For healthy Chinese cooking, use oils with high smoke points like Peanut Oil, Rice Bran Oil, or Sunflower Oil** for stir-frying, or opt for neutral Canola Oil, while using Toasted Sesame Oil sparingly for flavor in finishing dishes and dressings, as it's best for low-heat applications. Traditional choices like lard are also used, but modern healthy options focus on heart-healthy fats.
Chinese cooks prefer peanut oil or cold-pressed rapeseed oil. These work best as both are flavourless and have a very high burning point. Olive oil is not a good choice for cooking Chinese food as it has a distinct flavour and also has a very low smoking point.
The best alternative is avocado oil! High heat oil that is not a seed oil! Excellent for stir fries and frying and pretty much any other time you'd use vegetable oil. I also avoid seed oils and avocado oil is what I use to cook Chinese dishes at home.
Sturdy oils good for sautéing, stir-frying, or roasting foods include avocado, canola, corn, grapeseed, regular or light olive oil (not virgin or extra-virgin), peanut, rice bran, safflower, soybean, and sunflower oils.
The worst cooking oils for health are generally those high in saturated fats (like palm oil, coconut oil, butter) and highly processed vegetable/seed oils (like soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, cottonseed oil) which are unstable and form harmful compounds at high heat, potentially raising bad cholesterol (LDL) and contributing to inflammation or disease. Partially hydrogenated oils, containing artificial trans fats, are especially bad and should be avoided, though largely removed from products.
Here are some common cooking oils that contain more of the “better-for-you” fats and less saturated fat:
When choosing a cooking oil, it's best to choose an oil high in poly and/or mono-unsaturated fats, which are heart-healthy fats derived foods such as olives, seeds, nuts and vegetables. Olive oil, which is high in monounsaturated fats, is a particularly beneficial choice for heart health.
6 anti-inflammatory cooking oils
Switch to healthy carbs
Stir fries are usually served with, or include, rice or noodles. Think about swapping from white rice or noodles to versions with more fibre. Brown, red, black or wild rice are all great options, and will add a lovely nutty texture.
Sesame oil
It is an oil best for cholesterol. It also has a balanced fat content, with 2 g of saturated fat and nearly 5 g of monounsaturated fat per tablespoon.
Chinese cooks normally use soybean oil, vegetable oil, or peanut oil, all of which have a high smoke point. Peanut oil usually has a pleasant nutty flavor and is suitable not only for stir-frying but also for deep-frying. Canola oil, which has a high smoke point but a neutral flavor, is also a good choice.
Soybean, rapeseed, palm, and peanut oils are the most commonly consumed edible oils in China, although “Western” oils and fats such as olive oil and butter are gaining in popularity.
In Korean cuisine, perilla oil and sesame oil are the two chief oils used in flavoring, sauces, and dips. Usually made from toasted perilla seeds, the oil is used as a flavor enhancer, condiment, and cooking oil.
KFC primarily uses a blend of oils, with a major shift in the U.S. to low-linolenic soybean oil to eliminate trans fats, while regions like Australia use high oleic canola oil for its stability and health profile, though specific oil types can vary by country and even franchise, sometimes incorporating palm/soybean blends, but generally favoring vegetable-based oils for flavor and consistency.
Herbs and seasonings
Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, fennel, cloves and white peppers and smart weed are also used in different regions. To add extra flavor to the dishes, many Chinese cuisines also contain dried Chinese mushrooms, dried baby shrimp, dried tangerine peel, and dried Sichuan chillies.
In China's cooking oil market, soybean oil is the most commonly used oil. It accounts for 50% of China's total cooking oil market. Second is rapeseed oil which ranks second with 23% market share. In China, staple oil consumption differs from region to region.
Rice is high in carbohydrates, yet an intriguing phenomenon is how many Chinese people stay slim despite regularly consuming it. The secret lies in a combination of key factors. Portion control is practiced diligently, ensuring that rice consumption is moderated.
The 3-3-3 rule for weight loss is a simple, habit-based method focusing on three key areas: 3 balanced meals a day, 3 bottles (or ~1.5L) of water by 3 PM, and 3 hours of physical activity per week, aiming for consistency over complex diets. It simplifies fat loss by establishing rhythm through consistent eating, adequate hydration to support metabolism, and regular movement, promoting sustainable health without intense calorie counting or restrictive rules, says Five Diamond Fitness and Wellness, Joon Medical Wellness & Aesthetics, and EatingWell.
The worst carbs for belly fat are refined carbohydrates and added sugars, found in sugary drinks, white bread, pastries, and processed snacks, because they spike blood sugar and insulin, leading to increased fat storage, especially around the abdomen. While no single carb is solely responsible, these quickly digested, low-fiber options promote inflammation and insulin resistance, contributing to visceral (belly) fat.
1. Olive oil: A Mediterranean must-have. Olive oil has long been a favorite in healthy diets – and for good reason. “It's high in both monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, making it one of the best choices for your heart,” says Wanik.
The oils which should be avoided for cooking are oils like soybean, corn, canola, sunflower, and safflower. These oils have unstable fats and will decimate the nutritional properties of your food. Oh, and they'll give you a big fat health risk in the meantime.
“Air fried food can have up to 80% less fat than its deep-fried counterparts,” says Dr. Wu. “That can help lower your risk of heart disease, high cholesterol and obesity.”
Cardiologists generally advise avoiding processed meats, sugary drinks and sweets, and foods high in trans fats and sodium, like most fried foods and salty snacks, because they raise bad cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation, significantly increasing heart disease risk. Focusing on whole foods and limiting these culprits is key for heart health.
Compared to other vegetable oils on the market, canola oil contains the lowest levels of artery-clogging, bad cholesterol-reducing saturated fats. Canola and olive oil contain similar amounts of vitamin E and vitamin K.
Also, in high doses, both prescription omega-3s and fish oil supplements can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation or A-fib, which causes the heart to beat rapidly; and also lead to an increased risk of bleeding.