There is so much talk in the media and consumer interest on which are the best oils to use for flavour and for healthy.

Consistency, burning point, flavour and rancidity, are all key point to take into consideration when choosing the right oils.

Below is a list of oils being talked about and how to use them.

Extra Virgin Avocado Oil is processed using the flesh of the avocado; it is cold processed, which retains the nutrition value and excellent monounsaturated fats. On average, it takes about 10 avocados to produce 250ml of avocado oil.

Avocado oil will enhance the flavour of the food you combine it with, so is very popular for use with chicken and seafood dishes. Extra virgin avocado oil is unrefined so the smoking point is 190-204°C, where refined avocado oil has a much higher smoking point 250-271°C, which allows cooking without burning.

Best used for:

• Cooking at high temperature using the unrefined avocado oil
• Making dipping, drizzling and dressing, as you would other good quality extra virgin, oils.

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is extracted from fresh white coconut flesh with no chemicals used during the production process. This gentle process allows the oil to retain all its natural goodness including fresh coconut essence, vitamin E and lauric acid.  It is rich in medium-chain triglycerides which and easy to digest and does not raised cholesterol levels. It is not hydrogenated and contains no ‘bad’ trans fatty acids. Its smoking point is 177°C.

Best used for:

• Baking
• Sautéing food
• Adding to food to get the delicious coconut flavour

Rice Bran Oil is extracted from the germ and the inner husk of the rice kernels. It has a very subtle flavour, its mild flavor making it suitable for high-temperature cooking methods such as stir frying and deep-frying. It have one of the highest smoking point 232-254°C

Best used for:

• Frying food
• Baking food
• Stir-frying
• Dressing requiring a neutral flavoured oil

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (EVO oil) is the premium grade olive oil, it’s the first pressing of the olive and is produced without heat or filtration. The oil has a rich green taste with grassy and some say peppery flavours.

Extra virgin olive oil is not a good oil to heat as its smoking point is 191°C, it is also speculated that heating it beyond this point de-stabilises the molecular structure and decrease the health benefits.

Best use for:

• Made into a salad dressing; EVO oil, apple cider vinegar and tamari soy sauce in a ratio of 3:2:1, is one of my favourites.
• Served with good quality bread, Samoa is one of my favourite, which a splash of balsamic glaze or dukkah
• This is a tasty oil to use for infusing. Such as lemon zest, garlic cloves or even a little chilli.
• Drizzled over food

Olive Oil is the second or third pressing of the olive. It is produce by either applying heat or using a high-pressured filtration system. It still has an olive flavour, which is much more subtle without the lovely green flavours. Its smoking point is slightly higher than extra virgin olive oil, (virgin 199°C or Pomace 238°C)

Best used for:

• Normal or aioli mayonnaise
• Low-temperature cooking
• Tossed through vegetables, warm salads etc.

Extra Light Olive Oil is often confused as light olive oil with lower fat and calorie this is not the case. Light simply refers to the texture, with a very lightly olive taste which is neutral in flavour. Its smoking point is the highest of the olive oils at, 242°C

Best used for:

• Higher temperature cooking
• Food that require oil but no olive oil taste
• Also can be used for Asian cooking