I’m now cooking regularly with coconut oil and ghee.

I found this on Authority Nutrition’s Facebook Page and just had to share. H/T to Balancedbites.com for putting together this nice little infographic explaining which fats and oils are best for cooking.

Why is this important? Fats and oils can undergo changes with high heat if they are not stable. Once the oil reaches it’s smoke point (the temperature oil begins to breakdown and release smoke) it starts to produce toxic substances. Never eat an unstable oil once it starts to smoke.

A long time user of olive oil, I recently switched over to cooking with extra virgin coconut oil, butter and ghee. The coconut oil taste awesome and is very healthy. There are two types of coconut oil — virgin or RBD (refind, bleached, and deodorized). I use extra virgin because it is less processed and it still has a nice coconut flavor and aroma. RBD coconut oil is processed so you can’t taste or smell any trace of coconut.  I actually like the taste and smell, but I’m careful with how much I use. You don’t want to over power the food with the coconut flavor. Remember, a little goes a long way.

I started using ghee during my Paleo challenge. I love the stuff. Ghee, also known as clarified butter, is basically butter without the dairy solids. It has a lovely gold color and nutty flavor. Since I’m not doing Paleo, I switch between butter and ghee.

As for my trusty old olive oil, I still cook with it on occasion.  But I now use it for salad dressings and marinades.

What do you cook with?