Comments on: When it Comes to Fat, How Hot is Too Hot?

By: The Best of Mark’s Daily Apple: August 2008 | Mark's Daily Apple

The Best of Mark’s Daily Apple: August 2008 | Mark's Daily Apple — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 22:18:59 +0000

[...] When it Comes to Fat, How Hot is Too Hot? – August 15 [...]

By: Safe Cookware | Mark's Daily Apple

Safe Cookware | Mark's Daily Apple — Thu, 14 May 2009 21:14:53 +0000

[...] When it Comes to Fat, How Hot is Too Hot? [...]

By: Primal Log - Day 4 « Primal Progress

Primal Log - Day 4 « Primal Progress — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:40:27 +0000

[...] have a particularly high smoke-point, i.e. they burn! Olive oil is a great, healthy oil – until it burns – when it becomes much less healthy. Sunflower/vegetable oils aren’t good before they burn, let alone when they do. Rice Bran oil [...]

By: Coconut Oil Benefits and Healing Properties | Zen to Fitness

Coconut Oil Benefits and Healing Properties | Zen to Fitness — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 05:57:01 +0000

[...] Marks Daily Apple on Cooking oils [...]

By: How to Create the Perfect Stir Fry | Mark's Daily Apple

How to Create the Perfect Stir Fry | Mark's Daily Apple — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:50:12 +0000

[...] for the actual cooking itself and add less hearty but flavorful oils at the end. (See our “How Hot Is Too Hot?” post for some high heat selections.) Naturally refined oils, chicken fat, and light olive [...]

By: Janell

Janell — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:32:12 +0000

Sorry, made an error in my typing. The Lastly portion should state that foods should be (not never be) minimally cooked and never beyond medium heat.

By: Janell

Janell — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:30:03 +0000

Good post Mark, thanks. I wish to add that while coconut oil (hopefully virgin and not processed) has a low smoke point, from all the books I have read on this oil and its health properties the molecular structure is not changed/damaged at high temperatures thus does not become a trans fat as does other delicate/nonprocessed oils such as olive, etc. Also the shelf life is minimum of one year for virgin coconut oil. One more point, respected naturalists/nutritionists advise that Extra Virgin Olive Oil should never be heated period; it should be used after food is removed from the stove and tossed, rubbed, poured, etc. with the food. Lastly, I believe those who advise that foods (preferably whole foods) should never be minimally cooked and never beyond medium heat. I hope this information is helpful.

By: JC

JC — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:27:12 +0000

I’m supprised that sunflower oil & the nut oils have a higher smoke point than coconut oil thats contrary to what i’ve always heard & even what Mark wrote in this very article ie cook with saturated oils, add nut oils (pufa) to salads, avoid n6 pufas like sunflower, soy as they damage easily & have little benefits anyway, i’m a bit confused by the data here.

By: Warming up, etc. « No Magic Pill

Warming up, etc. « No Magic Pill — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:42:41 +0000

[...] instead of running (I agree with both). —Mark’s Mystery* Meat: the Zone Diet, eggs, hot fat (not a fetish site link), exercises to avoid at all costs, prescription drugs, some potpourri, [...]

By: Tom Parker

Tom Parker — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:21:43 +0000

Great post. Like a lot of the commentors I too was not aware that cooking heat could have such an effect on the goodness of oil. I assumed that when it started to smoke and burn this was bad (as it is when you cook most things) but I didn’t know there was such a discrepancy between the different oils. I mainly use olive oil to fry my foods so I will definitely be taking more care in the future to keep my frying pan on a low to medium heat.