What is the best frying oil?
Those that have a high smoke point, are stable and do not react with oxygen when heated, are ideal
Edited and resized image by Edgar Castrejon is available on Unsplash
Frying is not the healthiest cooking method of all, especially when done on an industrial scale. But frying food at home once in a while doesn't have to be harmful. It largely depends on the type of oil used. That is why it is essential to know which oil is best for frying.
How does frying work?
Frying involves submerging a food in hot oil at an ideal temperature of about 176-190°C. When a food is submerged in an oil at that temperature, its surface cooks almost instantly and forms a kind of "seal" that prevents oil from penetrating.
At the same time, the moisture inside the food turns to steam, cooking the food from the inside. Steam also helps prevent oil from entering the food.
If the temperature is too low, the oil will penetrate leaving the food greasy. If the temperature is too high, it can dry out the food and oxidize the oil.
The stability of cooking oils is essential
Some oils can withstand much higher temperatures than others. Those that have a high smoke point, are stable and do not react with oxygen when heated are ideal.
The more saturated the fats in an oil, the more stable they are when heated. For this reason, oil that is more saturated and monounsaturated is best for frying.
But you must avoid frying with oil that contains large amounts of polyunsaturated fats. This type of fat is made up of two (or more) double bonds in its chemical structure. These double bonds tend to react with oxygen and form harmful compounds when exposed to high temperatures.
The best frying oil is coconut
Coconut oil is the best oil for frying. Studies have shown that even after eight hours of continuous frying at 180 °C, its quality does not deteriorate.
More than 90% of the fatty acids in coconut oil are saturated, which makes it very heat resistant.
Saturated fats used to be considered harmful, but studies show that they are a completely harmless energy source for humans (see studies here: 1, 2).
Furthermore, coconut oil has numerous health benefits. For example, it can help kill harmful bacteria and viruses, and it can even help you lose belly fat (see studies on this: 3, 4).
Keep in mind that some varieties can leave a coconut flavor or smell. So, if you don't want the taste of coconut, it's best to get a flavorless coconut oil (this information is found on the package label).
