Although there are fats and oils that are better than others to use for cooking, it is wise to try and wean yourself from frying food on a regular basis. Unfortunately the vast quantity of fats and oils that are available to us now, have resulted in many people frying with oils on a daily basis. It is not healthy or natural to heat fats and oils regularly, so try to use different methods of cooking, and add oils after cooking.
Saturated fats are the strongest fats from a molecular point of view, so it is best to use these fats when you need to heat a fat for cooking. So, frying with butter or coconut fat is better than using other oils.
Monounsaturated fats are less stable at high temperatures than saturated fats are, so it is best to heat them rarely. People often assume that olive oil is the best oil to heat, simply because its health benefits have been discussed for years and people have assumed those benefits extend to heating the oil. This is not true. Add the olive oil after you remove the food from the heat.
Polyunsaturated oils are the oils that should never be exposed to heat, light or oxygen but unfortunately, especially the Omega 6’s are the ones that most people use extensively for frying. This is simply due to the fact that farmers grow enormous amounts of these warm weather seeds, and manufacturers have discovered how to extract the oil from the seeds in a very cost-effective, but damaging manner.
In summary, fats and oils are classified into different categories due to their different molecular structure. The strongest fats are the saturated fats and can withstand some heat. You should use these rather than the others for frying.
Monounsaturated oils are less robust, and can be used occasionally.
Polyunsaturated oils should never be used for cooking, and most of the ones that are available are already damaged, so, in fact, shouldn’t be used at all.
I only fry two items – very occasionally – banana pikelets and sweet corn pancakes, as coconut oil and butter go well with both of these dishes. I use coconut oil, milk or cream when I’m making a curry, simply to simmer the spices, as one still gets the aroma and flavor, but the coconut oil is stable at the low heat I use.
It is a paradigm shift to consider changing the way you’ve been cooking for years, but it is definitely worth it. And don’t feel distressed that it will take you ages to get used to doing things differently in your kitchen. It only takes 21 days to start a new habit.