What are common oils made up of?
All fats are a mix of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (though we usually categorize each by the fatty acid it has the most of). Odds are, you get mostly soybean oil in prepared foods (like salad dressings, mayonnaise, and margarine) and restaurant foods. So you’ll probably end up with a good mix of unsaturated fats if you use canola oil (and olive oil when you want its flavor) for cooking.
* Sunflower seeds are lower in monounsaturated fat and higher in linoleic acid than sunflower oil. The fats in almonds, walnuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, flaxseeds, and coconuts are similar to their oils.
Sources: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (Release 26), National Sunflower Association, Flax Council of Canada.
I wish the article and graphic had included grapeseed oil, which I use in small amounts for some cooking (not baking), and which I might need to reconsider. Can you do an article on grapeseed oil in the future?
This is a very useful chart. But where is fish oil? Has this most researched and recommended nutritional oil been omitted for some purpose, or by oversight?
From Nutrition Action Healthletter: The chart listed cooking oils. Fish oil isn’t used for cooking. Here’s more about the potential health benefits of the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil:
Fish Oil Benefits Beyond Blood Vessels? More studies need to be done
I don’t see grape seed oil on the list…I’ve been using it a lot lately and would like to know if it’s a good oil to use…Thanks.
Would like to see the nutritional profile for rice bran oil.
Why is there a different profile for sunflower oil vs sunflowers?
The say that the canola oil is unhealthy because it’s made form the colza seed? It’s not better de sunflower oil?
Understand the best oil of all is Macadamia nut oil. Can someone confirm?