We usually choose intuitively, but when cooking we still often wonder if we are using the “wrong” oil. However, each of them has its own advantages, as shown by the latest research.
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1. Olive oil: smoke point – a myth
The most common fear is this: extra virgin olive oil supposedly is not suitable for heating. In fact, the smoke point – the temperature at which oil begins to break down, smoke, and lose its beneficial properties – is not a fixed characteristic of a specific type of oil. It depends on quality, free fatty acid content, and natural accompanying substances. Even among extra virgin olive oils, this indicator can vary significantly.
Therefore, true heat resistance is determined by several factors together: fatty acid composition, free fatty acid content, and antioxidants.
Recent reviews even show that extra virgin olive oil, when frying or sautéing, is at least equivalent to refined vegetable oils in terms of oxidative stability, and in some cases even surpasses them. Therefore, the widely spread advice to “use olive oil only cold, and choose refined oil for frying” is overly simplified.
2. Rapeseed oil: an underrated everyday oil
Rapeseed oil contains a lot of monounsaturated fatty acids and a significant amount of alpha-linolenic acid – an omega-3 fatty acid. Moreover, it costs much less than some specialty oils.
The fact that rapeseed oil lacks prestigious origin or exclusive image makes it less visible in the media. However, from a culinary perspective, this is not a disadvantage – it is simply a reliable everyday oil.
3. Sunflower oil: the type matters
Here it is also worth looking more closely. Regular sunflower oil differs greatly from oil pressed from specially grown seeds rich in monounsaturated omega-9 oleic acid, known as “high-oleic” sunflower oil, which contains much more monounsaturated fatty acids and is therefore more heat resistant.
If you need oil for high temperatures, it is worth specifically looking for this type. The label “sunflower oil” alone tells too little.
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4. Coconut oil: much hype, little evidence
Coconut oil is often promoted for its medium-chain fatty acids, called MCTs. However, the supposed effects of pure MCT oils on metabolism cannot be directly transferred to coconut oil. Coconut oil is a mixture of various fatty acids, mostly lauric acid, whose metabolism in the body is not the same as classic MCTs.
One clear characteristic remains – a very high saturated fat content, exceeding 80%. This is more than in butter or pork fat. Therefore, organizations like the American Heart Association recommend prioritizing plant oils rich in unsaturated fats rather than coconut oil. Still, as often happens in nutrition research, this is not ironclad evidence but rather a precautionary recommendation.
As a flavoring ingredient in Asian or Caribbean cuisine dishes, coconut oil can certainly have its place.
What really matters
The idea that each temperature requires a separate oil is too narrow. Much more important are quality, taste, and purpose of use.
Extra virgin olive oil is suitable for aroma – both in cold and warm dishes. Rapeseed oil is a versatile everyday choice. Heat-resistant specialty oils, such as “high-oleic” sunflower oil, are useful when high temperatures are needed. Coconut oil is worth using purposefully when its characteristic flavor is desired.
If you choose oils according to this principle rather than myths, you will need far fewer bottles in your cupboard – and still make the right choice.
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