People tout the many health benefits of using coconut oil. Some even suggest eating it as a super food. Others say you should swap it for your olive oil when cooking, or on salad. I tried cooking with coconut oil and noticed it changed the taste of my food. Coconut oil has a very distinct flavor and using it in my recipes changed the taste of my meal and not always for the better. Even in my super food coffee, I noticed a different taste when using coconut oil. This sparked me to start researching oils to see what other options were available to me.
Cold pressed olive oil is still a staple oil in my home, but no longer my first choice. In my personal opinion, the best choice for a healthy oil is avocado oil which is produced from the avocado fruit. This oil is made from the pulp surrounding the pit, not the seed. Avocado oil doesn’t have a strong flavoring that overpowers, or competes with the flavor of foods. It also has a high smoke point which makes it ideal for cooking.
When choosing an oil for cooking it is extremely important to learn about its smoke point. This is the temperature at which your oil begins to smoke in the pan. Healthy oils, like olive oil, can become unhealthy when they reach their smoke point because it begins to break down and nutrients are lost. Further, dangerous compounds can be created which are detrimental to your health. I always used olive oil in my cooking and had no idea about this! I no longer use olive oil for cooking and have replaced it with avocado oil. Unlike coconut oil, this oil does not overpower my food.
When using any oil for cooking, it is very important to consider the smoke point (the temperature at which the oil starts to be visibly smoking in the pan) of the oil. Even a healthy oil like benefit-rich olive oil becomes unhealthy when it reaches its smoke point. When an oil reaches its smoke point, the structure of the oil begins to break down, nutrients are lost, flavor is changed and most dangerously, compounds can be created that are damaging to your health. Avocado oil’s high smoke point make it a top choice for any frying, browning or sautéing recipes.
I use avocado oil on my salads, as well as cold pressed olive oil. I find the oil to be very versatile and it has become my go to oil for cooking. Further, there are said to be many health benefits to using it including improving heart health, lowering cholesterol, arthritis support and skin care. I buy my avocado oil online, but I have seen it available in Costco. I don’t like to purchase super large containers of oil as I prefer my oil to be fresh. I also don’t purchase oils in plastic containers ever!
Spend some time learning about the oils you use. I think you will be shocked by what you learn. I never knew there were so many different types of oils, or the dangers of using the wrong oil for cooking.
What type of oil are you using? Please share your experiences below.
Avocado Oil I Use:
Reclaiming My Health 
Love my avocado oil!
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