Cooking Fats: What You Need to Know About Oils, Butters, and Health

When you think about cooking fats, substances used to fry, sauté, or bake food, including oils, butter, lard, and margarine. Also known as dietary fats, they’re not just flavor carriers—they directly impact your heart health, inflammation levels, and even how your body absorbs nutrients. The idea that all fats are bad got flipped on its head in the last decade. Some fats protect your heart. Others quietly raise your risk for problems you won’t notice until it’s too late.

Not all saturated fats, fats that are solid at room temperature, often found in animal products and tropical oils are equal. Coconut oil gets marketed as a superfood, but studies show it raises LDL cholesterol more than olive oil. Butter? It’s fine in small amounts, but it’s not a health food. On the flip side, unsaturated fats, liquid oils like olive, avocado, and canola that help lower bad cholesterol are backed by decades of research for reducing heart disease risk. Then there’s trans fats, artificial fats created by hydrogenating oils, linked to inflammation and artery damage—banned in many countries but still hiding in packaged snacks and fried foods.

What you cook with matters just as much as what you cook. Frying chicken in lard? That’s a different story than roasting vegetables in avocado oil. High-heat cooking needs stable fats—like avocado or refined olive oil—while cold uses like salad dressings shine with extra virgin olive oil or flaxseed. And don’t forget: even healthy fats are calories. Too much of any fat, even the good kind, can lead to weight gain.

The posts below don’t just list fats—they break down real-world choices. You’ll find comparisons between popular oils, how certain fats interact with medications, and why some people avoid butter entirely while others thrive on it. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but there are clear red flags and smart swaps. Whether you’re managing cholesterol, trying to lose weight, or just tired of greasy food that leaves you sluggish, the right cooking fat can make a real difference. Let’s look at what actually works—and what’s just hype.