The majority of people use cooking oils on a daily basis while preparing food, whether they’re dressing a salad or baking a cake. However, not all oils are made equally. Some cooking oils are healthier than others and promote various benefits. When pregnant, it’s essential to the development of the baby to ensure you’re eating as healthy a diet as possible – and that includes evaluating your use of cooking oils.

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Below, we discuss what makes an oil healthy or not, including what types to incorporate into your and which to steer clear of. Moreover, we’ll go over steps you can take to make your cooking oil choices healthier for you both during and after pregnancy.

Cooking oil is made from plant, animal, or synthetic fat. It’s often used when cooking, frying, or baking, though certain oils can be used to flavor dishes without requiring the use of heat, such as in salad dressing. Though there are a variety of cooking oils available, there are four main types of fats – saturated fats, trans fat, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats, explains. Not all of these are equally healthy. In fact, the type of fat making up the oil determines if it’s healthy or not.

• Saturated Fats (Unhealthy): These fats come primarily from animals, and are harmful because they can increase your total and LDL (bad) cholesterol. According to , only 7% of your calories should come from saturated fats. This type of fat is found in yogurt, cheese, and butter, and in oils like coconut, palm, and palm kernel.
• Trans Fats (Unhealthy): These are man-made fats and are considered the unhealthiest type of fat to consume. They reduce HDL levels (good cholesterol) and increase LDL level (bad cholesterol). This type of fat is found in hydrogenated oils, which is a feature of many packaged or processed foods.
• Monosaturated Fats (Healthy): These types of fats are considered the most heart-healthy, reports. Oils featuring monosaturated fats include canola, almond, peanut, avocado, and extra virgin olive oil. One way to distinguish oils that are monosaturated is that they often don’t stay liquid when put in the fridge.
• Polyunsaturated Fats (Healthy): Though less healthy than monosaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats are still a healthier type of fat found in many variations so oils. This type of fat is found in foods packed with omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Most vegetable oils are made from polyunsaturated fats, including safflower, corn, and sunflower oil.

As such, it is highly recommended that pregnant women avoid oils with trans and saturated fats and replace them with oil made from monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

There are various benefits to consuming oils made from healthy fats, especially in pregnancy. For example, a published in 2013 in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that offspring born to women who consumed healthy fats while expecting were less likely to develop autism. This is in comparison to women who consumed low levels of healthy fats, specifically , who were 53% more likely to have a child with autism.

It’s virtually impossible to cut all cooking oils out of your given how prevalent they are in the majority of food types and dishes. However, there are steps you can take to ensure you’re taking advantage of all of the health benefits your choice of oil has to offer. This includes the following:

Cleveland Clinic suggests that pregnant women stick to olive oil as much as possible for its health benefits, as it’s been found to lower LDL and raise HDL (bad and good cholesterol, respectively). It is also packed full of nutrients, including beta carotene and vitamins A, E, D, and K.

Sauteing foods is a healthier option than pan-frying. This is because frying items use much more oil at a higher heat over a longer time period. This, in turn, encourages the release of free radicals, chemicals that are highly reactive and may cause cell damage. They’ve been linked to the development of cancer and other diseases. Sauteing, on the other hand, cooks smaller pieces of food in less oil in a shorter time window.

Spray oils are not always a reliable option. Though many advertise to have zero trans fats, manufacturers are allowed to make this claim so long as there is less than half a gram in their product, Cleveland Clinic notes. However, this means many folks are consuming trans fats without even realizing it.

Oils that are safe to use at high heat should be consumed as little as possible. This is because they release more free radicals than oil that smokes at a lower temperature. This is also the reason it’s important to know a cooking oil’s smoke point; when the oil starts smoking, it produces toxic fumes and free radicals. Some oils have a lower smoking point than others, so be cautious when cooking.

Fresher is better in most cases, including when it comes to cooking oils. explains that the longer oil is stored, the more time it has to oxidize, which leads to the development of free radicals. The publication recommends buying oil in small amounts and storing it in a cool, dark location. Be careful to monitor the “Best Before” date to ensure it’s not expired. Most oils must be consumed within 30-60 days after opening the package.

If you love infused oil, consider investing in the equipment so you can do it at home. This ensures that you’re in control of the quality and quantity of your ingredients, and you can choose to infuse an oil that is healthy and most conducive to your diet.

For example, the allows you to dry and activate your own herbs before infusing them into the oil. With the appliance, you can create herbal-infused oils, kinds of butter, kinds of honey, syrups, and more, which are not only great for cooking but also in terms of skincare. Though it’s an investment piece, the Levo II is a great option for folk who want to be more cautious of what’s going in their oils.

Avoiding oils made from unhealthy fats and opting for one made with polyunsaturated or monosaturated fats is an important way to promote a healthy diet in pregnancy. Even more, taking the aforementioned steps to ensure you’re reaping all of the health benefits your cooking oils have to offer. To learn more about changes to make to your diet in pregnancy, we encourage you to speak with your health practitioner.

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