Whether you’re sautéing vegetables, stir-frying rice or whipping up other healthy meals, the cooking oil you choose is more important than you think when it comes to your overall health. Some oils have the potential to aid your weight loss journey more than others, so we asked registered nutritionists and other health experts which kind of oil might be better when it comes to less fattening content. Read on for tips and suggestions from Lisa Richards, registered nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet and Michael Garrico, certified personal trainer, nutritionist and Co-Founder and Marketing Director at TotalShape.
The Many Health Benefits of Avocado Oil
While extra virgin olive oil or other kinds can still provide health benefits, Richards suggests trying avocado oil to cook your next meal. This, she says, allows you to gain the many nutrients and vitamins that avocados themselves provide like fiber and potassium to keep you fuller for longer.
“By replacing your traditional cooking oil spray with avocado spray, you are enhancing the health benefits of your meal through heart-healthy and anti-inflammatory essential fatty acids,” she says.
Traditional cooking oil sprays, she continues, often “contain additives that are not natural to the main ingredient such as lecithin, which acts as an emulsifier and dimethyl silicone which is an anti-foaming agent.” These unhealthy and fattening elements, she adds, are not included in avocado oil sprays.
Another added benefit to using avocado oil spray for cooking in place of traditional oils is its “high smoke point, 520 degrees Fahrenheit,” Richards points out. “This allows you to cook at higher temperatures and even to be used in grilling,” she says, highlighting its versatility.
When trying to lose weight, it’s still important to prioritize a balanced diet, Richards says, and using avocado oil in moderation can still help you stay on track. Garrico adds that avocado oil is the “ideal pick for a low in fat cooking oil,” as it contains “healthy fatty acids while having multiple other health benefits like reducing bad cholesterol and controlling blood pressure levels.”
