Sort your sunflower from your coconut with MF’s guide to cooking oil ingredients, smoke points and health benefits.
OIL |
PROCESS |
SMOKE POINT |
PROS |
CONS |
Vegetable oil |
The most common oil used in the UK is refined rapeseed but can also include others such as corn, soybean, safflower, palm, and sunflower oils, or a blend of several. |
238°C |
|
|
Sunflower oil |
Most large manufacturers use high heat and solvents to extract the oil from sunflower seeds. |
230°C |
|
|
Cold-pressed rapeseed oil |
Rapeseed is simply pressed at low temperatures and filtered. |
220°C |
|
|
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) |
The oil is extracted by grinding and pressing olives; no other chemicals, heat, or processes are used. |
195°C |
|
|
Refined olive oil |
Refining process will often include the presence of heat or chemicals. |
240°C |
|
|
Coconut oil |
Coconut flesh is ground and pressed, then oil separated off. |
175°C |
|
|
Words: TJ Waterfall