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Any chef will tell you that no two cooking oils are the same. There are huge differences between them all, covering everything from flavour, texture, colour, price, and smoking points.
Each oil has its pros and cons, and certain oils go with certain cooking styles, meals, and traditional recipes. In this article, we’re going to talk about the various health benefits of some cooking oils, starting with our favourite, avocado oil.
Avocado oil
Where do you begin with our nation’s favourite fruit?
Avocados are crammed full of minerals and vitamins, one of the reasons they have been lauded for centuries for their health properties.
Avocado oil not only lowers bad cholesterol, but raises the good type of cholesterol. A diet high in monounsaturated fat enriched with avocado can have a range of health benefits, including helping people with diabetes regulate their insulin more effectively.
Avocados are also high in potassium, which helps with everything from lowering blood pressure to keeping your muscles and nerves working properly.
High levels of Vitamin E and other health benefits make this Extra Virgin oil both versatile and healthy
Avocado oil is ideal for higher temperature cooking with a smoke point of 255 degrees. Great for frying and roasting.
Olive oil
Olive oil has been used for thousands of years in the Mediterranean diet, and is a major contributor as to why peoples of the region live longer and have fewer health problems.
Being high in monounsaturated fats, olive oil helps lower cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart-attack or stroke.
Olives are packed with antioxidants, like Vitamin E. Antioxidants occur naturally and prevent or delay some types of cell damage by fighting off free radicals.
A healthy balance of antioxidants can help slow the aging process, reduce the risk of cancer, as well as vision loss due to cataracts and macular degeneration.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is considered by many experts to be a superfood. It’s been used by the cultures of South East Asia for thousands of years, both as a cooking ingredient and a medicine.
Coconut oil is mostly made up of lauric acid, a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT), which is considered one of the “good” types of cholesterol. Some studies have shown that MCTs can help burn calories, thus promoting weight loss. Because of this, coconut oil is used widely by body builders and endurance athletes.
Coconut oil is also great for your hair and skin, thanks again to the large lauric acid content. Because of protein’s low molecular weight and straight linear chain, it can get inside the hair shaft, reducing protein loss for both damaged and undamaged hair.
Peanut oil
The human brain is mostly made up of fatty acids, and we need plenty in our daily diet in order to keep performing tasks and think clearly. Out of all the cooking oils on this list, peanut oil has the highest monounsaturated fat content, at around half.
Being high in monounsaturated fats, peanut oil is considered a brain food, improving memory, mood and attention.
Unlike most other cooking oils, peanut oil contains no cholesterol at all, and due to its high rate of phytosterols, studies have shown it can lower cholesterol levels by 10-15%!
Sesame oil
Sesame oil is used for its potent flavour, rather than a cooking instrument.
Containing a high concentration of Vitamin E, sesame oil is great for your hair and skin, a fact known to many cultures throughout the ages.
Vitamin E also helps keep joints flexible, increases skin elasticity and smoothness, resulting in fewer wrinkles and a slowing of the aging process.
The Olivado health oil range
The good news is, all 5 of the oils mentioned above are part of the Olivado range!
Our world-renowned Extra Virgin Avocado oil is perfect for gentle heating in a frying pan as well as drizzling over salads and vegetables.
Our Extra Virgin Olive oil is extracted using our pioneering cold-pressed method, which allows us to retain the goodness from each olive.
Our coconut oil varieties are ideal for cooking, including our silky-smooth extra virgin coconut oil and our liquid coconut oil, which is unique in New Zealand.
Olivado’s Extra Virgin Peanut oil is perfect for Asian and Middle Eastern cooking, salads and sautéing, while our Extra Virgin Sesame Oil has a mild, nutty flavour, and is suitable for high heats.
Which of our healthy cooking oils is your personal favourite?
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If you have any questions about us or our delicious and healthy cooking oils, then please don’t hesitate to contact us today. Our friendly staff will be happy to help in any way they can.
