By Belinda Castles
Researcher | Kairangahau
Olive oil is a heart-healthy, versatile oil. So, if you’re a foodie you’ll probably have a bottle or two in the pantry. But extreme weather conditions in Europe have resulted in a global olive oil shortage and empty supermarket shelves where the olive oil usually sits.
Prices at the checkout may also be putting a dent in your grocery budget. One litre of imported extra-virgin olive oil will set you back upwards of $18. Shelves are packed with cheaper alternatives such as canola, rice bran and sunflower oil, but before you make the switch, you’ll want to consider how healthy the oil is and what you’ll use it for.
Time for an oil change? Check out these 8 olive oil substitutes
1. Canola oil
Canola oil is high in monounsaturated fat and low in saturated fat. It has a high smoke point so can be used for high-heat cooking making it versatile in the kitchen. Canola oil doesn’t have a strong flavour so is suitable for baking, marinades and salad dressings. It’s also relatively inexpensive.
2. Rice bran oil
Rice bran oil is predominantly monounsaturated fat but is higher in saturated fat than olive or canola oil. It has a high smoke point so is good for all types of cooking including baking, grilling and frying. Its neutral flavour also makes it suitable for marinades and salad dressings.
3. Grapeseed oil
Grapeseed oil is high in polyunsaturated fat. It has a higher smoke point than other polyunsaturated oils so can be used for high-heat cooking. It’s a neutral tasting oil so won’t add noticeable flavour to your food.
4. Sunflower oil
Sunflower oil is high in polyunsaturated fat and not stable at higher temperatures so shouldn’t be used for high-heat cooking. It’s mild tasting so won’t add noticeable flavour to your food. When used in dips and salad dressings, it adds a light nutty flavour.
You can also buy high-oleic sunflower oil. It’s made using plants bred to have more monounsaturated fats and fewer polyunsaturated fats. This makes high-oleic sunflower oil suitable for cooking at high temperatures.
5. Peanut oil
Peanut oil, despite being high in polyunsaturated fat, has a high smoke point so can be used for high-heat cooking like frying. It’s a good oil to use in stir fries where you want to add peanut flavour.
6. Avocado oil
Avocado oil has a similar fatty acid profile to olive oil and is high in monounsaturated fat. When refined, it has a very high smoke point so can be used in high heat cooking. Cold-pressed avocado oil is good in dressings and drizzled on dishes but can be more expensive than other oils.
7. Coconut oil
Coconut oil is high in saturated fat – more than 90%. That makes it far more saturated than most other oils and fats. This explains why coconut oil is solid at room temperature and doesn’t go rancid quickly. It’s OK to use small amounts of coconut oil to add flavour but evidence suggests it’s better to stick with oils lower in saturated fat.
8. Vegetable oil
Vegetable oil is usually a blend of two oils. How healthy it is will depend on the oils it contains (you can find this information in the ingredients list). Vegetable oil blends are usually suitable for high heat cooking.
Animal-based fats, such as beef dripping, butter and ghee (clarified butter) are high in saturated fat, so shouldn’t be used as your main cooking oil.
What is the healthiest oil?
Most oils are 100% fat, but not all fats are created equal.
From a health perspective, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are the best choices, and saturated fats are the worst. When you’re choosing a vegetable oil, choose one that mostly contains these “good” unsaturated fats. One type of fatty acid usually dominates in a cooking oil.
Cooking oils contain negligible trans fats. Harmful trans fats are formed when liquid oils are hydrogenated (turned into solid fats) to make them more stable to use.
What are you using the oil for?
When you’re choosing an oil, consider how you’re going to use it. Some oils, particularly those high in polyunsaturated fats like regular sunflower oil and flaxseed, aren’t suited for high heat cooking because they can smoke and lose flavour and nutritional quality. This is called the smoke point. All oils have a different smoke point and heat stability, which can be affected by oil quality.
For salad dressings and sauces for drizzling over pasta, you have more options because the oil isn’t being heated. You may also want an oil with a distinctive flavour. Most cold-pressed oils are good options, although they tend to be more expensive. Choose an oil you like the taste of and fits your budget for these dishes. Cheaper, neutral tasting oils can also be used but you might want to boost the flavour with herbs and spices. These are usually refined oils.
Find out more about how cooking oils are made.
Tips for buying and storing cooking oil
Heat, light and air can affect oil quality. Here are our top tips for getting the best out of your oil.
Green or dark bottles, or tins, provide better protection from light than clear bottles. Don’t buy oils that have been displayed in a shop window or under fluorescent lights.
Store oil tightly stoppered in a cool, dark place.
Buy the freshest oil possible. Look for a pressed-on date: best-before dates aren’t always a good indicator of quality because you don’t know how old the oil is.
Don’t stockpile. Oils don’t improve with age so use any open oil within 12 months.
Don’t be swayed by cholesterol-free claims on cooking oils. Cholesterol comes from animal products, so plant oils contain virtually none anyway.
What the date labels on your food mean
77% of Kiwis look for the dates when buying food. Do you know your best-before from your use-by dates?
