What to know about cooking oils and their smoke points

USA TODAY 10Best by Kevin Farrell

There are many different kinds of cooking oils with varying flavors and nutritional benefits.

It’s important to pick the right oil for the right dish that you’re cooking.

One thing to consider is the smoke point, the temperature at which fat burns.

The smoke point can vary by almost 200 degrees!

Read up so that you (and your dinner) don’t get burned.

Smoke point of unrefined flaxseed, safflower & sunflower oils: 225ºF

The low smoke points of these three mean you’re better off using them in a vinaigrette than you are frying anything up in them.

Smoke point of extra virgin olive oil: 320ºF - 405ºF

Olive oil’s relatively high smoke point makes it a perfect choice for sautéing or baking, just as long as your oven isn’t set too high.

Smoke point of butter: 350ºF

Simmer, sauté, bake and even poach dishes in butter to great success. But keep it away from foods that you’ll be baking at high temperatures, or scarier yet, broiling.

Smoke point of coconut oil: 350ºF

Use coconut oil for anything you would otherwise use butter or olive oil to cook, really.

Smoke point of canola oil: 400ºF

The high smoke point of canola makes it ideal for pan frying and deep frying foods, cooking methods that most other oils on this list would never work for.

Smoke point of ghee: 485ºF

There isn’t much you can’t do with ghee, thanks to its high smoke point! Ghee will also give your foods a rich, buttery flavor.

Smoke point of avocado oil: 520ºF

Like other fats with high smoke points, avocado oil is great for frying. Plus, avocado oil is rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, as well as vitamin E.