The cooking oils that make you healthy - and those that don't

All food sources that we think of as "fats" are made up of fatty acids. These fatty acids have specific chemical shapes that affect both how the fat performs in cooking (or baking) and how the fat affects your health. These chemical shapes generally are classified as saturated, polyunsaturated or mono-unsaturated. All fats contain all three types but are classified by the type of fatty acid that makes up most of the fat. For example, since butter consists mostly of "saturated" fatty acids, it’s considered a "saturated fat."

Saturated Fats
Examples: butter, lard, shortening
How to spot them: They’re solid at room temperature.
Health notes: A diet high in saturated fat has been linked with elevated cholesterol levels and increased risk for heart disease, so it’s best to limit use of them.

Monounsaturated Fat
Examples: olive oil, rice bran oil, peanut oil
How to spot them: They’re liquid at room temperature but become semi-solid (or cloudy) in the refrigerator.
Health notes: When substituted for saturated fats, monounsaturated fats can help to improve blood cholesterol levels, thereby reducing risk for heart disease.

Polyunsaturated Fats
Examples: canola oil, sunflower oil, walnut oil
How to spot them: They’re always liquid—even if you put them in the fridge.
Health notes: When used in place of saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats can help to improve blood cholesterol levels, thereby reducing risk for heart disease. "Omega-6" and "omega-3" are other terms used to describe specific types of polyunsaturated oils. Although both omega-6 and omega-3 fats are essential for good health, omega-3s also have additional heart-health and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Cooking
When you’re cooking at a high heat, you want to use oils that are stable and don’t oxidise or go rancid easily. Saturated fats and monounsaturated fats are pretty resistant to heating, but oils that are high in polyunsaturated fats should be avoided for cooking.

BEST OILS FOR COOKING AS WELL AS HEALTH
1. Olive oil
2. Rice bran oil
3. Canola oil