According to the book Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill by Udo Erasmus, the oils that are least damaged by high temperatures and oxygen include, in this order of preference:
- Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), but only in small quantities, such as less than 1 tablespoon
- Butter
- Tropical fats, such as coconut, palm and palm kernel oils
- High-oleic sunflower (not regular sunflower) oil
- High-oleic safflower (not regular safflower) oil
- Peanut oil
- Sesame oil
- Olive oil
Because temperatures for frying food are too high, “safe frying” is a contradiction in terms. When foods turn brown, that means they have been burned and the nutrients have been destroyed.
Most oils in bottles are unacceptable for frying, because they are too rich in essential fatty acids (EFAs), which our bodies cannot make and must come via our food intake; thus, they are essential. Frying turns EFAs into toxic products, which damage health. Saturated fatty acids are destroyed only minimally.
EFA-poor saturated fatty acid-rich fats are the least damaging frying fats, and include the tropical fats, cocoa butter and butter. EFA-poor tropical oils contain mostly saturated fatty acids and contain about 3% EFAs.
Sally Fallon, the author of Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats, says “it is a shame” that tropical oils — coconut, palm and palm kernel — are rarely used for cooking and baking.
Usually, tropical oils are hydrogenated and raise cholesterol levels. On the other hand, hydrogenated tropical oils have little left in them to be destroyed by light, air and heat during frying.
Monounsaturated, Polyunsaturated and Other Oils
According to Fallon, when deciding which types of oil should or should not be used for cooking purposes:
- Monounsaturated fatty acids do not go rancid easily and, hence, can be used in cooking. EFA-poor olive oil contains a high percentage (75%) of oleic acid and is ideal for cooking at moderate temperatures.
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids are liquid, even when refrigerated, go rancid easily, must be treated with care and must never be heated or used in cooking. She says one reason the polyunsaturates cause so many health problems is that they tend to become oxidized or rancid when subjected to heat, oxygen and moisture, as in cooking and processing.
Joseph Mercola, M.D., says polyunsaturated oils, such as corn, soy, safflower and canola, are considered the worst oils to cook with because of the trans-fatty acids introduced during the hydrogenation process, which results in increased dangers of chronic diseases such as breast cancer and heart disease.
The American Heart Association (AHA), however, suggests these recommendations when cooking with oils:
- Use liquid vegetable oils or nonfat cooking sprays whenver possible.
- Use the oils that are lowest in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol, such as canola, corn, olive, safflower, sesame, soybean and sunflower, but use them sparingly.
- Avoid the tropical oils, because they are high in saturated fats.
Refined peanut and avocado oils withstand heat relatively well, Erasmus says.
Alternatives to Cooking with Oils
Instead of frying foods, which adds unnecessary fat and calories, the AHA says to stir-fry, roast, grill, broil, bake, poach, sauté or steam food.
Also, boiling is less destructive of oils than frying because the temperature goes only to 212 F, a nondestructive temperature. Even the most sensitive, EFA-rich oils can be used in cooked grains and on steamed vegetables without deterioration.
Frying with EFA-Containing Oils
There are ways of frying with EFA-containing oils that are less damaging than common frying practices, but they require more care on our part than we ordinarily take in our frying operations:
- Traditional Chinese cooks first put water, not oil, in their wok. Water keeps the temperature down to 212 F.
- In European gourmet cooking, vegetables placed in the frying pan before oil is added protect the oil from overheating and oxidation. The food tastes less burned, retains more of its natural flavors and nutrients, and most importantly, supports our health better.
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