Mayo Clinic Health System
  • Patient Online Services
  • Pay Bill Online
  • Request an Appointment
    • Services
    • Providers
    • Locations

      Minnesota

      • Adams
      • Albert Lea
      • Austin
      • Belle Plaine
      • Blooming Prairie
      • Butterfield
      • Caledonia
      • Cannon Falls
      • Fairmont
      • Faribault
      • Janesville
      • Kenyon
      • Lake City
      • Le Sueur
      • Mankato
      • Montgomery
      • New Prague
      • New Richland
      • Northfield
      • Owatonna
      • Plainview
      • Red Wing
      • Sherburn
      • St. James
      • St. Peter
      • Waseca
      • Waterville
      • Wells
      • Zumbrota

      Wisconsin

      • Arcadia
      • Barron
      • Bloomer
      • Chetek
      • Chippewa Falls
      • Eau Claire
      • Ellsworth
      • Glenwood City
      • Holmen
      • La Crosse
      • Menomonie
      • Mondovi
      • Onalaska
      • Osseo
      • Prairie du Chien
      • Rice Lake
      • Sparta
      • Tomah

      Iowa

      • Decorah
      • Lake Mills

      View map
    • Classes/Events
    • Blog
    • Wellness
    • Referrals
    • COVID-19
    • Request an Appointment
    • Patient Online Services
    • Pay Bills Online
    • Refer a Patient

    Recent Posts

    • Teenager wearing blue hoodie
      Speaking of Health
      Why it's important to support kids who identify as LGBTQ and may be struggling
      June 24, 2022
    • Person with glasses and nose ring
      Speaking of Health
      LGBTQ+ health: Easing fears of seeking care
      June 23, 2022
    • Toddler with curly hair wearing white shirt
      Featured Topic
      COVID-19 vaccines for infants, toddlers
      June 22, 2022
    Featured Topics
    • Behavioral Health
    • Cancer
    • Children's Health (Pediatrics)
    • COVID-19
    • COVID-19 Vaccine
    • Exercise and Fitness
    • Heart Health
    • Men's Health
    • Neurosurgery
    • Obstetrics and Gynecology
    • Orthopedic Health
    • Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery
    • Women's Health
    Join our email newsletter
    Speaking of Health
    Thursday, February 19, 2015

    For health's sake, quit smoking...your oils

    Romi Londre

    Most of us know that cooking with oils is healthier than cooking with butter or margarine. However, it isn’t as commonly known that oils can actually lose their nutritional value at certain temperatures. Not only can oils lose some of their ability to lower your risk of heart disease, but they can also have an unpleasant taste if they get too hot.

    Every type of oil has a certain temperature at which it will start to break down and lose some of its healthy properties. That temperature is called the smoke point because it's the temperature at which the oil will smoke and start producing toxic fumes and harmful free radicals.

    It's important be aware of the smoke points of oils so you can choose the right oil for the job. Some oils are better suited for higher temperatures. A good rule of thumb is that the more refined the oil, the higher the smoke point.”

    When cooking at high temperatures, stir-frying or roasting, it’s best to use corn, soybean, peanut, sesame and or vegetable oils because they have high smoke points. Olive, canola and grape seed oils are great choices for cooking with medium-high heat, such as sautéing. Flax seed and walnut oils have low smoking points, so it may be a healthier choice to use them in salad dressings, dips or marinades.

    Reducing the amount of saturated fats and trans fats from your diet, such as from butter, margarine, lard and shortening, may help decrease total blood cholesterol levels, as well as low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which is known as bad cholesterol. This will help you prevent your risk of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes

    Some people get enough oil in the foods they eat, such as from fish and nuts. For a chart of the amount of oils in common foods, visit http://www.choosemyplate.gov/.


    For the safety of our patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was either recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in a non-patient care area where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.
    Topics in this Post
    • Nutrition

    Related Posts

    Blueberries The power of blueberries
    Desert Chili Recipe: Painted desert chili mix in a jar
    Food in containers 7 ways to reduce food waste in your kitchen

    Stay Connected

    • Contact Us
    • Notice of Nondiscrimination
    • Notice of Privacy Practices
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • About Us
    • Careers
    • Volunteer
    • Donate
    • For Patients & Visitors
    • Financial Assistance
    • Community Resources
    • Mayo Clinic Connect
    • For Medical Professionals
    • Press Room
    • Mayo Clinic
    • Home
    © 2018 - 2022 Mayo Clinic Health System