Choosing the Right Oil for Deep Frying: What You Need to Know

We all want to stay healthy and reduce our deep frying, but sometimes there's just no way around it. However, it's important to know that among all types of oils on the market, some are better suited for deep frying, while others should be avoided at all costs.

The main reason is that hot oil releases toxins and substances that aren't good for our health, so it's crucial to understand the risks before using one type of oil over another.

Let's talk about olive oil for a moment.

We all know its great benefits for skin, hair, and even digestion (a teaspoon of olive oil on an empty stomach can work wonders for chronic constipation), but what happens when we decide to fry with it? The catch is that while olive oil is great as is, it changes when heated or fried. When olive oil starts to burn, it releases free radicals and substances that can be very harmful to our health. Cold-pressed olive oil typically contains fatty acids that become free radicals and pose significant health risks when fried.

These free radicals are as they're named. Unrelated to anything specific, they have the freedom to cause serious damage, including associations with diseases, destruction of healthy cells, and sudden, premature aging of skin and body organs.

From this, we can conclude that not all oils are created equal when it comes to frying, which usually involves very high heat.

Every oil has something called a 'smoke point' - a specific temperature at which the oil starts to burn and smoke. When this happens, those free radicals and other harmful substances begin to form. Since deep frying reaches temperatures around 375°F, it's important to choose an oil that can withstand that heat without releasing harmful substances.

Is there such an oil? Absolutely, and some of you already use it regularly: canola oil.

The advantage of canola oil over olive oil is that its smoke point is 445°F compared to 375°F. Similarly, corn oil and sunflower oil are also suitable for this purpose.

Note: If you're health-conscious and usually opt for oils considered healthier, like peanut oil and avocado oil, they can also be appropriate for deep frying since their smoke points range from about 445°F to 518°F. The only downside is that they're much more expensive compared to canola oil.