welcome to my ted talk on cooking oil 💁🏻‍♀️

Do you just use one type of oil for your cooking?

You shouldn't really be doing this, because different oils have different functions!

Here are a few common cooking oils that you can find in supermarkets, and what each of them are for.

1. RICE BRAN OIL

This is oil that's extracted from rice bran (ie: the hard outer brown layer of rice).

It has a mild flavour and high smoke point, and it's suitable for high-temperature cooking methods such as stir frying and deep frying. 

2. SUNFLOWER OIL

Like rice bran oil, sunflower oil has a high smoke point - so you can use it for stir frying and deep frying too.

Sunflower oil is said to be "healthy" because it contains a good amount of Vitamin E, but take this with a pinch of salt.

According to a BBC article (linked below), most of the sunflower oil that's sold in supermarkets shelves is refined and processed using chemicals. These typically don't retain their natural nutrients or enzymes.

BBC article: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/is-sunflower-oil-healthy

3. OLIVE OIL

If you're trying to eat clean, olive oil is a good oil to introduce to your diet!

There are several studies that show that olive oil boosts heart health, lowers your risk of stroke and reduces inflammation (amongs other things).

However, remember there's a difference between olive oil and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).

EVOO's smoke point is really low, so it should NOT be used for sauteeing, roasting, etc. Stick to regular olive oil for those applications.

For finishing off a salad or other cold applications, go with EVOO!

4. CANOLA OIL

Canola oil is generally considered a “healthy” oil because it is very low in saturated fat.

However, keep in mind that most canola crops are genetically modified to improve oil quality and increase plant tolerance to herbicides.

Are GMO foods bad? Not necessarily - it all depends on what you're comfortable with.

GMO foods have been approved for human consumption for decades, and there has not been any direct safety hazards reported from GMO use.

However, these are still somewhat controversial, and some folks prefer to eat non-GMO.

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-canola-oil-healthy

5. SESAME OIL

Sesame oil has a strong, nutty flavour, and it's typically used as a finishing oil.

You wouldn't want to saute your food in sesame oil or have it be a big component of your meal, because the flavour might be overpowering.*

*There are exceptions of course, such as dishes like 三杯鸡!

There are two types of sesame oil - the white vs black version.

The white version is milder in flavour, while the black version is nuttier and stronger.

What oil do you currently use at home? ☺️

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