The keto diet relies heavily on people turning to healthy fats and proteins for their daily calorie requirements. The ketogenic diet works to induce ketosis in our bodies, which helps in burning stored fat. However, this process kicks in only when the body has been starved of excess carbs.
Once you limit your daily carb intake, the body resorts to burning stored fat to gain the energy required to perform bodily functions. This is how the keto diet helps people lose weight. However, to maintain ketosis, you must consume the right amount of fats. The most exciting thing to note here is that not all fats are healthy. Therefore, to stay healthy, you have to pick and choose the right kinds of fat and avoid unhealthy trans fat. Here’s a guide on best oils to cook with on keto so that you always make use of the right types of fat.
What are the Good Fats?
Processed food contains a large amount of trans fat, which is extremely harmful to the body as it raises the level of LDLs, which are unhealthy. However, saturated fats are quite healthy for the body when taken in the right amounts. Food items such as meat, nuts, fish, and eggs contain many healthy fats, which help your body feel satiated. Another great way to ensure you reach your daily goal of fat intake is by introducing the right kinds of cooking oil into your diet.
Healthy fast, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats help lower blood pressure, reduce belly fat, prevent inflammation, and improve your heart health. When you get your daily recommended dose of such healthy fats through natural cooking oil, you will find that it soothes your body. As the keto diet already makes you eat healthy, by ensuring you use the right oils, you will be setting yourself up for success. So, what are the best oils to cook with on keto?
Best Oils to Cook With On Keto
Keto Cooking Oil 1
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a very keto-friendly cooking oil that has a unique and distinct flavor to it. It is high in saturated fats and is also a great source of MCTs. These triglycerides help in fighting inflammation, fastening fat burning, and promoting weight loss. Coconut oil also helps boost your metabolism, which, in turn, helps you lose weight faster. Its natural state tends to have a very soft consistency, much like butter, making it perfect for baking and roasting. It also acts as an excellent substitute for cream and butter, helping you turn recipes into keto-friendly vegan options with ease.
Keto Cooking Oil 2
Avocado Oil
Avocado is a kind of wonder-fruit that is loved by keto dieters due to its large number of health benefits. While the fruit in itself is incredibly healthy, avocado oil is also high in healthy fats and antioxidants. It is a mild vegetable oil that also contains Vitamins D, E and A, which promote better eyesight, boosts your immunity and also helps prevent inflammation. Another great thing about avocado oil is that it encourages the absorption of nutrients, helping maintain high levels of healthy cholesterol. Furthermore, it has a very high smoke point, meaning that it is able to retain all of its nutritional qualities while frying, grilling and even searing.
Keto Cooking Oil 3
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Though it has a low smoke point, olive oil is very keto-friendly as it contains a large number of antioxidants and monounsaturated fats. This cold-pressed oil is minimally processed, meaning that it remains natural even after production, as the name suggests. The oil is excellent for cooking purposes as it has a sophisticated, unique, and rich flavor that adds layers to your cooking. Under various conditions, the oil takes different flavors, even coming across as buttery, grassy and fruity in some instances. Since it has a lower smoke point than the other oils on this list, make sure you don’t use it for frying or high-temperature cooking. Instead, make it a part of your marinades and salad dressings to make any salad more keto-friendly.
Keto Cooking Oil 4
Sesame Oil
Sesame Oil contains a good amount of essential fatty acids, while also being great for your heart. Also, since it is a nut oil, it has a nutty flavor and unique aroma that makes it great for specific dishes and meals. Furthermore, this oil has a higher smoke point than most, which means that it can attain higher temperatures than other oils. This enables it to be great for frying, as the cooking time is considerably reduced. Also, whenever a cooking oil reaches its smoke point, the nutrients it contains get affected and degraded. Since sesame oil has a higher smoke point, it can retain its nutritional quality even after cooking. The oil is best used for stir-frying, sauteing, and as a salad dressing for meaty cold salads.
Other Oils That Are Keto-Friendly
Hazelnut Oil: Hazelnut oil has a lot of essential fatty acids, and serves as a more lavish substitute for olive oil due to its strong flavor. Roasted hazelnut oil has a very delicious and soothing flavor that can elevate your cooking to a higher level, with ease. The oil is very suitable for baking, and also as a substitute for nuts while making home-made, keto-friendly pesto.
Walnut Oil: Walnut Oil deserves a special mention as it is packed with both omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats. If that wasn’t enough, it also has a healthy amount of vitamins, such as manganese, potassium and zinc. However, since it has a low smoke point, make sure you use it for light grilling, baking and making keto-friendly desserts.
MCT Oil: They contain triglycerides which help you burn fatter, and stay in ketosis for longer. Most MCT oils are made from either coconut or palm oil. In case you want to buy the best MCT Oil on the market, go through our article on the same for some expert advice.
What Oils To Avoid On a Keto Diet
- Soybean oil
- Canola oil
- Peanut oil
- Sunflower oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Grapeseed oil
Choosing the right cooking oil will elevate your cooking, and help you get healthier more effectively. However, while cooking oil is an essential ingredient that most people don’t pay enough attention to. Use this guide to make sure that you use the best oils to cook with on keto so that your diet becomes more efficient. I hope I was able to convince you how choosing the right cooking oil is vital for your overall health. Let us know in the comments below which keto-friendly cooking oil you swear by!
