Different Types of Cooking Oils: Origin, Uses, Difference

Being new to cooking also means getting confused with all the condiments and cooking oil variants available at the supermarket. It might often make you think, “Can’t I just use whatever? How are they different anyway?”

Funnily, even regular house cooks experience the same thing! After all, not all information that makes a particular cooking oil distinctive is plastered on its packaging. Some things need a bit, if not extensive, research to understand.

So, what really is the difference among different types of cooking oil, and what’s special about each one?

This article will discuss three of the most widely consumed cooking oils in the world and explain each condiment's strengths and weaknesses to help you choose the best option for your needs and preferences.

The following cooking oil variants mentioned are all available from O-Superstore!

Palm Oil

Did you know that palm oil ranks first among the top-most consumed cooking oils worldwide? Its latest annual consumption is 75.98 million metric tons.

According to an article by The Guardian, the global popularity of palm oil is the result of five factors:

1. Replacement of healthy fats in foods
2. Low price
3. Replacement of more expensive oils in home and personal care products
4. Due to affordability, it has been widely adopted as cooking oil in Asian countries.
5. Asian countries have grown richer and begun to consume more fat, much of it in the form of palm oil.

Although palm oil originated in Africa, it is now mainly produced by Indonesia and Malaysia due to their agricultural and economic approaches to the industry. This type of vegetable oil is made by squeezing the fleshy fruits of oil palm trees.

What is Palm Oil used for?

Palm oil is versatile enough to be used in many types of outputs even outside cooking, such as cosmetics, but they are mostly used as ingredients in pastries, frozen foods, soups, snacks, and others alike.

Palm Oil Benefits

The health benefits of palm oil include brain health, heart health, and vitamin A. As stated in a medically reviewed article, palm oil is also especially high in tocotrienols, a form of vitamin E that acts as an antioxidant. Tocotrienols have been shown to protect against cancer and cell damage, regulating the immune system at the same time.

The same property (tocotrienols) is also what improves brain health due to its ability to reduce the growth of lesions that damage the white matter of the brain. This is crucial because the white matter is what helps send signals to different parts of the brain. In larger cases, these lesions may damage cognition and memory.

Heart health is a pretty controversial topic when it comes to palm oil, thanks to the mixed opinions from scientists and consumers. You may see various online sources trying to sugarcoat palm oil as some sort of miraculous product for heart improvement, but it is not entirely true.

While palm oil does have health benefits due to its unsaturated fats and beneficial antioxidants, they don’t significantly outweigh its high amounts of saturated fatty acids. However, they are indeed much better than trans-fat.

The disadvantage of palm oil’s saturated fats is its risk of increasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. High LDL cholesterol levels are a significant risk factor for heart-related diseases.

In conclusion, palm oil is somewhere in between in terms of health benefits and recommendations for overall consumption. We can’t deny its risks, but we can’t deny its advantages either. As long as consumed in moderation, palm oil should be good for regular use.

For palm oil with a neutral taste and high smoke point, Ecofry Vegetable Oil is ideal for deep frying, sautéing, and general cooking. This refined, bleached, and deodorized palm olein oil is fortified with Vitamin A and ensures both nutritional benefits and excellent cooking performance.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is mainly produced in tropical Asian countries such as Sri Lanka, Kerala in India, Southeast Asia, especially in the Philippines, and the Pacific Islands.

Coconut oil, just like palm oil, is also used for purposes other than cooking. It is especially popular in beauty care, skincare, and hair care products, and can even be used for improved dental hygiene (such as oil pulling), due to its versatile benefits.

Is coconut oil better than palm oil?

According to The Nutrition Source, coconut oil has no cholesterol, no fiber, and only traces of vitamins, minerals, and plant sterols. Plant sterols have a chemical structure that mimics blood cholesterol, and may help to block the absorption of cholesterol in the body. However, the amount found in a few tablespoons of coconut oil is too small to produce a beneficial effect.

When it comes to saturated fats, coconut oil has 30 to 40 percent more content than palm oil which has 50%, which leaves it about 80% - 90% saturated fats, meaning that it can raise harmful LDL cholesterol levels.

Coconut oil contains vitamin E which can benefit the brain and the skin. It’s seen to have properties that help fight off cancer and immune disorders, and even promote weight loss. While good, the containing amount isn’t enough to be proven beneficial and is especially insufficient to compensate for its saturated fats.

To judge, consuming coconut oil needs more restraint due to its higher amount of saturated fats. It’s important to know which is better for whichever type of cooking to reduce the risks of health problems.

Coconut oil is renowned for its rich flavoring, which makes it ideal for dishes that rely heavily on taste. Meanwhile, palm oil, with a smoke point of just over 450°, is a great and healthy choice for frying.

For high-quality coconut oil that enhances the natural flavors of your dishes, trans-fat free, and rich in lauric acid, try Frymax Coconut Oil.

Canola Oil

Canola oil, derived from the seeds of the canola plant—a cultivar of rapeseed (Brassica napus)—was developed in Canada during the 1970s through crossbreeding to create a variety low in erucic acid and glucosinolates. This innovation made it safe and ideal for human consumption.

In the kitchen, canola oil's neutral flavor and high smoke point (around 450°F or 232°C) make it versatile for frying, baking, and sautéing. It’s also commonly used in salad dressings and margarine.

Nutritionally, canola oil is low in saturated fat and rich in unsaturated fats, including heart-friendly omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. It also provides vitamins E and K, contributing to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. However, it’s important to keep in mind that refining processes in commercial production may reduce its nutrient content, so moderation and variety in dietary fat sources are recommended.

Comparatively, canola oil contains a lower saturated fat content, which is at 7%, than palm and coconut oils — making it much more heart-friendly. Palm oil is widely used in processed foods, frying, and baked goods due to its long shelf life and stability at high temperatures. While it contains some natural antioxidants like vitamin E, its health implications raise concerns about cardiovascular risks.

In summary, while all three oils have diverse applications, canola oil is often favored for its heart-health benefits.

For a light-textured, neutral-flavored canola oil with zero grams of trans fat, use Primeo Pure Canola Oil.