This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Canada, which closed in 2021.

A Complete List Of Cooking Oils, And Which You Should Be Using When

No two oils are exactly alike.

With so many varieties of cooking oils to choose from, how do you decide which is best for your dish?

In the infographic below, Fix.com shares flavour, colour, nutrition and usage notes for 15 different types of cooking oils. From avocado oil to olive oil, peanut oil to walnut oil — no two oils are exactly alike.

And just because two oils sound like they'd have a similar effect doesn't mean that they will. Light, nutty almond oil is great for sauteing and stir-frying, while other nutty oils, like peanut and sesame, are better used as salad dressings.

So you might want to keep a few varieties of oil on hand — some for seasoning, others for baking and another one or two for cooking and frying. Just don't make the mistake of thinking they will last forever. According to food education blog Eat By Date, oil (like other condiments) has a tendency to go rancid after a prolonged period. If your cooking oil develops acidic notes and an unpleasant odour, its shelf life has expired.

What's your go-to cooking oil? Let us know in the comments below.

Also on HuffPost

Olive Oil

All About Cooking Oils

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Canada. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.