Even with a healthy lifestyle, you cannot avoid cooking with fats and oils from time to time. Fats and oils add moisture and flavor to foods, and they can take foods that taste okay and make them delicious. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends that adults consume 5 to 7 tsp. of healthy oil per day to get the fatty acids that your body cannot make on its own. Remember that cooking fats and oils are high in calories and fat. Different varieties contain varying amounts and types of fat, and some oils are healthier than others.
Butter
Butter is a cooking fat made from milk or cream that is used in frying, sauteing and baking. Butter is high in saturated fat, which makes it solid at room temperature. It adds good flavor to foods, but limit your consumption due to its high saturated fat content. 2 1/2 tsp. of butter contains 100 calories, all from fat. The USDA food pyramid counts solid fats such as butter as discretionary calories. Try limiting your butter intake by cooking with some healthier vegetable oils. Instead of butter on your toast, try a fruit spread or nut butter for some added nutrition and less saturated fat.
Shortening
Shortening is a solid cooking fat that you may use in baking and frying. It is formed when hydrogen is added to liquid vegetable oil to form a solid. The process of hydrogenating vegetable oil forms trans fats. These fats are dangerous for your heart and blood vessels. They increase your bad cholesterol levels while increasing your chances of becoming obese and developing heart disease. Just 1 tbsp. of shortening has 113 calories, all of which are fat calories. Limit your use of shortening as much as possible by substituting liquid oils for shortening when cooking.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a plant oil that is classified as a solid oil since it is high in saturated fat. Coconut oil is often reviled due to its extremely high saturated fat content. At 92 percent, coconut oil has more of this unhealthy fat than butter. However, scientists have concluded that saturated fat is less dangerous to your health than trans fats. The saturated fat in coconut oil comes from medium chain fats, which are easier to digest than the long chain fats in animal products. New research suggests that coconut oil may provide additional health benefits including weight loss and increasing HDL, or good cholesterol levels. Results have been conflicting so far, so more research is needed before coconut oil can be considered a healthy oil.
Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oils, including olive, canola, sunflower and safflower, are considered the healthiest oils to use for cooking. These oils are liquid at room temperature due to their higher levels of heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and low levels of saturated fats. These oils are also free of cholesterol since they are derived from plants. Vegetable oils do not last as long as partially hydrogenated oils, and you must use lower temperatures when cooking with them. Opt for these oils when cooking since they are also good sources of vitamin E. The monounsaturated fats that they contain may protect you from developing cardiovascular disease.
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