Smoke Points
It was only up until recently did I begin to learn more about the smoke points of oils. Essentially what that means is that when an oil is heated to certain temperature, it begins to deteriorate, creating a bluish smoke, and loses its nutrtional value. At that point, not only does it negatively affect the taste of what you’re cooking, but it also could potentially negatively affect your health, too. The default oil of choice for a lot of people who are either on the Zone or Paleo tends to be Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO). The problem with that is EVOO is not terribly well suited for cooking above 320 degrees Farenheit, well below the typical temperatures you’d see cooking on a stove or oven.
Most grocery stores have an abundance of oils readily available, and some of the higher end stores like Whole Foods have some more specialty oils that are seen on this list, but rarely anywhere else. I’m not one that finds any oil other than sesame oil (with a smoke point of 410 degrees Farenheit!) really affects the taste of my food, so the next time I run out, I’m likely to go out and purchase some Avocado Oil. At a smoke point of a whopping 520 degrees Farenheit, it sits at the top of the list of least likely to break down, carries a very light flavor, remains a monounsaturated oil, and sure beats using Baby Oil for cooking.
I took this list of smoke points from What’s Cooking America and formatted it for you below:
| Oil Name | Description | Cooking Uses | Type | Smoke Point (degrees Farenheit) |
| Olive Oil (Extra Virgin) | Oils vary in weight and may be pale yellow to deep green depending on fruit used and processing | cooking, salad dressings, saute, pan fry, sear, deep fry, stir fry, grill, broil, baking | Monounsaturated | 320°F |
| Butter | Whole butter is a mix of fats, milk solids, and moisture derived by churning cream until the oil | Baking, cooking | Saturated | 350°F |
| Coconut Oil | A heavy nearly colorless oil extracted from fresh coconuts | coatings, confectionary, shortening | Saturated | 350° |
| Shortening, Vegetable | Blended oil solidified using various processes, including whipping in air and hydrogenation. May have real or artificial butter flavor added | baking and frying | Saturated | 360°F |
| Lard | The white solid or semi-solid rendered fat of a hog. This was once the most popular cookingand baking fat, but has been replaced by vegetable shortenings | baking and frying | Saturated | 370°F |
| Butter (Ghee), clarified | Ghee has a higher smoke point than butter since clarification eliminates the milk solids (which burn at lower temps) | frying and sauteeing | Saturated | 375-485°F (depending on purity) |
| Macadamia Nut Oil | This oil is cold pressed from the decadent macadamia nut, extracting a light oil similar in quality to the finest extra virgin olive oil | Saute, pan fry, sear, deep fry, stir fry, grill, broil, baking | Monounsaturated | 390°F |
| Grapeseed Oil | Light, medium-yellow oil that is a by-product of wine making | excellent choice of cooking oil for sautéing or frying. Also used in salad dressings | Polyunsaturated | 392°F |
| Canola Oil (Rapeseed oil) | A light, golden-colored oil. | good all-purpose oil, used in salads and cooking | Monounsaturated | 400°F |
| Walnut Oil | Medium-yellow oil with a nutty flavor and aroma. More perishable than most other oils | fry, grill, and boil | Monounsaturated | 400°F |
| Sesame Oil | Comes in two types – a light, very mild Middle Eastern type and a darker Asian type pressed from toasted sesame seeds | cooking and salad dressings | Polyunsaturated | 410°F |
| Almond Oil | Has a subtle toasted almond aroma and flavor | used in sauté and stir fry of Oriental foods. | Monounsaturated | 420°F |
| Cottonseed Oil | Pale-yellow oil that is extracted from the seed of the cotton plant | margarine, salad dressings, shortening. Also used for frying | Polyunsaturated | 420°F |
| Olive Oil (Virgin) | Oils vary in weight and may be pale yellow to deep green depending on fruit used and processing | cooking, salad dressings, saute, pan fry, sear, deep fry, stir fry, grill, broil, baking | Monounsaturated | 420°F |
| Hazelnut Oil | The nuts are ground and roasted and then pressed in a hydraulic press to extract the delicate oil | salad dressings, marinades and baked goods | Monounsaturated | 430°F |
| Palm Oil | A yellowish-orange fatty oil obtained especially from the crushed nuts of an African palm | cooking and flavoring | Saturated | 446°F |
| Corn Oil | A mild, medium-yellow color refined oil. Made from the germ of the corn kernel | frying, salad dressings, and shortening | Polyunsaturated | 450°F |
| Peanut Oil | Pale yellow refined oil with a very subtle scent and flavor. Made from pressed steam-cooked peanuts. Used primarily in Asian cooking | frying, cooking, and salad dressings | Monounsaturated | 450°F |
| Safflower Oil | A golden color with a light texture. Made from the seeds of safflowers | margarine, mayonnaise, and salad dressings | Polyunsaturated | 450°F |
| Soybean Oil | A fairly heavy oil with a pronounced flavor and aroma | margarine, salad dressings, and shortening | Polyunsaturated | 450°F |
| Sunflower Oil | A light odorless and nearly flavorless oil pressed from sunflower seeds. Pale yellow | cooking, margarine, salad dressings, and shortening | Polyunsaturated | 450°F |
| Olive Oil (Pomace) | Oils vary in weight and may be pale yellow to deep green depending on fruit used and processing | cooking, salad dressings, saute, pan fry, sear, deep fry, stir fry, grill, broil, and baking | Monounsaturated | 460°F |
| Olive Oil (Extra Light) | Oils vary in weight and may be pale yellow to deep green depending on fruit used and processing | cooking, salad dressings, saute, pan fry, sear, deep fry, stir fry, grill, broil, and baking | Monounsaturated | 468°F |
| Rice Bran Oil | Rice bran oil is produced from the rice bran, which is removed from the grain of rice as it is processed | Frying, sauté, salad dressings, baking, and dipping oils | Monounsaturated | 490°F |
| Avocado Oil | Vibrant green in color with a has a soft nutty taste and a mild avocado aroma. This is a very healthy oil with a profile similar to olive oil. This oil can be used for very high temperature applications | stir-frying and searing | Monounsaturated | 520°F |
| Vegetable Oil | Made by blending several different refined oils. Designed to have a mild flavor and a high smoke point | cooking and salad dressings | Polyunsaturated | Depends on the blend of oil |
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