A Comprehensive Guide to Cooking Oils

Oil conducts heat to food efficiently and prevents food from sticking to whatever cooking utensils you use. Oil also contributes to the golden, crusty fried goodies through a series of chemical reactions (read more on food browning). More importantly, the fatty acids in oil bring out flavors in the food, improve mouthfeel, and make us satiated. Oil is essential in cooking, but little do people know how to choose the best-fitting oil for different cooking methods. This article discusses smoke points, nutritional benefits, tastes, and odors of oils.