Is Olive Oil Always The Best Option

Olive oil is a healthy, monounsaturated fat that has been linked to many beneficial health effects. The essential fatty acids found in olive oil can help to lower your levels of the notoriously unhealthy LDL cholesterol and raise your healthy HDL cholesterol count, as well as lower blood pressure. These 3 effects can help decrease the risk of developing heart disease.
 

Canola oil works well in cooked recipes because its high smoke point allows this healthy oil to handle high heat temperatures. High in lineoleic acid and alpha lineoliec acid, canola oil is also an excellent source of essential fatty acids that can help improve your health and prevent cardiovascular problems.

The benefits of coconut oil are not as widely known as those of some of the other oils that are commonly used today. Coconut oil is an excellent oil for high heat cooking because it can withstand the effects of extreme heat. It is great for frying, sautéing and grilling.

Among the health benefits that are associated with coconut oil are a possible reduction in dangerous triglyceride levels, promoting permanent weight loss, boosting the metabolism and improving the overall condition of the digestive tract. Using coconut oil is also a good alternative to olive oil when applied topically to condition the skin or even hair.

Hemp oil, a much lesser known oil, is also very high in healthy Omega-3 essential fatty acids. It does not work as an olive oil substitute in dishes that require high heat cooking, however, it works well in cooked dishes that require only low heat or in salads. With a smoke point of only 330 degrees, it is best used raw as a drizzle over cooked vegetables or pasta, as a base for salad dressings or pesto sauce, and as a dipping oil for bread.

Hemp oil can be a welcome alternative to olive oil because of its pleasant and distinct nutty flavor. The deep green color of this oil adds a pleasing and "fancy" touch to the food’s appearance.

Flaxseed oil, also known as linseed oil, is high in Omega-3 fatty acids as well. In fact, flaxseed oil is considered to be one of the best vegetarian sources of Omega-3, and because those are hard to come by, it's really a good cooking oil for vegans and vegetarians. Much like olive oil, cold-pressed varieties are of the highest quality. Flaxseed oil has a mild flavor and is often described as fresh-tasting. It is important to always select a high quality flaxseed oil, as lower quality varieties often taste bitter. It has a low smoke point so it should not be used in high heat cooking.
 

Taste wise, flaxseed oil works best when it is used as a salad dressing or as a cold sauce base, when drizzled over a baked potato or other cooked vegetables, or when added at the last minute to hot soup to bring out the natural flavors. Unlike olive oil, flaxseed oil does not have a stable shelf life and often turns rancid in as little as 4 to 6 weeks. For this reason, many people choose to store flaxseed oil in the refrigerator.

Toasted hazelnut oil actually contains even less saturated fat than olive oil. It does not work well in high heat dishes, and is best used raw. Toasted hazelnut oil has a pleasant, nutty flavor that can be used to add variety to salad dressings and cold sauces.

It can be drizzled over steamed vegetables or hot pasta dishes and does wonders for the taste buds when brushed over hot chicken or fish.
 

Like many of the other oils mentioned here, macadamia nut oil contains a high amount of monounsaturated fatty acids. This particular oil has a bold, nutty (surprise!) taste and a light nutty scent. It is not as bitter as olive oil, which makes it a good alternative for sweeter dishes.

Macadamia nut oil has a moderate smoke point of 390 degrees, so it should not be used in high heat cooking, but it can work well in dishes that require only low to medium heat.
 

While olive oil remains a healthier alternative to the ubiquitous sunflower oil so many people are still using, here you see that you definitely don't have to limit yourself to this one oil. Stay healthy while enjoying a wide variety of different and pleasant tastes!