Vegans/tarians - what cooking oil do you use and why ?!

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Vegetable and canola for cooking.

Different ones at different times. In the cupboard near the stove, I currently have:
- Soybean oil.
- Canola oil - as stated on bottle: non-GM; source of omega 3.
- Outback smoke - an olive and macadamia oil blend infused with paperbark and blue gum smoke; ingredients are listed as: extra virgin olive oil, camellia oil, macadamia nut oil, natural smoke flavours.
- Grapeseed oil - as stated on bottle: natural source of vitamin E; contains antioxidant & plant sterols; high smoke point (225 C).
- Extra virgin olive oil.
- Hot chili oil - a blend of soybean oil and chillies.
- Pure sesame oil.
- Extra virgin macadamia oil.
- Mustard oil.
In the past, I've also used avocado oil, coconut oil, blended vegetable oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, margarine, (non-virgin) olive oil, olive pomace oil, peanut oil, and probably a few others too. Also butter and ghee, before I became a vegan.

They all have different uses. Some are better for deep-frying than others. Some are better for stir-fries. Some are better for salads or for baking. Sometimes I mix a couple of different oils. But, overall, I don't normally use a lot of oil. Some of them contain a good omega 3 to omega 6 ratio (close to 1:1), but others have far too much omega 6, which can lead to health problems if we consume a lot of it. Sunflower oil is supposed to be one of the worst. Then there's the cholesterol (and saturated fat) in butter and ghee (a clarified butter, much used in India, but very high in cholesterol). Better just to reduce your total fat intake.

I almost exclusively use extra virgin olive oil just because it's healthier & tastes better, but I will sometimes use canola for baking instead because it's cheaper when you're using more than a few tablespoons or so. I also use canola for deep frying because olive isn't suited for it. I keep sesame and peanut oils on hand for certain types of food, like sesame for some Asian dishes, for example.

Hemp seed oil is looking more and more appealing every time I hear about it. I might start using it on my salads.

But you're just fine with olive oil or whatever else.

Chia, flax, and walnut oils; I have been researching lately to get my missing fish oil nutrients from not eating fish.

Getting interested in losing weight on this diet

Extra virgin olive oil when it's the only option.
We also use olive oil spray for cooking as well.
For baking, I generally use unsweetened apple sauce instead of oil. It's just as good, but makes the recipe fat free. (It also works for margarine/butter as well.) Once, I used EVOO for my chocolate cake as we did not have any apple sauce. (Well, what we had had gotten moldy in the fridge; We only use it for baking.) My husband and I could taste the difference. To us, it seemed greasier. (I baked it for a funeral lunch at church.)

When we use margarine, we use Best Life. The ingredients looked similar to Smart Balance, but it's cheaper. (And I like the taste better.) I might use some on one slice of whole wheat bread once a day, but not daily. (Some days, my fat comes in the form of hummus and/or peanuts, and/or peanut butter.)

I stopped cooking w. oil because it is empty fat calories w. no real nutritional value. I used to use organic extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil, and I gained weight. Now I braise food in a little water in a non-stick eco-sound pan, and I am in better health and slimmer.
......................................…

Extra Virgin Olive Oil for just about everything. We feel this is the healthiest oil there is.
Every now and then we use canola and olive oil mix and we do have sesame seed and sunflower seed oil... but it is rare we use it.

Well Is it you want? http://seekitnow.info/49681/cooking-oil

http://seekitnow.info/49681/cooking-oil

Mostly olive oil. Taste great :)
When I'm broke I use this really generic cooking oil I have no clue what is... but it's tasteless and works well, so I'm not complaining.

Canola and olive oil.

I also use Earth Balance spread, which is a mix of several plant oils.

Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil.