oils

Not all oils are created equal, so when you cook, it helps to know what to reach for. The amount of antioxidants and healthy fats vary widely in different types of oils. So, too, do smoking points, which are important, since cooking at a high temperature with an oil that has a lower smoke point can produce free radicals and damage the oil's nutrients.

When shopping for cooking oil, read the labels carefully and choose oils that haven't been refined chemically — look for descriptions like cold-pressed, expeller-pressed, organic, or mechanically refined — to reap the most nutrition benefits from each type, and check the ingredients to avoid anything that is hydrogenated. Find your favorite cooking oil below to see if you are using it to your health benefit, and then check out our calorie breakdown of oils to see how they stack up calorically!

Canola oil: Canola oil comes from the canola plant, a variety of the rapeseed plant that was cultivated to produce rapeseed that is low in uric acid, which has a bitter taste and which some believe to be toxic in high quantities. Canola oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce the risk of heart disease. If you're worried about canola oil's controversial genetically modified history as well as types that may contain low levels of trans fats, look for canola oils that are labeled organic.
Use for: The light taste and high smoke point of canola oil make it a great all-around cooking oil.

Coconut oil: The health benefits of coconut oil are hotly debated; while some claim that there isn't a lot of research to prove that coconut oil's high saturated fat content is worth it, others look to studies that have found that virgin coconut oil raises good cholesterol and prevents tooth decay.
Use for: Coconut oil has a high smoking point, so use it when you are cooking at a high temperature. You can also substitute the oil for butter in many types of baked goods since it imparts a flaky, buttery-like consistency — just remember that coconut oil contains more calories than butter.

Olive oil: When it comes to oil, extra virgin olive oil packs a nutrient-rich punch. It contains high levels of vitamins A and E for healthy hair, skin, and eyes, as well as chlorophyll and magnesium. But what most people know about olive oil is that it's high in healthy fats called monounsaturated fats, which help lower bad cholesterol levels and your risk of heart disease.
Use for: Extra virgin olive oil, which comes from the first pressing of olives, is great for drizzling onto veggies or in salad dressings, but not so much for cooking at a high heat, since it has a low smoking point; use virgin (from subsequent pressings) for cooking things at high heat, or opt for another oil.

Read on for more health benefits of other cooking oils.

If you haven't tried beauty oils yet, get thee to your nearest cosmetics aisle. The benefits of oils are endless. Not only do they hydrate and add sheen to skin and hair, but they also create a natural protecting barrier. From your scalp to your heels, see the many reasons why you'll love beauty oils.

A small investment in a variety of oils will go a long way in your efficient and organized kitchen. I'll admit to being guilty of trying to use olive oil for most of my cooking, but the truth is, having the proper oils on hand is essential to versatile home cooking.

Keeping your pantry properly stocked will help you cook your favorite recipes and explore new cuisines more seamlessly. Here are the only four types of oil you'll ever need.

• Oil for high-heat cooking: Keep neutral flavored oils, like canola and peanut, on hand for high-heat cooking, like frying. Canola oil is also essential in many baked goods.
• Oil for medium-heat cooking: Olive oil (not extra-virgin) is a great option for everyday medium-heat cooking, such as sautéing. It imparts great flavor into the food but has a high enough smoke point to make it an effective cooking oil. Olive oil can also be used in baked goods.
• Finishing oil: Use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil to finish dishes and give a burst of fruity flavor. This is also best used in salad dressings.
• Exotic oil: If you like to cook meals from various cuisines around the world, it's handy to have a variety of unusual oils in your pantry. Walnut, sesame, hazelnut, and pumpkinseed oils are all unique and contribute strong flavors to dishes.

What oils do you keep in your pantry?

Often, cooking at home is healthier than dining out. But if you're not careful, cooking with too much oil can lead to a lot of added calories (more than 100 per tablespoon for many oils; read this for our full nutritional breakdown of different types of oils) and fat. While cooking with oils can be beneficial — many contain healthy monounsaturated fats that help lower your cholesterol — if you want to keep that calorie count down, here are some suggestions for how to cook with less oil.

Stick to recipe quantities. If you're following a healthy recipe with nutritional information, stick to the measurements laid out in the recipe. While you may think it's easy to eyeball oil quantities, you may not realize just how many tablespoons you're using if you don't use measuring spoons.

Use a nonstick pan. Searing meats and sauteing vegetables are easier to do sans too much oil if you have a good nonstick pan. Just make sure you don't heat your pan higher than 500 degrees Fahrenheit (leave it on low to medium-high heat) in order to prevent releasing toxic fumes from the nonstick coating.

Spray it on. For adding a finishing touch of oil to dishes, use an oil mister instead of a heavy-handed pour from the oil bottle.

Read on for more suggestions for cooking with less oil.

In an age when grocery shelves are stocked with everything from toasted sesame oil to coconut oil, here's a relative unknown that you may have never heard of: dendê oil.

This oil, which has a distinctive orangey-red color and a thick, somewhat opaque consistency, is a recurring ingredient in the cuisines of Southeast Asia, West Africa, and Bahia, a northeastern region in Brazil. There, the very rich, nutty flavor of dendê oil, or azeite de dendê, as Brazilians call it, is used to flavor fritters, sauces, and stews.

The ingredient is derived from the fleshy fruit pulp of the dendê palm tree and shouldn't be confused with palm kernel oil, which is extracted from the fruit's pit. Although it's high in saturated fat, dendê is prized for its antioxidants and fatty acids, and maintains a long shelf life. Have you ever cooked with red palm oil?

With so many products that promise to reduce skin's oil production, putting more oil on your face might seem like a crazy idea. But what sounds like lunacy can actually help your skin look and feel better — yes, even if you battle breakouts. This week, I'll share some of my favorite tips for incorporating oils into your skincare routine.

"But Bella, I already have oily skin," I hear you saying. "Why would I want to put more oil on it?" I know the concern; I've been there, too. Here's the thing, though: if you normally overload your skin with mattifying products made to reduce oil, your skin may think, "Oh, not enough oil! Time to crank up the production." Then you know what's next: mo' sebum, mo' problems. Using oils, on the other hand, can help regulate sebum production.

Over the next few days, I'll talk about cleansing and moisturizing with oils. Have questions or a topic you want me to look into? Leave a comment here.

Source: Flickr User Tétine