Types of cooking oil and their properties

In the gastronomic world, there are different fatty elements for cooking, but each option brings a unique and incomparable taste to the dish.

Vegetable oil is one of the most common fatty elements for cooking, it is extracted from the seeds and fruits of oil plants, and in the 2021-22 campaign. the volume of production exceeded 200 million metric tons worldwide, according to the Statistička statistika portal.

In the same time period oil palm trees had the largest volume of production and in NOWFor example, soybean oil is the most commonly consumed type.

Oil can be extracted from a variety of seeds and fruiteach has different fatty acids and in different proportions, factors that determine the properties of the final product.

Fatty acids determine the properties of the oil, if it is liquid or firm at room temperature, Taste and smellcharacteristics that, according to chef Alfredo Villalba, should be taken into account when cooking.

As there are several options, each has a smoke point (the temperature at which the oil starts to smoke), purpose and taste, so the expert listed some options.

– Corn oil: It does not contain sodium, has a smoke point of 230°C and is used for deep frying.

– Sunflower oil: It is used for deep frying and has a smoking temperature of 230°C.

– Coconut oil: It is solid at room temperature, has a smoke point of 450°F, and is a great choice for roasting and stir-frying vegetables.

– Sesame oil: Commonly used in Asian cuisine, it has a strong flavor and a smoke point of 170°C.

– Olive oil: This is the most common option and its different types (regular, virgin and extra virgin), can be used for braising, seasoning and cold, and also has a smoking point of 170 °C.

– Avocado oil: Ideal for deep frying, it has 70% unsaturated fat, smoke point of 260°C.