

By Anjula Razdan | Experience LifeNovember 7, 2016

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.”

Anjula Razdan Anjula Razdan is a Minneapolis-based health writer.

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