HIGH-HEAT COOKING (FRYING AND STIR-FRYING)
- Vegetable
- Canola
- Peanut
- Corn
- Cottonseed
*Never use a nonstick pan on a high heat setting. Instead, heat the pan over medium-high heat until it reaches proper temperature.
MEDIUM-HEAT COOKING (SAUTÉING)
- Light or Refined Olive Oil (Not Extra-Virgin)
- Coconut Oil
- Grape seed
- Safflower
- Sunflower
- Soybean
- Avocado
SALAD DRESSINGS & DIPS
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Flaxseed
- Walnut
- Pistachio
- Avocado
- Hemp Seed
- Sesame
CONSIDER THE TEMPERATURE
For your cooking needs, consider what temperature you will be using. To do this, you must understand the smoke point of different types of oils. What is a smoke point? The smoke point of oil is the temperature at which the oil begins to break down. Refer to the chart below on smoke points for commonly used oils:
The smoke points for different kinds of oil occur at different temperatures. As a general rule, vegetable oils can take more heat than animal products like butter, and light-colored (more highly refined) oils can take more heat than their darker counterparts.