What's the healthiest cooking oil? A comparison of cooking oils.

What is the healthiest cooking oil? The question sounds simple, but the answer depends on how the oil is used. The same oil may not necessarily be best for both a hot pan and a salad dressing. Therefore, the healthiest approach is not to choose just one oil for all uses, but to use different oils for their best applications.

Generally, a healthy cooking oil contains plenty of soft, or unsaturated, fat and little hard, or saturated, fat. The quality of fat also matters for cholesterol: when hard fat is replaced with soft fat, the quality of dietary fat improves, which can support the management of blood cholesterol levels.

In this article, we compare different cooking oils and explain when to choose rapeseed oil, olive oil, camelina oil, hemp oil, or some other oil. We particularly highlight camelina oil and hemp oil, as they are nutritionally interesting options, especially for cold use and finishing prepared dishes.

The healthiest cooking oil depends on its use

When choosing cooking oil, two things should be considered:

1. What is the oil used for?
   Is the oil for frying, baking, salads, porridge, smoothies, or drizzling over finished meals?

2. What is the fatty acid composition of the oil?
   Does the oil contain soft fats, omega-3 fatty acids, and little hard fat?

For example, rapeseed oil is an excellent all-purpose oil for cooking. Olive oil is well-suited for salads and Mediterranean dishes. Camelina oil is a strong choice when you want to add plant-based omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. Hemp oil, on the other hand, adds soft fats, a good fatty acid composition, and a nutty flavor to food.

So, a healthy kitchen doesn't need to have just one type of oil. Often, the best solution is to use a few different oils for different situations.

Comparison of cooking oils

Frying requires a different oil than cold use

When frying, oil is exposed to heat. Therefore, frying oil needs to withstand heat better than salad oil. A good rule of thumb is not to heat oil so much that it starts to smoke. When oil smokes, the flavor suffers, and the oil begins to break down.

Good options for everyday frying include:

• rapeseed oil

• canola oil

• olive oil

• avocado oil

• peanut oil

• refined sunflower oil

Rapeseed oil is often the best basic choice for many because it is neutral, affordable, readily available, and suitable for both frying and baking. Olive oil works well for mild to medium-heat cooking, especially if its flavor suits the dish. Avocado oil and peanut oil, on the other hand, are better for situations requiring higher frying temperatures.

However, camelina oil and hemp oil should not be chosen as primary frying oils. Their greatest value lies in their soft fatty acids, omega fatty acids, and flavor. Therefore, they are best used cold or drizzled over finished dishes.

Camelina oil – a strong recommendation as a source of omega-3

Camelina oil is an excellent choice when you want to add plant-based omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. Its fatty acid composition makes it an exceptionally interesting oil for cold use.

Camelina oil should be used, for example, in:

• salad dressings

• over porridge

• in smoothies

• mixed with yogurt or quark

• finishing soups

• drizzled over roasted root vegetables after baking

• over cooked fish, vegetables, or potatoes

• with bread, herbs, and salt

The taste of camelina oil is often slightly nutty, seedy, and grassy. It is not a completely neutral oil, but that is precisely why it can add character to food. It works particularly well in salads, vegetarian dishes, grain dishes, and for finishing meals.

If the question is "what is the healthiest cooking oil in terms of omega-3," camelina oil is a very strong contender. It doesn't need to be used in large quantities; even a small amount drizzled over a finished meal can improve the quality of dietary fat.

Hemp oil – a strong recommendation for cold dishes and dressings

Hemp oil is made from hemp seeds. Hemp oil for culinary use is not an intoxicating product; it is a vegetable oil intended for food consumption. Its strength lies in its soft fats and a good ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids.

Hemp oil is particularly well-suited for:

• salads

• cold dressings

• dips

• hummus

• smoothies

• finishing vegetable dishes

• on bread

• herb oils

• over finished soups and stews

The taste of hemp oil is nutty, slightly green, and full-bodied. It works well in dishes where the oil's own flavor is allowed to shine. For example, salads, roasted vegetables, potatoes, bread, vegetable spreads, and dips benefit from the flavor of hemp oil.

Hemp oil is a good choice when you want to add quality soft fats to your diet and at the same time vary from conventional oils. It should not be primarily used for frying; instead, it should be added to food only at the end.

Cooking oil and cholesterol – why fat quality matters?

When talking about the healthiest cooking oil, cholesterol is an important consideration. The quality of dietary fat affects blood cholesterol levels. In particular, a high intake of hard, or saturated, fat can raise harmful LDL cholesterol.

Soft vegetable oils are a good choice in this respect. When butter, coconut fat, fatty dairy products, or other products containing hard fat are replaced with vegetable oils containing soft fat, the quality of dietary fat improves.

This does not mean that oil should be used without limits. All oils are high in energy. The key is to use oils in moderation and choose oils for everyday use that have good fat quality.

From a cholesterol perspective, sensible choices include, for example:

• using rapeseed oil for frying instead of butter

• adding camelina oil to finished dishes as a source of omega-3

• using hemp oil in salads and dips

• reducing the daily use of coconut oil, butter, and other hard fats

Is coconut oil healthy?

Coconut oil has at times been popular as a health oil, but nutritionally, it is not the best everyday source of fat. The reason is its high amount of saturated fat. Although coconut oil can withstand heat and brings its own flavor to food, it should be used primarily occasionally for taste.

The same applies to butter. Butter suits some dishes for its taste, but if the goal is to improve the quality of dietary fat and support cholesterol levels, soft vegetable oils are a better daily choice.

Which oil should you choose for which use?

If you want to make a practical choice, you can think of oils like this:

For frying and cooking

Choose an oil that can withstand heating and whose flavor suits the dish.

Good options:

• rapeseed oil

• canola oil

• olive oil

• avocado oil

• peanut oil

For everyday cooking, rapeseed oil is often the best basic oil. Olive oil works well when its flavor suits the dish. Avocado oil is a good option for higher temperatures.

For salads and cold dressings

Choose an oil with good flavor and a high-quality fatty acid composition.

Excellent options:

• camelina oil

• hemp oil

• olive oil

• rapeseed oil

In this use, camelina oil and hemp oil really come into their own. They provide both nutritional value and flavor.

For finishing prepared dishes

Oil should be added to finished dishes only after cooking. This way, the oil's flavor and nutritional content are better preserved.

Recommended options:

• camelina oil

• hemp oil

• extra virgin olive oil

Camelina oil is particularly well-suited when you want to add plant-based omega-3. Hemp oil is suitable when you want a nutty flavor and high-quality soft fats.

What is the healthiest cooking oil overall?

If you have to choose one all-purpose oil for everyday use, rapeseed oil is an excellent and practical choice. It is suitable for frying, baking, salads, and cooking.

But if we look at oils for their best uses, camelina oil and hemp oil deserve a strong recommendation. They are not primarily frying oils but are best for cold use, in salads, dressings, smoothies, and for finishing prepared dishes.

Camelina oil, in particular, is an excellent choice from the perspective of omega-3 fatty acids. Hemp oil, on the other hand, is a good choice when you want soft fats, a balanced fatty acid composition, and a nutty flavor.

Summary: how to build a healthy oil selection

The healthiest solution is not to use the same oil for everything. A better approach is to choose oil according to its intended use.

A good oil selection for the home could be:

• Rapeseed oil for frying and general cooking

• Olive oil for salads and Mediterranean dishes

• Camelina oil as an omega-3-rich cold oil

• Hemp oil as a nutty and nutritious finishing oil

If the goal is to improve the quality of dietary fat, support cholesterol levels, and increase the intake of soft fats, camelina oil and hemp oil are excellent additions to the kitchen. They do not replace all cooking oils, but used correctly, they are very good choices.

The practical recommendation is clear:
use oils that withstand heat better for frying, but choose camelina oil and hemp oil for cold use, dressings, and drizzling over finished dishes. This way, you get the best of both flavor and nutritional benefits from the oils.