There are 3 types of oils or fats:
1. Saturated fat oils
2. Monounsaturated fat oils
3. Polyunsaturated fat oils

Which oil is good? Generally, un-saturated fats are best for our bodies but different types of oils can be recommended for different types of cooking.

A. Low or no heat cooking: It’s recommended to try to keep our diets around more low or no heat based cooking and the oils recommended here are unsaturated oils(monounsaturated and polyunsaturated)

Monounsaturated fats: can reduce the chance of heart disease while reducing the bad fats in our body.

Examples: virgin olive oil, rice bran oil, canola oil, avocadoes and nuts

Polyunsaturated fats: required for normal body functions though our body cannot produce these. They help to build cell membranes and protect the nervous system. They are also needed for blood clotting, muscle movement and aiding inflammation.

Examples: Sunflower oil, safflower oil, un-hydrogenated soy bean oil, fish oils found in fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel.

B. High-medium heat process cooking (stir-frying, deep frying, or lightly frying): It’s generally recommended to cut back on high-heat cooking altogether but when you do it’s actually recommended to use saturated fats. Though there is knowledge that eating saturated fats can drive up the cholesterol levels but saturated fats are not easily oxidized by heat to release free radicals which are harmful for our body.

Examples of saturated fat oils:Virgin coconut oil (92% saturated fat), Butter, or ghee if you can find (68% saturated fat), Animal fat (52.3% saturated fat) Grass-fed, natural farm if possible here

Fats you should try to avoid altogether

The fats you should not eat are Trans fats , often found in margarine, shortening and processed foods. It generally goes by the name of ‘hydrogenated fat’ or ‘partially-hydrogenated fat’. Trans fats are unnatural fats that do not provide any health benefits and are very harmful to our health. It can create inflammation which is linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other chronic conditions. A study has pointed out that eating only 2% of calories from trans fat daily can raise the risk of heart disease by 23%!

It’s good to be aware of the oils we consume and when we use them. A great deal of benefits and disease prevention can be found in our choices here.

**The recommended amount of consumption for Saturated fat : Monounsaturated fat : Polyunsatuarted fat is < 10% : 10-15% : < 10% respectively, of the daily recommended calories

References
http://www.health.harvard.edu/
http://www.heart.org/
http://www.vcharkarn.com/
http://www.thaiedibleoil.com/
http://www.manager.co.th/AstvWeekend/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9560000128088
http://parisut.com/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=195
http://haamor.com/th/ไขมันอิ่มตัว-ไขมันไม่อิ่มตัว/
http://authoritynutrition.com/healthy-cooking-oils/