I (Margaret) get asked all the time about whether grape seed oil is safe for cooking. There’s lots of confusion and misinformation on the topic of fats generally, and cooking is no exception. Grapeseed oil is advertised as appropriate for high heat because of its high smoke point. But is it? Caroline Barringer NTP CHFS FES, owner of Immunitrition and lead instructor for the Nutritional Therapy Association gives a thoughtful answer here. This is an excerpt from her article “Cooking with Grape Seed Oil or Rice Bran Oil: Is it safe?”.
A professional chef recently contacted me with a question about the smoke points of oils, as well as the safety of cooking with rice bran oil and grape seed oils in particular. She explained to me that the smoke point of an oil or fat is considered important to culinary professionals because they want to be able to cook certain foods quickly at high temperatures without the food burning or having an “off” flavor, which is a strong indication that the oil has gone rancid. Oils with higher smoke points may be important to a modern chef, but what they fail to understand is that the smoke point of an oil or fat has nothing to do with its health benefits or its safety for cooking at higher temperatures. Fats and oils are made up of all fatty acid types (mono-unsaturated, poly-unsaturated, and saturated), so we must first investigate to see what the predominant type of fatty acid a specific oil or fat contains to determine whether or not it should be exposed to heat, oxygen, light, or moisture.
As a rule of thumb, if the predominant classification of an oil or fat is polyunsaturated, then we should never cook with it – regardless of its smoke point. Grapeseed oil is predominantly classified as a polyunsaturated fatty acid, and is thus highly reactive. Lipid (per)oxidation and free-radical production quickly take place when these types of fatty acids are exposed to any degree of heat – even very low heat. This is a big red flag for producing inflammation and irritation within our bodies.
Here are the fatty acid profiles for grape seed oil and rice bran oil.
| Grape Seed Oil | Rice Bran Oil | |
| 71% POLYunsaturated | 36% polyunsaturated | |
| 17% monounsaturated | 48% MONOunsaturated | |
| 12% saturated | 17% saturated | |
| (485º smoke point) | (490º smoke point) |
As you can see, grape seed oil is mostly a polyunsaturated fat and should never be exposed to any degree of heat. It should be stored in the refrigerator and used sparingly. Rice bran oil, on the other hand, is predominantly a monounsaturated fatty acid. It is a bit more stable than grape seed oil, and can be used for very low-heat applications, but rice bran oil still has a hefty polyunsaturated content (36%), so it’s best to store it in the fridge and use in moderate amounts. Rice bran oil’s 17% saturated fatty acid content protects the delicate polyunsaturated fatty acids when exposed to low-heat cooking. Rice bran oil shares a similar profile to sesame oil (43 poly, 42 mono, and 15 sat), so it’s best to follow the same rules for cooking with both rice bran and sesame oils, although sesame oil has a higher antioxidant profile for added protection. I always add a bit of a saturated fat to any monounsaturated fat I use for cooking a light stir-fry or low-simmer dish to protect the polyunsaturated content that particular fat may have.
For comparison, let’s take a look at the fatty acid profiles of other commonly used monounsaturated oils: avocado, macadamia nut, and olive oils.
| Avocado | Macadamia | Olive |
| 10% polyunsaturated | 10% polyunsaturated | 12% polyunsaturated |
| 70% monounsaturated | 78% monounsaturated | 75% monounsaturated |
| 20% saturated | 12% saturated | 13% saturated |
| (485º smoke point) | (490º smoke point) |
As you can clearly see, avocado and macadamia nut oils have a very similar profile with a substantial mono-unsaturated fatty acid content and a fairly low poly-unsaturated fatty acid content (especially macadamia oil), along with a fair amount of saturated fatty acid content to help protect the more delicate poly and mono fats when exposed to heat. Olive oil has the highest poly-unsaturated fatty acid content of this group, so it may be wise to store it in the refrigerator and then allow it to melt at room temperature for pouring over foods after cooking or to use with a very low heat setting for a short period of time. Peanut oil is another type of monounsaturated dominant oil, but it also has 34% poly fats in its profile, so very limited use, especially where heat exposure is involved, is advised.
Corn, safflower, sunflower, flax (linseed), walnut, hazelnut, hemp, pine nut, pumpkin, and wheat germ oils should only be used raw and in small amounts. Never cook with these nut and seed oils as they are polyunsaturated dominant. They are delicate and easily damaged by heat, light, oxygen, and moisture, so refrigeration in a tightly sealed, opaque bottle is a must. Look for cold-pressed, unrefined versions only.
Additionally, accessory oils such as cod liver, fish liver, borage, black currant oil, and evening primrose should NEVER be used for cooking. These therapeutic fatty acids are mostly found in nutritional supplements, but there are some free-flowing versions now available. If you plan on using a free-flowing version, keep it cold at all times, stored in an opaque bottle, and take it as a supplement – right off the spoon – as directed by your health care practitioner.
Cottonseed oil, canola oil, and any hydrogenated oils should always be avoided. These fats are anti-nutritive, denatured, highly processed, pesticide and solvent laden, rancid, and refined. Of course, we all now know about the dangers of trans fats so avoid all fats that have hydrogenation listed on the label. NO AMOUNT OF TRANS FATS is safe to consume.
For more on cooking with vegetable oils, check out these articles:
The Complete Guide to Fats and Oils – What to Cook With (or not), What to Avoid and Why
Why vegetable oil is NOT healthy
The real dangers of vegetable oils
And for all of you asking WHAT to cook with if not grapeseed or vegetable oils, here’s a great article on the 6 healthiest cooking oils.
So I have a question…my kids love homemade popcorn. What is the best type of oil to use to make popcorn on the stove?
Great question: I’d use ghee (clarified butter) because it can withstand high heat and it doesn’t affect the taste.
Great article, thank you! What about coconut oil or lard? Do you have any info on either of those?
Thanks for the response! I’ve always wondered what to use ghee for! And I love your blog. I’ve been following you for a few months now. Thanks for all your great tips and insights.
Any vegan options to cook with? Earth Balance or Coconut Oil? Or should I just water saute my food?
I only use Canola for baking and I’m not sure what to use as an alternative! Any advice helpful!
Unrefined coconut oil would be my top pick, for baking as well as sautéeing. I’d throw that Canola oil out. It’s highly refined and not a great oil even when used cold. There are lots of great nut and seed oils you can use cold for sauces (hemp, walnut, sesame, flax, pumpkin, etc)
I’ve read elsewhere that rice bran oil is highly stable against oxidation, and that this stability is relatively invariant with respect to temperature, i.e. it’s a good and safe choice for room temp storage and high temp cooking when a neutral flavor profile and high smoke point are desired. Presumably this is because of its high antioxidant concentration. Can you comment on this, and give references if you disagree?
Also, I’ve read conflicting information on whether the degree of oxidation of polyunsaturated oils even at high (frying) cooking temperatures is very significant with respect to health effects. Can you share any references supporting the claims that this has negative health effects?
Josh, temperature is an extremely important aspect when considering fats because high temperatures increase oxidation – not only in fats, but in all foods. The best and most comprehensive resource on fats, their components, and proper uses is Dr. Mary Enig’s Know Your Fats: The complete primer for understanding the nutrition of fats, oils, and cholesterol. Dr. Enig is one of the world’s leading authorities on fats and has done an excellent and thorough job of explaining the topic. If this subject is of particular interest to you, I’d suggest starting there.
Thank you for clarifying this. I’ve been wondering about this, because I’ve been told by so many that the smoke point of Grapeseed is so much higher than olive oil, so it is safer for cooking. But, something seemed odd to me about that. Can you recommend the best choice for sauteeing garlic/onions in a tomato-based meal like chili or tomato sauce? Is ghee suitable for this? Also, can I substitute coconut oil for canola in all my baking? I want something suitable for baked goods that won’t severely alter the taste. Would you recommend a 1:1 ratio if substituting with coconut oil?
Excellent article! Can you point me towards an actual brand of olive oil that has a 490° smoke point? I love the flavor of olive oil, but most tables put the numbers around 320 for extra virgin and 420 for virgin.
Thanks!
Hi Kerry, I’d not recommend heating olive oil to 490 degrees, because it’s high in polyunsaturates, and so still quite unstable, and not suitable for high heat. One of the key points Caroline is trying to make here is that smoke point is much less important than the stability of the fatty acid makeup of the fat/oil. I’d recommend sticking to cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil and using it either cold on food that you’ve already cooked, or on very low heat. Or, you could add it to some butter if using it at higher temperatures so you get the flavor, but the additional protection of the saturated fats in the butter.
I’m wondering (like the Michelle above),what kind of oil is best to cook with then? It’s so confusing! The oils I thought were better/best are all listed to be used best cold. I do cook/bake with coconut oil, but it can add flavor sometimes. Any suggestions?
Best oils for cooking are coconut, ghee, or good old-fashioned butter. Even lard works well as it’s very stable (but only use lard from pastured/healthy pigs). If you’re worrying about the added flavor of coconut oil, then try ghee (clarified butter – used often in Indian cuisine). It’s almost completely flavorless and does a great job.
I’ve recently taken to stir frying. I’m vegetarian (two years now), and always interested in optimal health. I try to eliminate as many toxins in my life as possible (cooking, cleaning, and hygiene), and concentrate on high anti-oxidant foods. What High-Heat oil (> 420 degrees?) would you recommend, when weighing all the risks vs. rewards? It seems my research has me leaning toward avocado, but I’ve also seem “claims” of macadamia having 400+ degree smoke point. Also, if you could rank your top 3 or 5 healthy high-heat oils (for ease of shopping), that would really help. I really appreciate the article, and the work you do. Thanks, so much.
Best high heat oils: coconut and ghee. I’d steer clear of avocado and macadamia.
Just watched Dr. OZ today and he said that cold-pressed Rice Bran Oil is best for cooking and
high in antioxidants! Completely opposite of what I am reading here! Those of us who just want a healthy alternative to cooking with lard and butter as you suggest….how can frying with lard be healthier than frying with olive oil. Heat points are not in everyone’s vocabulary! I never heard of ghee but have used coconut. So many opposing views on line; who do you believe. I am new to this site and was wondering where your expertise comes from. Very very frustrating.
Elaine, you’re right – there is so much confusing and contradictory information out there about fats and oils. The absolute best resource is from the world’s leading expert on the topic: Dr. Mary Enig. She wrote a book called “Know Your Fats” (I have it listed on my resources page if you want to check it out there). It is in my opinion the top resource on fats and explains the science extremely well. It’s very dense and a little scientific, but it certainly does clear through the clutter.
Also – you asked about lard/butter vs olive oil. Olive oil is less stable so it will go rancid with high heat, and rancid fat = very very very bad for your body. Lard and butter (ONLY if from healthy, pastured animals) are both very nutrient-dense and have been given a bad rap unnecessarily. They’re very stable and thus much better for cooking. Check out my post on this site about Saturated Fats for more info on that topic: https://www.eatnakedkitchen.com/cooknaked/2011/09/22/the-skinny-on-saturated-fat-six-important-roles-for-this-maligned-nutrient/
♓ĩ,
I’m asian n most of our dishes at home, do need low to high temperature oils. I’ve been changing from olive oil, grape seeds oil, coconut oil, then now rice brans. After reading abt arsenic in brown rice & rice brans . I’m back in search for suitable oils for frying. N I come to this site.
Can u help me what do mean by unrefined coconut oil? What brand , can u recommend. I live in Indonesia. Thx.
To Lanny:
You can use various cold-pressed coconut oils, but these have a strong flavour. The best thing to use is fractionated coconut oil. It has a high smoke point, is very heat stable, has the longest shelf life (over 3 years or indefinite) of any organic oil (doesn’t go rancid), no flavour or odour.
Coconut oil has mostly medium-chain but also some long chain fatty acids, but fractionation separates out the medium chain. These are easily absorbed by your body. Coconut oil reduces Alzheimers risk, improves good cholesterol, and doesn’t take much bile to be digested unlike other fats.
It isn’t sold conventionally in shops, so google fractionated coconut oil and you should get various online suppliers. Cosmetic and soap supply places sell it to massage therapists. It is a very light oil so doesn’t stain sheets so masseuses like it.
Extra virgin (cold pressed) olive oil is okay I think for frying at low temps and then discarding.
Also, don’t use cheap coconut oils. Years back we used some hydrogenated stuff, this isn’t good for your health and also stung the mouth a bit, because it had burnt sediment at the bottom. Organic shops sell better stuff, but probably not as cheap as cosmetic supply places. Fractionated coconut oil is about 4X expensive as extra virgin olive oil.
My daughter is allergic to dairy so we cannot use butter and I don’t like the strong taste of coconut oil. What oil should I use for baking and cooking?…especially on high heat?
Hi Ellie – I’d recommend one of a few things: Not all coconut oils have as strong a taste. They vary from brand to brand, so you could experiment a little and find the brand with the least flavor. If your daughter is allergic to the dairy proteins, you could try ghee – clarified butter. It is only the butter oil, not the proteins. It depends on how severe her allergies are. Some people with dairy allergies can still tolerate ghee just fine. Lastly, you can try lard from pastured pigs. It’s actually mostly monounsaturated (same as olive oil) with some poly- and some saturated fats. It’s very stable at high temperatures.
Once in awhile I need to deep fry and wanted to know what oil can be used besides coconut oil?
Best for this is actually beef tallow from grass-fed beef, or lard from pastured pork. They’re the most stable.
Thanks for writing this blog. I am so confused now.
I thought cooking with coconut oil, ghee or butter was the most dangerous thing you could do.
We have been making curries with olive oil. I don’t know what temperature we cook at. Sometimes we bake fish marinated in that curry or pressure cook using that curry as a base. So now I am not sure what to do.
Hi Sophia,
There is SO much misinformation out there about fats. Butter, Coconut oil, and ghee are excellent (and very nutritious) fats for cooking at higher heats. Check out Dr. Mary Enig’s work – she’s a world expert on fats. I have clients add these good fats into their diets all the time and universally we see their health improved – both in how they feel, their weight (a loss even though they’re adding in fats), their energy levels, AND their bloodwork (cholesterol, glucose, and inflammation markers all coming down).
Great information. I’ve been wondering about rice bran oil and now I know.
My question: what can you tell me about the difference between common butter and ghee (clarified butter). I read up above that ghee is just the oils, none of the protein – which is interesting. I’d like to know more if you have any info.
Thanks.
Hi Afshin,
Yes, you’re absolutely correct – the ghee is the butter oil without the proteins (those little white bits that often burn when you heat butter). Removing the proteins that burn simply raises the heating temperature of the oil and also allows those who have sensitivities or allergies to the proteins in dairy to eat it. it’s used a lot in traditional East Indian cuisine. We use it often in our Naked Foods Cookbook, and we have a very easy recipe in there to make it yourself. ~Margaret
I am just wondering what I can do with all of my grape seed oil? I have been using it to bake, fry and flavor pastas and other dishes, all of which are heated. What are the dangers of heating this oil when using it to cook? I was turned onto this oil a couple years ago and I have quite a bit to use!
I’m a concious person and reading your article I learned about the different oils thanks. My question is what oil is the best to use for high heat or moderate heat cooking ? Keep up the good work.
you recommend cooking with lard,ghee,beef talon because they are stable when heated BUT I have read that we should not consume saturated oils because they are bad for health, especially bad for the heart.
@mint – great question. Saturated fats are actually NOT bad for the heart. it’s all about the quality. Here’s a post I wrote a while back on the topic: https://www.eatnakedkitchen.com/cooknaked/2011/09/22/the-skinny-on-saturated-fat-six-important-roles-for-this-maligned-nutrient/
This thread has been terrific. It does leave me wondering what we should be using in cold preparations, especially what to use to make mayonnaise. We find that olive oil imparts too strong a flavor. What is a good oil with low flavor for this purpose? We had been using grape seed oil but after reading this article rethinking that approach.
@Ken – grapeseed oil can be good used cold. It’s the heat that’s damaging, not the oil itself (as long as it’s not refined). We use an olive oil in our mayo recipe, but you’re right, it does impart a flavor that some don’t associate with mayo.
I’ve been using a lot of olive oil for everything and it seems to work fine. I can’t stand the taste of coconut oil, even refined ones (doesn’t digest well either nor does lard) and I’m allergic to dairy. Worse reactions I get with dairy believe it or not are to butter and ghee so watch out if you are allergic, you may still react even though it may have no detectable proteins. I’ve tried canola oil even after reading all that is so wrong with it (weston price and others) and I find it constipates me so I can’t use that. Fats are tough.
I agree with what Margaret’s saying, i have been using coconut oil & butter & olive oil for quite a while. My question is- what about using palm oil, I’ve heard this is a healthy option. Should be able to cook at high temperatures because its highly saturated & doesn’t flavour things at all (not red palm oil). But I can’t see it in the shops or health food shops. Also can you get sustainable palm oil?
What about using applesauce instead of oil for baking.
I read somewhere to replace canola or vegetable oil with applesauce say for instance in brownies.
Will this work? Will it work in all baking or just some? and regarding butter from healthy animals, how do you know? I guess the butter in the grocery store wouldn’t be good??
Oil in baked goods created moisture. The apple sauce will also create moisture but will also add an applesauce taste to your baked good. That can be fine for some things but not for others. I would choose wisely what baked goods you use applesauce in for that reason alone.
Butter that is from ‘pastured’ or grass-fed animals even if pasteurized will be better for you than butter from grain-fed cows. The best butter is raw butter, but that isn’t always the easiest to find. A grass-fed butter that is pasteurized but easy to find is Kerrygold butter. You can find it a Trader Joe’s and most grocery stores.
I would definitely lean towards not using vegetable oil or canola oils in anything. I vote for butter, ghee, lard or coconut oil when baking. THe fat will help you digest the grain.
Italians and Arabs have been cooking with olive oil for thousands of years–if you want to cook with olive oil, go for it. Try using common sense and moderation–and what I believe is equally important–eat food that makes you happy. By all means, if you want to spend your time analyzing the proportion of fatty acids and at which temperature point glycerol breaks down into acrolein and what affect that has on metabolism and adiposity, then I salute you. Meanwhile, I’ll be over here enjoying this delicious food that I cooked with olive oil that I didn’t store in the refrigerator, since that is probably the worst culinary advice I’ve seen in quite some time.
I’m sorry if I cause offense, but sometimes I think that these kinds of radical dietary schools of thought tend to the alarmist and sensational side, and cause certain types of people anxiety about their food to the point that they start questioning everything and forget that the health benefits of just relaxing and enjoying great food that may possibly fall on one side or the other of the “perfectly nutritional” dietary regimen can actually be far more beneficial.
No offense taken. No one recommends keeping your olive oil in the fridge though. That will solidify it. Other oils like sesame are best kept in the fridge if you don’t use them often. Oils will go rancid. That’s why many companies refine them or add vitamin E to the oil; for shelf-life and color. Most Italians (from Italy) will tell you that those yellow olive oils sold in markets are trash. Eating naked food isn’t radical. If anything, it is about getting back to basics; back to the way our ancestors ate. When we were staying with an Italian family in Tuscany, they poured their olive oil on the food once it was at the table, not while cooking it. They used butter while cooking it.
I completely agree with you about being too hyper aware of the food we eat. Stress is the number one killer and it far better to eat without stress no matter the type or quality of food. The problem is that people are getting sick and having health problems and don’t know where to turn when their doctor just wants to prescribe them pharmaceutical drugs. Many people feel stuck in their food choices. I believe this came about after the industrial revolution and the invent of processed foods. When you take something natural and identifiable and make it a product that is not found in nature, you create physical and mental confusion. Thus why advertising exists. To sell the public on the product and convince them to purchase it. If you truly want to go back to basics, then imagine a time when there was no olive oil. The “oil” or fat used was from a mammal.
OH dear! I’ve been using Canola oil forever thinking it was healthy! And I cook popcorn in Olive oil, thinking that was best. I knew nothing about dangers of heating oils, other than burning them. The only good decision I have made years ago was to return to butter and ditch the margarine. Now, I want to replace the canola oil, too! I read some articles praising grapeseed oil for baking. Are you telling me that is bad, as well? So, bottom line….the main uses for oils in my kitchen are: frying, cooking, baking, salad dressing, bread dipping. Oh oh, I make awesome pie crusts with …Crisco! Please clarify the confusion. Which oil should be used for each method? I’m guessing Coconut Oil will be one on that list. Can I find the right types at my neighborhood ‘W’-box store? Thank you for your help. I have read all the posts and I don’t want you to have to repeat yourself, but if you could clarify in one post it might help us all sort things out. Blessings! <
Okay, to summarize: Best oils for cooking and/or baking are unrefined, real (as in not manufactured) STABLE oils: Coconut oil, butter, ghee, lard, beef tallow. If they are from an animal, most important is that the animal was pastured (ie., healthy, ate its natural diet, etc). I would reserve any liquid oil for use after you’ve cooked something – use it in a sauce or drizzle it on directly after it’s been cooked. For the pie, use good old fashioned butter! Throw that Crisco out, girlfriend!! That’s some fully hydrogenated nastiness there. You *can* use olive oil or other monounsaturated oils (easy test: put it in the refrigerator – if it goes solid, it’s mostly monounsaturated and can withstand some minor heat, if it stays liquid then it shouldn’t be used for cooking AT ALL), but only on very low heat. The suggestion that italians use olive oil for cooking is actually not entirely true. We were in Italy last year and our host grew his own olives. We were treated to real, fresh-pressed (that day!) olive oil and asked him about whether he cooks with it. He looked at us at though we’d just asked him if he eats his own shoes. He said absolutely not! That would destroy the oil. They only use it (and liberally) on food after it’s been cooked already. We did just that, and wow…. some of the most delicious olive oil I’ve ever tasted!
Thank you for your many clarifications, excellent information. I am off to order my organic grass fed free range ghee right now!
I am so excited to find this article and read all of the great comments. I will be educating myself more and I think I am finally converted back to butter and lards for cooking. I will definately tree the ghee, as I am lactose intolerant. I have lots of healthy stores around me, so I won’t have a problem buying the healthy versions of these fats!
Hello Margaret and Chef James, I would like your thoughts on an issue I am dealing with regarding oil in the tapenade that my company makes. When producing tapenade in large quantities, and making it shelf stable, you have to heat it to around 180 degrees to create a seal on the jar and kill anything potentially dangerous. We use 80% evoo and 20% canola. I’ve never been a fan of canola, and have wanted to use something else for a while. And I thought the Grapeseed oil would be a good fit. But now I’m not sure. The reason we don’t use 100% EVOO is because it DOES congeal or harden in the fridge, and so it looks unappetizing and that hurts sales because many people don’t know why it looks so ugly and just throw it away.
I wanted to switch to using Grapeseed instead of Canola, but now I’m not sure. EVOO just tastes so much better than all the rest even heated to that lower degree. Should I use all EVOO, or can I use some Grapeseed as well without getting harmful effects? Your thoughts?
I just started roasting vegetables frequently in an effort to eat healthier. I’ve been tossing them with grapeseed oil, lemon juice, and minced garlic. Then I convection roast them on a sheet at 375 degrees for 35 minutes. What fat/oil should I use in place of the grapeseed oil that would still give it that tangy and rich Mediterranean flavor? Thanks!
I see above that you recommend coconut oil for cooking. However, unrefined cold-pressed, virgin coconut oil is the best to use and it can’t be heated above 350 degrees. I saw above that someone mentioned that they stir fry with coconut oil, but only refined coconut oil can withstand higher heats and isn’t it bad to use refined oils? I also saw someone recommend fractionate coconut oil. Isn’t that also refined and bad for use to ingest? I, like Randi above, am also wondering about which oil to use for roasting vegetables at 400 degrees, as I’m guessing butter and ghee are not suitable for such hight heat?? I roast butternut squash and other types of squash at high heat. Is that just bad to use such high heat? Or is there a healthy oil to use at 400 or 425 degrees? Thanks!
This is straight out of the paleo anti seed oil manifesto.
But can people stop referring to ghee as clarified butter and vice versa?
Clarified butter is the translucent golden butterfat left over after the milk solids and water are removed. Clarified butter and ghee are not the same. Ghee is clarified butter that has been cooked longer to remove all the moisture, and the milk solids are browned (caramelized) in the fat and then strained out.
What about palm oil? I recently bought a bottle but didn’t like it because it’s so greasy. It’s 45% saturated fat! Does this mean it’s safe to cook with?
So what type of fat would be best for seasoning my cast iron cookware? The manufacturer recommends “vegetable oil” but after reading this article, that seems like a bad idea.
Lacy We use coconut oil. It is the recommended oil for the Whirley Pop popcorn aker that we have. It tastes delicious.
So what oil is best for deep frying?
I like ghee, but lard is an extremely great deep frying oil. Not cheap though. That said, all deep frying, no matter what the oil isn’t going to be good for you.
Ellie, I am EXTREMELY allergic to dairy. There is a lot of confusion between lactose intolerant (missing the digestive enzymes) and allergy. If I eat dairy, I get purple welts on my neck and/or other parts of my body. Even from the lactose in a pill, which would seem inconsequential. I also have allergic reactions to lactose free dairy products, and the enzymes do nothing for me. I am, however, able to eat ghee. All of the impurities are removed from it.
I don’t use Grapeseed Oil for cooking but I do use it for baking because of its neutral flavor. Is it safe to bake with?
what about being massaged with grapeseed oil?
Mary Enig is a great resource and expert…BUT doesn’t mean she is always right. Here is something she said about GSO…”Also, grapeseed oil is industrially processed with hexane and other carcinogenic solvents, and traces will remain in the oil.”
NOT TRUE. There are manufacturers that still process the way they did centuries ago…via expellar pressed.
GSO has been around for centuries…without the chronic illness of modern day. It’s the processed (refined) foods so dominant in our food supply. GSO can be used in moderation. Our bodies DO NEED polyunsaturated fats to function. I know this topic covered “cooking”…but not many are ready to go to a raw food diet.
From reading the article there are no safe oils for frying, is that right? If no what oils would you recommended for frying?
Just to add to the “doubters” category………I just purchased a bottle of grapeseed oil made by Pompeian that states: 100% grapeseed oil, perfect for stir-frying, deep frying, sauteing and baking. I think I will go by that and phooey on these “internet experts”. Cheers and happy eating!!
Thanks for writing this post. I concur with everyone’s feedback: it is entirely too confusing to try and figure out which oil is appropriate for which use. I suffer from a chronic health condition and my rather brilliant doc. told me recently, “Do not cook with any liquid oil, I don’t care what it says on the label”. She suggested using coconut oil, butter or ghee only for roasting/frying/sauteeing.
Prior to hearing this, I had always heard to use grapeseed oil because of its high smoke point. However, then I read by a health-minded blogger that grapeseed oils can be problematic because they are rarely organic and since vineyards are treated with a fair amount of pesticides, she felt that they would concentrate in the seeds. Then you are pressing the seeds to extract the oil, if you follow her line of argument. I’m not trying to demonize yet another oil but it did make me rethink the use of grapeseed oil (prior to my doc’s prohibition of all liquid oils, of course). It’s a shame that we have to be so neurotic about something as seemingly benign as cooking oil, isn’t it? :0)
Cheers and thanks for raising awareness!
Nancy
Thank you Margaret for posting this interesting and informative article. I had a feeling I should avoid using olive oil for cooking because it would smell somewhat toxic when heated. I use extra-virgin oil for salads, cold dishes, and dips. I was considering switching to grape seed oil for cooking, but I felt doubtful. My research has brought me to your page, and I am thankful for that. I am always sharing info with my family and friends. It’s good to know that using plain and simple butter is one of the best choices. I always use organic, so that is a plus as well. I have a question about the coconut oil, should it be raw-virgin? Thank you.
I just wanted to say, that Dr. Mary Enig is a nutritionist and to me that means her research and opinions on the chemistry of oils and how they interact with our bodies is totally editorial . She has no direct qualifications to do any bio-chemical science analysis of her own, and is simply relying on cherry picked research that complies with her thesis. You are fooling yourself if you believe she is the ultimate credible source. In fact most of the information out there on cooking with oils is reiterated pseudo-science non-sense. Two years from now someone will be telling us that nose oil is the only way to go. If you simply use common sense for storing food, avoid eat highly processed foods, and consume everything else in moderation, you will live a long and healthy life.
I think it’s great information Margaret. Sorry Jonathon, just because one is a nutritionist doesn’t mean we cherry pick anything. It means we have studied things and learned from many different sources rather than merely believe what food manufacturers, pharma or anyone else tried to offload as ‘healthy’. Look at the problems across the world with obesity, heart disease and cancer…. which if everyone used common sense or trusted pharma, regular medicine etc we wouldn’t have those. Healthy living is not taught anymore from a young age like my mother used to say she was taught and look at the problems we arenow facing. Ignorance is a rather expensive problem, so let’s not all just stick our heads in the sand, we are responsible for our health.
As you can see, grape seed oil is mostly a poly fat and should never be exposed to any degree of heat.
can one explain this ???
though grape seed oil has among the highest smoking point ,after all !!!??
I keep a kosher kitchen so it makes it on the side of impossible to use ghee for cooking vegetable that are to be eaten with meats. lard is out of the question. most of my cooking involves making a mirepoix prior to adding other ingredients. what would be a great oil to use then. also no red meat or products made from red meat are eaten in our family , so no beef tallow. my last choice seems to be coconut oil which i i have tried without any success of decreasing its mild aroma that no one in our family is very keen to. what am i to do??
Mila – you could try rendered duck fat or chicken fat. That would keep it stable, avoid the pork issue, avoid the red meat issue, avoid the dairy issue, and avoid the aroma with coconut oil.
What a great blog! It was hard to take in though because I sell Wildtree. Wildtree sells grapeseed oil and sells it with the pitch that it’s the healthiest oil for any use in the kitchen. I love Wildtree and I love how it helps me educate others how to eat healthier. Just wish I didn’t have to exclude my sales of grapeseed oil for cooking. I’ll definitely be sure to highlight the healthy reasons to use it for cold use or after cooking.
Margarete, Palm Shortening has had the unsaturated fat removed, giving it the high melting point of 97°. What about palm shortening for high heat, such as deep frying, cooking? Is this the same as fractionated coconut oil?
HI there!
I recognize coconut oil being the best choice for cooking for a multitude of reasons, however i am curious if you have any other oils you recommend (vegetarian options)? Sometimes, I do not feel inclined to the flavor of cooking with coconut oil, and would like a safe alternative.
Thank you in advance,
C
How is “light” olive oil (NOT meaning lighter in calories) for cooking at higher temperatures? It has a higher smoking point, but I know that it also has been processed more. Is it a healthy oil for cooking at higher temperatures?
Wow, what a great article and the comments under are even more informative! I have to say this at first reading your article my heart sank, I just bought a bottle of grapeseed oil and thought, “oh great, I have to get rid of it now!” Reading further down in the comments where you state it’s okay to use in recipes that don’t require cooking, sigh, what a relief! I just made a week’s worth of mayo from it! I didn’t want to throw it out! Thank you and adding not to cook with the grapeseed oil to my mental Rolodex.
HI
Couple of years ago my Cholesterol was high, my GP recommended to use Grape Seed Oil for cooking, and I have been doing so ever since.
I do not use oil much oil, very rarely to fry. Can you recommend what else to use, considering that I am always at look out for my Cholestrol level?
thanks
Anousheh
i’m still confused 🙁 i have been changing oils and started using grape seed oil with the notion i am cooking using a ‘healthy’ oil. I do a lot of frying, deep frying. Indian/Asian Food requires a lot of high heat. I have little kids and am now soo confused. I cant use ghee for deep frying nor coconut oil as it will just alter the flavour .. Pls pls advise
what about un-hydrogenated organic canola oil? High monounsaturated, high smoking point.
@lina – even with high oleic acid content in canola oil, it’s not stable enough to be used for cooking in my opinion. mono-unsaturated fats are more stable, but should only be used on very low heat or after the food has been cooked.
Additionally Canola oil (Rapeseed oil) contains Erucic which is toxic to the central nervous system through a process of demyelination of the nerve sheath. Rapeseed oil should only be used for as a penetrating oil on machinery.
I decided to ditch butter and try to cook as healthy as possible. I went out and bought olive oil and canola oil– I cooked with both of these for awhile before finding out that neither are healthy when heated at high temperatures… I, too, am completely confused by all of this!! The one thing I do know is NOT to cook with grape seed oil. I am trying to find something safe to bake at high temperatures with. I have coconut oil, but I wasn’t aware of the “cold-pressed”, “refined”, etc you had to be aware of on the label. I’m to the point where I bake or boil EVERYTHING, then, after it has cooked, I put whatever oil I want on it.
I was using grapeseed oil in my cakes, what oil would you suggest? The cakes are cooked at 160 C, would grapeseed be safe at this temp?
Well written and informative, but it doesn’t mean much without (proper) references! It would be really great if you could please cite the references? It separates your work from all the opinion yammerings that one has to wade through to find “academic standard” information.
The only oil to throw out would be corn oil. The rest of the oils work in what are called *olive oil lamps* in a power outage. These are good for expired oil also but not corn due to its smell.
I understand this article was about grapeseed oil but I live in a country that really doesn’t have strict food safety inspection for restaurants so most use the cheapest oil available…so I’m curious what oil is best for high heat deep frying? I’ve always understood Peanut oil is highly used by US restaurants…so is this a wrong practice and fall under the category as the other nut based oils you refer too? Great informative article!
You’re right, Ray, most restaurants use the cheapest oil possible. The best for high heat would be the most stable: coconut oil, ghee, tallow, lard. I believe duck and goose fat as well. The only vegetable oil that can withstand high heat is coconut oil. All other nut/seed oils should never be used for deep frying
PEANUT OIL IS VERY BAD BECAUSE THE FARMERS USE PESTICIDES & THEY ARE CHEMICALS THAT HARM US! ORGANIC PEANUT & OTHER OILS WOULD BE OF NO USE IN COOKING BECAUSE THEY BREAK DOWN IF HEATED, ONLY USE RAW NUT OILS! BLESSINGS! JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!
YES, AGREED GHEE IS GOOD BECAUSE IT IS CLARIFYIED BUTTER & GOOD TO COOK WITH BECAUSE IT IS NATURAL , COMES FROM GRASS -EATING COWS & CAN WITHSTAND HIGH HEAT UNLIKE REGULAR BUTTER WHICH BURNS EASILY! GHEE IS ALSO A POPULAR PRODUCT FROM & IN INDIA! COODLES MARGARET FLOYD! THANK YOU VERY MUCH JESUS CHRIST / HEAVENLY FATHER & ALL OF U! 🙂 SMILE!
GRAPE SEED OIL IS ANOTHER NAME FOR CANOLA OIL! WHEN THESE OILS WERE POPULARIZED IN THE ’80’s , the fact that they are very bad for us was not advertised! CANOLA OIL WAS TOUTED AS BETTER THAN VEGETABLE OIL (SOY , CRISCO, OTHER ANIMAL FATS, ETC.) THE REALITY IS IT IS VERY BAD FOR US & FULL OF JUNK : ADDITIVES, RANCID, BAD FOR CHOLESTEROL, PESTICIDES, ETC. IT CANNOT HANDLE HEAT @ ALL! ORGANIC GRAPE SEED AKA CANOLA OIL STILL HAVE THE BAD ATTRIBUTES AS NON – ORGANIC SAME OILS! WE USED TO USE IT UNTIL LAST YEAR ! WE BEGAN USING ORGANIC COCONUT OIL! 1 OF THE BEST IS GOLD LABEL TROPICAL TRADITIONS! I ORDER IT ONLINE / CALL THEM ! THEY HAVE SALES EVERY MONTH/ WK ! I THINK THE GOLD LABEL IN SUPERMARKETS IS CONSIDERED VERY GOOD AS WELL! IT BEGINS W/ A S! IT IS A MEDIUM HEAT OIL,COLD PROCESSED ORGANICALLY ! NOW IK 2 STORE IT IN THE FRIDGE# THANK YOU CREATOR, JESUS CHRIST & ALL OF YOU FOR THE G8 411 & BENEFICIAL 2 US ALL! -PEACE!
What? Good lord you can read anything on the web. Grapeseed is NOT another name for canola oil. CANOLA oil is another name for RAPESEED. Grapeseed is from grapes. Wake up and learn to read correctly. That one little letter there is a disastrous mistake. Please. Think before you type.
I believe you may be referring to Rapeseed oil Not Grapeseed oil.
Rapeseed is marketed as Canola oil.
A Huge difference between the two oils.
Great article. I did some other research and I think Palm Oil would be the next best thing in replacing these oils. Since it’s affordable and suitable for cooking in high heat. Low polyunsaturated levels as well. I would love to cook with coconut oil but yeah, it doesn’t suit every dish.
Unfortunately Palm oil production is terrible for the enviroment as huge swaths of tropical rainforests are being destroyed for Palm oil, and in the process, they are driving entire animal species towards extinction. Please look up “Say No To Palm Oil” on the internet to learn more. Thank you.
You forgot IODINE index. You also need oil with high iodine index > 120 if cooking on cast iron for non-stick effect. This way, you can avoid Teflon poison.
For anyone reading Janice Collins, PLEASE check for yourselves. Grapeseed is NOT, I repeat NOT another name for Canola Oil. Grapeseed is healthy (when eaten raw, great on salads) CANOLA OIL is another name for RAPESEED oil. No one wanted to put the word “rape” on their containers, so rapeseed became Canola. Miss Collins, please be more careful before you write things, this is a terrific mistake, in my humble opinion.
Can you tell me why grapeseed oil should be used “sparingly”? I thought it was good for you.
Thanks.
Jane
My wife sautés fish and roasts vegetables in the oven with grape seed oil and I was wondering what it does under heat because it splashes on top of stove and in the oven and I can’t get it off with amonia, softscrub, or even rubbing alcohol, it’s like varnish, does grape seed harden under heat, thanks
I first took this article seriously. I don’t use vegetable oils and due to olive oil’s low tolerance for heat I bake and fry with grapeseed oil. I am happy to look at latenrroves but when I read the link to the suggestion of the healthy optiona in this article ( basically every single oil was blacklisted here), and saw the recommendation for animal butter and animal fat (and I love meat and butter), it become clear this person is very much paid by industries to promote one thing over the next. Please, while butter tastes amazing, don’t switch from grapeseed to butter or animal fat. It’s ok once in a while but if you use it every day butter will get your heart attack way before grapes or olives.
Anna, I can assure you I am not paid by anyone to promote one thing over the other, and unfortunately you are quite mistaken about the health of vegetable oils over animal fats. Butter is not bad for you at all and is a nutrient-dense superfood our ancestors have been eating for hundreds of generations (and heart disease has only been around for a little over 100 years…)
Hi naked guys 😉
I very really fry our food but when l do, l use home made clarified butter l also use
Apricot kernel oil, which brings my to my question. Is apricot oil good or bad, l use it because it has a high heat quality and it is tasteless ( it is too me ) . Could you guys help me out on this please. Oh forgot to mention this oil is more expensive than making clarified butter over hear in the UK
REGARDS
ROBBIE
Hi Robbie, Thanks for your question. We recommend ghee (the clarified butter), coconut oil, lard, tallow, duck fat, chicken fat…basic saturated, solid at room temperature fats for frying. The apricot oil is a higher heat oil, but it is still not as stable as the saturated fats for high heat.