We get it – you want all of the tastiness that deep frying can offer, but you want to stay as healthy as possible in the process. If you think that whatever you put into your body has a profound impact on how you look and feel, then you’re correct!

Why risk clogging your arteries if you don’t have to? When you decide to start deep frying, you have several types of cooking oil to choose from. How are you supposed to know what oil is the healthiest choice?

What to Consider When Choosing Healthy Cooking Oil For Deep Frying

Two of the healthiest oils that you can use are sunflower and olive oil. These oils have a high flash point, and they contain healthy unsaturated fats. However, peanut, safflower and canola oil are great contenders.

First, you should consider the smoke point of the oil; it’s the temperature at which the oil begins to break down and produce unwanted compounds. Oil with a higher smoke point will allow you to safely cook at a higher temperature. Extra light olive and sunflower oil have the highest smoke points, which are followed by safflower, canola and peanut oil.

Avoiding Saturated Fats

Ever wondered what makes certain cooling oil unhealthy? The answer revolves around saturated fats. Tran’s fats and saturated fats raise your bad cholesterol, which isn’t good for your heart.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats actually improve your cholesterol, resulting in healthier eating. Many people will have you believe that home deep frying is very unhealthy, but it’s possible to eat your favorite deep fried foods while staying extra healthy.

Coconut Oil for the Win

The healthiest oil that you can use for deep frying your favorite treats is coconut oil. Numerous studies show coconut oil to remain strong after 8 hours of continuous frying at 365 degrees.

Over this period of time, the oil doesn’t deteriorate. Roughly 90 percent of the fats found in coconut oil are saturated, so it’s incredibly resistant to high heat. While it has been widely agreed upon that saturated fats are unhealthy, new research shows that they’re actually far healthier than was once thought.

There are also many health benefits associated with coconut oil; it’s been shown to help you lose belly fat while eliminating harmful viruses and bacteria. The only downside is that coconut oil can leave a potent smell or flavor, so you should be mindful of what foods you cook with it.

Other Healthy Choices

We understand that not everyone wants to use coconut oil because of its potent smell and flavor, so we’ve added some more of the healthiest cooking oils you can find. Groundnut oil contains many healthy fats, which includes polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. It also has a much longer shelf life than most other oils. It also has a high smoke point and doesn’t transfer or absorb flavors.

What about Sunflower Oil?

Another really healthy option is sunflower oil. However, you’ll want to buy the oleic variety because it’s better for deep frying. Oleic oil has a lot of monounsaturated fats and not much of the harmful stuff – trans-fat. It has a mild flavor and contains many antioxidants. It also has a lot of Vitamin E.

Conclusion

While olive oil is technically the healthiest cooking oil, it’s not suitable for deep frying because it has such a low flash point. The problem with vegetable oils is that they break down and become rancid very quickly when reheated and reused. Palm, peanut and avocado oil are also healthy choices cooking oils that you can use for deep frying.