If you haven’t heard by now, fat is your friend!

Dietary fat provides energy, supports cell maintenance, enhances nutrient absorption, and is essential for producing some hormones. 

Dietary fat got a bad reputation a while back, it was blamed for increasing rates of obesity and heart disease. Now, thanks to science and the increasing popularity of fat-containing diets, like Paleo and Keto, we know fat is an essential nutrient and a critical component of a healthy diet.

However, not all fats are created equal. Some fats come with extra health benefits and some can be harmful to your health and should be avoided all together.

One of the best ways to include healthy fats in your diet is using high quality cooking oils. When it comes to cooking, the type of cooking and amount of heat matter when selecting which oil to cook with.

In general, oils that are highly processed should be avoided. These include vegetable oil blends, like canola, soybean, sunflower, and safflower oils.