Is vegetable oil really unhealthy? I eat fried foods about 3 times a week because I prepare dinner for my family and I always have to fry onions or meat for the meal. Are there any types of oil that would be better to use? Or an alternative to fry vegetables like onions with?
thanks :)
I just had someone getting their masters in nutrition tell me canola oil was better than EVOO, which I've used for yrs, in everything and cooked with nothing else.
I use "smart balance" oil when not using extra virgin olive oil.
also, I use a little "Pam" to cut down on amount of oil needed, when cooking.
You should never have to use oil to fry red meat, as it generally has enough fat to cook on its own.
With chicken, I grill my chicken on a cast iron grill pan or I bake it.
For onions, I usually use some oil, but not a ton of it.
Oil is not unhealthy, the problem is that most people use way too much of it at a time, without realizing that the calories add up quickly.
I had been told cocounut oil was actually the best to fry and cook with, and since I don't like cocounut I figured great another thing I wouldn't like, but after using it, it's amazing the food really tastes good and I even fried my potatoes in this morning for breakfast and no one could tell the difference!!!!
A lot of times, you can use cooking spray instead of oil. I like the Pam that's flavored like Olive Oil.
Main reason it's considered unhealthy is the calories it packs-unless you live in a state of semi starvation those calories just get stored as fat. Carbohydrates, fats then proteins are the oder the body breaks down ones food reserves. If you eat enough carbs (sugars and starches) the fats get stored as fat instead of been used as fuel by the body.
Olive oil, sesame oil
you may be able to cook without oil. try it!
this site, world's healthiest foods, tells you how to saute and stir fry without oil, using chicken broth. click the link and then look for "healthy saute" and "healthy stir fry."
If you use a nonstick pan you don't have to add oil at all to 'fry' onions - just put them in the pan with a tiny bit of water or stock and cook them on a lower heat and it'll sweat the juices out of them and they'll end up just as good.
I never add oil to my frypan at all...
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