Made from animal fats, butter contains cholesterol and lots of saturated fat, like all fats that are solid at room temperature. Vegetable oil, on the other hand, contains no cholesterol. It does contain some saturated fats, but is primarily composed of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. On the whole, cooking with vegetable oil is better for your health than preparing food with butter.
However, vegetable oils vary in their ability to withstand cooking temperature. Consider temperature as well as flavor when deciding which oil to substitute for which cooking task.
Step 1
Substitute 3/4 cup of oil for 1 cup of butter in baking. Canola oil produces a moist crumb and a soft texture in muffins, cakes and quick breads. Other oil choices include safflower, sunflower, coconut, corn, olive or peanut oil.
Step 2
Make pie crusts with an oil pastry dough instead of using butter. Cooks.com uses 1/2 cup of oil to 2 cups of flour, along with 1/4 cup of skim milk and 1 tsp. of salt.
Step 3
Use equal amounts of oil for any butter called for in sauteing. Peanut oil has an especially high heat tolerance, with canola and sunflower oils coming in a close second and third.
Step 4
Drizzle olive oil or a nut oil instead of butter on roasted or steamed vegetables. Experiment with different types of olive oils to find one with the flavor intensity you prefer.
Step 5
Place several small bowls on your table with olive oil and a drizzle of vinegar for dipping bread into. Add additional ingredients to the bowl, too, such as salt and pepper or finely-chopped herbs.
Step 6
Brush olive oil with minced garlic onto French bread instead of using butter. Add chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese for a special treat.
Tips and Warnings
- Measurement substitutions for using oil instead of butter in baked goods include: 2/3 cup of oil for 3/4 cups of butter, 1/3 cup of oil for 1/2 cup of butter, 1/4 cup of oil for 1/3 cup of butter and 3 tbsp. of oil for 1/4 cup of butter. Extra-virgin olive oil has more monounsaturated fats and more health benefits than either virgin olive oil or pure olive oil.
- Olive oil, walnut oil and all cold-pressed oils have a low heat tolerance and are generally not good in high-temperature cooking. Some baked goods may have a greasy quality when you use certain oils. Experiment with reducing the amount of oil or the amount of other liquids in your recipe.
Things You'll Need
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Small bowls
- Pastry brush
References
- MayoClinic.com; Dietary Fats -- Know Which Types to Choose; Mayo Clinic staff; Feb. 2011
- Diabetes 1.org: Worlds of Healthy Flavors
- "The Visual Food Lover's Guide"; Editors of QA International; 2009
- Cooks.com: Lowfat Oil Pastry
- Talk About Curing Autism: GFCFSF Ingredients and Substitutions
Member Comments