The Right Oil for the Job

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Is it best to sauté with olive or canola oil? Stir-fry with peanut oil? To answer these and other nagging questions about cooking healthfully with fats, we consulted Joel M. Evans, a nutrition specialist who is founder and director of the Center for Women’s Health in Darien, Connecticut. His advice focuses on minimizing the production of free-radical molecules that have been implicated in many diseases. “There’s no question that heating fats generates free radicals,” says Evans. “What isn’t yet clear is how damaging that is to our health.” Still, he says, he prefers to play it safe.

• On simmer: Olive oil is the ideal choice for low-temperature sautéing because it’s relatively stable and high in antioxidants. But keep the temperature low. “If it’s hot enough to see steam coming off the oil, you know that free radicals are being generated,” says Evans.

• On high: Coconut oil, long shunned as an artery-clogger, is actually a healthy option for high-temperature cooking and frying since it doesn’t oxidize when heated. When shopping for coconut oil, check the label for three things: Make sure it’s organic, that it’s for dietary use only (oils for cosmetic use are also on the market), and that it doesn’t contain any chemical additives.

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