Healthy Oils (The Other Healthy Oils)

By Hklbrries

Before you pull out the extra virgin olive oil again, consider using one of these other healthy oils to change things up a bit. It's not that we don't love olive oil—it's high in good-for-you fats and antioxidants—but these healthy alternatives are just as capable of boosting both your dinner and health. Check 'em out!

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Grapeseed: Grapeseed oil has a clean, light, neutral taste and can be used in almost any dish, hot or cold. It can withstand high heat, up to 485 F. You can store it for 3 months at room temperature (so long as it doesn't exceed 70 F) or longer in the fridge.

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Benefit: Grapeseed oil is rich in the antioxidant vitamin E, which is often in short supply in our diets.

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Walnut oil: Walnut oil is tasty in salad dressings and drizzled over prepared dishes, but it needs to be refrigerated and should not be used for cooking.

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Benefit: Because walnuts are one of the best sources of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, regular use of walnut oil could help reduce your risk of coronary heart disease.

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Coconut oil: Coconut oil is a vegan-friendly baking substitute for butter and good for low-heat cooking, up to 350 F. (It's solid at room temperature but liquefies with low heat.)

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Benefit: Coconut oil is about 90% saturated fat, but research suggests that it's metabolized in the body more like unsaturated oil, possibly because it comes from a plant rather than animal source.

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Refined Avocado oil: Avocado oil is a great option if you don't want to overpower a dish's other ingredients. It has a mild, nutty flavor and a high smoke point (520 F), making it good for stir-frying, sauteing, roasting, and even baking.

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Benefit: Like olive oil, avocado is high in mono-unsaturated fats that help lower "bad" LDL cholesterol and increase "good" HDL.

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Toasted Dark Sesame oil: Toasted dark sesame oil shines in vinaigrettes for noodles and green salads but shouldn't be heated, or it will produce a bitter flavor. Keep it refrigerated.

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Benefit: The sesame seeds that are used to create the oil form antioxidants during roasting, says Deborah Beauvais, RD, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Ingredients

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Details

Adapted from prevention.com

Preparation

Step 1

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