The healthiest oil for frying may surprise you

Fried foods aren’t exactly on any nutritionist’s list of healthiest foods. But sometimes, you just want something crunchy and delicious and maybe not from the fryer. Fortunately, by choosing the healthiest frying oils and using them correctly, you can make your chips, fritters, or fried fish with the best-for-you ingredients.

Spoiler alert: Olive oil is one of the healthiest oils for frying, but only if you use it correctly. And there are other great options like soybean oil and peanut oil.

So how do you make sure you’re using the healthiest oil possible when frying? Learn more about choosing the best oil for your next recipe with the help of Tami Best, MS, RDN, IFNCP, a functional and integrative dietitian at Top Nutrition Counseling.

Get your cooking temperature right

You may have heard that olive oil is not good for frying, but it all depends on how you use it. “The reality is that many people use frying oil incorrectly, allowing their frying oils to get too hot,” says Best. “Heating frying oil past its smoke point causes the oil to react with oxygen. When humans consume these foods that contain these oxidized oils, they are damaging their bodies at the cellular level.”

There are good reasons to avoid frying at temperatures below or above this 350 to 375 degree range. “Frying food at temperatures that are too low can allow oil to seep into the food, making the food greasy,” says Best. “Frying them at too high temperatures can dry out the product and expose you to oxidized fat particles that are harmful to your health.”

Note that many of the healthier cooking oils, including olive oil, have higher smoke points, olive oil is 410 degrees, so you’ll have some headroom before your oil becomes dangerous.

If you don’t have a food thermometer (a meat thermometer can work too!) to help you monitor the temperature, there are ways to tell if the oil is done. The best option is to stick the end of a wooden spoon or toothpick into the oil. If bubbles form around it, it should be in the zone. (If it really boils, it’s too hot and you’ll want to turn it down a bit before you start cooking.)

Understand the difference between polyunsaturated and monounsaturated oils (and saturated fats)

It’s all in the carbon bonds to explain the difference between polyunsaturated and monounsaturated oils. Polyunsaturated oils have multiple double carbon bonds, while monounsaturated oils have only one. And saturated fat has none.

Oils that have monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids are more stable when exposed to heat and less vulnerable to reacting with oxygen and creating that cell-damaging oxidation, Best says. Some studies have found that having more monounsaturated fat compared to saturated fat could lead to some health benefits, such as reduced insulin resistance.

Examples of monounsaturated oils include olive oil, avocado oil, and peanut oil.

That’s not to say that polyunsaturated oils like almond, walnut, flaxseed, and wheat germ aren’t healthy. “These oils can provide health benefits,” says Best. “It is recommended to use them after cooking for dressing or topping of vegetables.”

Don’t save your frying oil

If you’re frying a big batch of something and have a lot of oil left over, it can seem like a waste to get rid of it. But Best says it’s important not to reuse and reheat frying oil, as the oil can oxidize and cause cellular damage in the body, similar to what happens when you let oil heat beyond its smoke point. So go ahead and throw it away and use a fresh batch of oil for your next frying adventure.

Be careful with saturated fat

1. Butter or ghee made from organic, pasture-raised animals can be a very good choice for frying. Grain-fed animals produce foods that are higher in pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids, while pasture-raised animals produce butter and ghee that have higher levels of healthy fats and antioxidants. Butter and ghee are higher in saturated fat, as are coconut oil and palm oil.

The best cooking oils for frying

So what are the best cooking oils for frying? Best suggests olive, avocado, soybean, peanut and canola oils, all of which are high in monounsaturated fatty acids, making them more stable for frying.

Butter and ghee, which are both saturated fats, can also be used for frying, but with a few more caveats. Best suggests using butter or ghee from grass-fed, pasture-raised animals for higher levels of healthy fats. But they may be less heart-healthy than monounsaturated oils. “Research is mixed on whether saturated fat consumption has negative implications for cardiovascular health.”