Which type of oil is suitable for high temperature?
- Karen Loh
- Mar 23
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 24
Does being called a good oil mean it is not suitable for cooking and can only be used as dressing on salads? That is not necessarily the case.
Which type of oil is suitable for high temperature, but which is not?
This depends on the smoke point of the oil.
The smoke point of each oil is different, mainly affected by the type and proportion of fat it contains. For example, coconut oil and palm oil are edible oils rich in high saturated fatty acids, so they are suitable for high-temperature frying. Because the structure of saturated fatty acids is relatively stable and not easily oxidized.
The smoke point of olive oil is actually not low as well, it is not because of saturated fat but due to the higher content of Omega 9, type of monounsaturated fatty acid. However, cold-pressed virgin olive oil retains the most nutritional value. In order not to be destroyed in large quantities, we still recommend use in salad dressing or just quick stir-frying.
The main ones that are more suitable for salad dressing; are high in omega 3, such as flaxseed oil and perilla oil.
As for most common vegetable oils such as soybean oil, sunflower oil, and corn oil, they are all high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, so they are not suitable for deep frying, but only for stir-frying. Even blended oil (that is, oils with multiple oils added) is the same, and the proportion of oils needs to be considered.
Therefore, we always say that it is recommended to have more than one kind of cooking oil at home so that we can use them based on different cooking styles and obtain wider variety of nutrients.
Author: Karen Loh (Dietitian in Dietitian Mate Consultancy & AMODS)
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