What To Do With Your Oils

Fats vs Oils

Fats and oils may sound a bit redundant but they are actually quite different. For the most part, fats like butter, margarine and animal fats are solid at room temperature. These fats are typically higher in saturated fatty acids.

Oils, on the other hand, are derived from fruits, vegetables and legumes and are usually liquid at room temperature. They are a combination of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids.

Below are a variety of ways to use your oils and some tips to make sure you are using the right one for the right job.

Dress it up

Olive oil is a common go-to for salad dressing but try branching out and using walnut oil, safflower oil, or sunflower oil to add another level of complexity to your greens. These oils work well in salads or cold dishes; however, they should not be used when cooking because they have a low smoke point.

An oil's smoke point refers to the temperature that will cause it to burn and smoke. It's important to cook with oils that have a high smoke point because this will guard your food from having a burnt flavor as well as destroying beneficial nutrients found in the oil.

Jack of all trades

Avocado oil has one of the highest smoke points of any oil and can be used to sauté, pan fry or marinate meats. It also does well in cold dishes such as salads or dressings. Much like olive oil or vegetable oil, avocado oil can be used on any occasion where healthy

fats are needed.

Mix it

You may have heard about the health benefits of flaxseeds. Flaxseed oil is made when the flax plant is pressed and the oils are extracted. Flaxseed oil offers many of the same benefits as flaxseeds and can be very heart healthy. Try mixing one tablespoon of flaxseed oil into smoothies, soups, juices or water.

GenoPalate Challenge

Choose one of your fats or oils you've never used and incorporate it into a dish this week.