How To Choose The Right Oil Based On Your Cooking? Nutritionist Weighs In

One of the most basic and essential cooking items in our kitchens is cooking oil. We use it for various purposes – from sauteing to frying – as it helps cook and adds depth to almost every food we eat. It also helps to absorb the flavours of food and enhance its overall taste. Today, if you enter a departmental store aisle, you will be presented with tons of options, all claiming to be healthy in their own way. There has been an ongoing debate regarding which kind of oil is actually healthier for cooking – cold-pressed or refined. Some people often end up making mistakes when it comes to picking cooking oil, which in turn, may affect their health. So, which oil to buy the next time you are grocery shopping? If you were wondering the same, then you have landed on the right page! Nutritionist Shalini Sudhakar (@consciouslivingwithshalini) shared a video on her Instagram handle answering this burning question. The next time you are shopping for cooking oil, you will know what to do.

Also Read: 5 Best Cooking Oils For Heart Health, According To Dr Shriram Nene

Photo Credit: iStock

Cold Pressed Oil vs. Refined: Which Is Better?

Nutritionist Shalini Sudhakar shares that when it comes to choosing cold pressed oil or refined, it depends on the purpose of your cooking. So, instead of choosing one blindly, follow these tips.

1. Daily Cooking

For daily cooking like sauteing and stir-frying, the nutritionist suggests choosing cold-pressed oils because they are better than refined oil. However, she suggests not using cold-pressed oils for deep frying. This is because the boiling point of cold-pressed oils is only 180° C. So, if you deep fry anything using cold-pressed oils, it will become unhealthy.

2. Deep Frying

If you want to shallow fry or deep fry, use refined oil, as per nutritionist Sudhakar. It might come as a surprise since many consider refined oils to be unhealthy. However, the boiling point of refined oils is very high and is therefore fit for deep frying and cooking at high temperatures. 

So, to determine which oil is safe and healthy depends upon the purpose of cooking and not on the choice of oil.

Watch the full video below:

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A post shared by Shalini Sudhakar (@consciouslivingwithshalini)

Is It Safe To Reuse Cooking Oil?

Now that you know which oil to use for what cooking purpose, you might be wondering if it is safe to reuse leftover oil for cooking. Well, it's a common question and you are not alone. As per health experts, it is best to discard the oil once used for frying. It should, in fact, not even be used for sauteing purposes. However, if you still want to reuse oil to avoid wastage, following these tips might reduce its negative impact on your body.

1. Discard After Two Uses

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recommends discarding cooking oil that has been used for frying more than twice. This is because it becomes unfit for consumption once the Total Polar Compounds exceed 25 per cent.

2. Cool Down And Filter

After using the cooking oil, let it cool down. Once it does, filter out any food particles before storing the oil in an airtight container. Make sure to remove all the particles from the oil, otherwise, it will turn rancid.

3. Consume Within A Month

After you have stored the oil in an airtight container, keep it in a cool, dry place. Make sure not to expose it to air, moisture and sunlight. Consume the oil within a month to ensure that it's fresh.

Also Read: How To Safely Dispose Of Cooking Oil After Frying? Viral Video Explains

Even though you can reuse oil, try to maintain a healthy lifestyle and use fresh cooking oil every time for cooking.