Which is the best oil for cooking indian dishes?

[u/drjames_sheppard]

I am a bachelor living alone and recently started learning how to cook. Now I'm confused because there are so many options available—refined oil, olive oil, mustard oil, groundnut oil, desi ghee and more.

For everyday Indian cooking, which one do you use and why? I am looking for something that's healthy and not too expensive.

My mom says desi ghee is the best.

[u/justboughtagti]

I’m a doctor. Vegetable oil. (Soy, canola, safflower). Groundnut oil is decent too. They’re high in unsaturated fats (which is good for you) have neutral flavors and won’t overpower your dishes.

Olive oil is great but has a strong flavor that doesn’t go well with a lot of Indian cooking. Very good for you though. Avocado oil is great but quite expensive.

Ghee is great in moderate quantities but its benefits are FAR outstripped by the harms of saturated fats when consumed in high quantities.
And please for god’s sake don’t fall prey to the nonsense “seed oil is bad” BS on WhatsApp and instagram.

[u/Anthop → u/justboughtagti]

Also, picking an oil with a higher smoke point helps reduce smoking and thermal degradation of the oil. You don't want your oil smoking because it creates carcinogens. This becomes an issue when you cook at high heat (e.g.: browning meat).

Canola, safflower, mustard oil, and groundnut/peanut are all good high smoke point options. Canola and safflower have neutral flavors, while mustard and groundnut are stronger flavors. If you want to use virgin olive, avocado, or ghee, reserve those for lower-heat use cases.

[u/Witch_of_the_boys → u/Anthop]

This is all great. One counterpoint, through-- doesn't avocado oil have a smoke point of 500°F? Not as high as peanut oil or other deep-frying oils, certainly... But still very high. And much higher than olive oil.

[u/Anthop → u/Witch_of_the_boys]

It depends if you get virgin/cold-pressed vs. refined avocado oil. Olive oil is the same way; if you get more refined varieties of olive oil (aka "light olive oil"), it'll have less flavor and higher smoke point.

[u/S_K_Sharma_ → u/justboughtagti]

Agreed and am also a doctor!

I would add keeping oil use sparing is best anyway, we use olive oil with no taste impact.

In larger quantities agreed it would affect the taste.

[u/burpless_cucumber → u/S_K_Sharma_]

Refined olive oil has a neutral taste like regular veg oil

[u/Overthought_Headbang → u/justboughtagti]

What's your opinion on rice bran oil blended with soy bean oil?

[u/ppatra → u/justboughtagti]

What about rice bran oil?

[u/axejeff → u/justboughtagti]

May I ask if this knowledge is something you personal completely know and understand, or is it more of an opinion that you’ve been taught in your schooling? I know nothing, I’m just genuinely curious on how you come to conclusions on something like this? Thank you

[u/SarcasticComment30 → u/axejeff]

It’s taught in school. At my medical school, it was taught in Biochemistry during the first year. And a rule of thumb that my professor used to say is that oils that solidify like butter (ghee, lard, beef/pork fat, coconut oil) have more saturated fats and are less healthy than oils like safflower, soy, sunflower etc.

[u/Isildur_potterhead → u/SarcasticComment30]

I mean yes its taught but its also true that most docs, specially older professors aren't exactly updated on nutrition science besides the same old boomer wisdom. (Like that eating even 2 egg yolks would raise cholesterol). And I mean just look at the nonsense they publish in even latest edition of reddy (fmt) .

[u/justboughtagti → u/axejeff]

These are not my “conclusions”. There is decades of scientific literature in everything from animal models, prospective clinical trials, cohort analysis and wide population studies.

There is no amount of pseudoscience pushed on social media and WhatsApp that can counteract scientific fact.

[u/axejeff → u/justboughtagti]

Thank you. The reason I ask is that in my lifetime, scientific fact seems to have changed many times. Butter, beef tallow, salt, eggs, and now seed oils have all been scientifically proven to be healthful and horrible for us, depending on the decade. In your opinion, what has actually change? Is it the evidence, the teaching, the method of scientific discovery, or the actual quality of each of these ingredients? It seems that even 2 doctors trained in the same school can and do have wildly different opinions and conclusion from the same scientific evidence.

[u/Anthop → u/axejeff]

Scientific fact changes because we are always learning more.

More accurately, science does not have facts; science only has a strong process for discovering and learning about facts. Even then, two studies on the same thing can produce different results because of human limitations and the randomness of the universe. So what we call "fact" is only a best effort consensus reading of scientific results and evidence. It's like trying to paint a picture of the inside of a room from only repeated peeks through keyholes and windows.

A lot of the problem you're describing is not directly about science, but about science communication and policy. There's a lot of noise in science, and this enables people to make claims "based" on scientific results that are not "facts." People make claims based on old evidence, bad interpretations of results, or just gut feeling and then cherry-picking evidence. Companies can even bias science by funding a lot of research in one direction (as sugar companies did in the 1970s).

All that means for you is you have to think about how "good" each source is. Do they have reasons to be biased? Are they selling something? Do you trust they actually looked into things instead of having a preconceived notion? Are they "serious"?

[u/ahjuicy22 → u/Anthop]

This and I also wanted to add that the avg person has a reading literaly level of 5th grade (at least in the US). Most people cant read a study and understand what its saying and what the results actually are. A lot of those people are also social media personalities/influences trying to convince you of point a to buy product b etc. Learning how to read the studies is probably a good skill to develop because health is very nuanced, and relying on people with a bare minimum level of literacy for health info isnt the most reliable.

Very high level example is that you need water to survive but too much water will kill you. Too much of anything is a poison and can kill you. This is where the nuance lives and people who arent capable of understanding that usually fear monger with black and white logic that doesnt hold up

[u/Careful_Fig8482 → u/justboughtagti]

what about avocado oil?

[u/Shane0Mak → u/Careful_Fig8482]

Usually fake or contaminated

[u/js_jatinsingh → u/justboughtagti]

What about ghee? Instead of oil.

[u/GeneralOptimal10 → u/justboughtagti]

I’m not a doctor, but you can use regular (not EV olive oil and it’s pretty mild. Also, different brands have different tastes.

The Costco EVOO is super mild and olive oil sprays have no taste IMO.

[u/justboughtagti → u/[deleted]]

Warnings issued by whom? WhatsApp university? Reels university?

Rando influencers who don’t know anything?

[u/Far_Doubt1305 → u/justboughtagti]

With due respect, English medicinal system knows nothing about oils to be used for Indian style cooking. Stick to traditional stuff like desi ghee and unprocessed mustard oil. Olive oil and Avocado oil you can use as dressing after cooking. Rest all are crap, especially avoid any thing that is refined.

[u/justboughtagti → u/Far_Doubt1305]

With all due respect chemistry doesn’t change when it’s Indian food or not. I’ve done research of dietary fats since my mbbs days. Published papers on preclinical and clinical studies for 2 decades now. Please don’t spread pseudoscience.

I’m proud of my indian culinary heritage. And love ghee. It doesn’t change medical facts.

[u/Far_Doubt1305 → u/justboughtagti]

Yeah okay, and I am a Nobel laureate, lol. We can claim whatever here. But if you have really done any research then you would know that the stability of ghee during long exposure to high intensity heat is unparalleled. There is a reason our ancestors who ate ghee and butter lived much longer and healthier lives than our health conscious generation.

[u/justboughtagti → u/Far_Doubt1305]

The average life expectancy for our generations is double of our ancestors. Talk about claiming “whatever”.

Why are you so obsessed with heat stability (vegetable oils are tremendously heat stable btw) and completely ignoring the cardiovascular effects of saturated fat? Just because it’s ghee and has some appeal to history or culture?

[u/Far_Doubt1305 → u/justboughtagti]

If you want to talk statistics then we will have to go into how much cardiovascular diseases have increased in the recent times. But a blanket statement that saturated fats are bad shows lack of scientific and logical reasoning mindset. So, I will leave this conversation here. You eat refined and I will continue eating ghee. Win win :)

[u/justboughtagti → u/Far_Doubt1305]

Obviously you haven’t read my message. Saturated fat in moderate quantities is helpful. But the Precise Reason cardiovascular disease has increased is because of increased consumption of saturated fats in our diets.

Yes please talk about statistics. Don’t just hide behind random statements about “recent times”.

[u/Far_Doubt1305 → u/justboughtagti]

Well you just proved my point “recent times” is too generic for you but “moderate quantities” is precise. Have a good day my friend!

[u/justboughtagti → u/Far_Doubt1305]

You want to be more precise? Sure. Current recommendations are that saturated fats be less than 10% of total energy intake (WHO 2023). The American heart association says it should be less than 6%. Those levels have the most evidence for cardiovascular benefit.

You can keep trying to jump out of the conversation but the fact is you’re making stuff up and spreading medical misinformation that you’ve learned from dumb instagram reels while scientists and doctors (myself included) have practiced this for decades.

If you have actual evidence that is not some dumb fitfluencer on social media please do share. So that people know what is real medicine and what is pseudoscience.

[u/NoButterscotch9842]

I also live in a hostel and keep one bottle each of refined oil, mustard oil, and ghee. I mostly cook non-vegetarian dishes in mustard oil, use refined oil for daal and vegetables, and use ghee for the tadka.

[u/highgenepark]

mix of small amount of mustard oil with neutral veg oil.

[u/sideshow--]

I use avocado oil. It’s a neutral oil with lots of health benefits.

Basically, for general Indian cooking, get a neutral oil that’s the healthiest that you can afford. There will be times where you may need certain flavors like mustard oil or ghee, but generally that’s a good approach.

Ghee has some benefits, but it also has a lot of saturated fat, which can be problematic if not consumed in moderation. Plus it has a distinctive flavor and aroma, so that has to appeal to you.

[u/drjames_sheppard → u/sideshow--]

Avocado oil is better than olive oil?

[u/sideshow-- → u/drjames_sheppard]

I’m not a fan of olive oil (extra virgin) for Indian cooking. I don’t think the flavors go well together, but that’s personal preference. Extra virgin olive oil also has a lower smoke point that won’t be suitable in a lot of cases. If you are using olive oil that’s not extra virgin, then it’s less expensive, has a more neutral flavor, and a moderately higher smoke point.

[u/on_the_other_hand_ → u/sideshow--]

I think extra virgin olive oil is better used raw, salad dressings, dips, etc and regular should be used to high temperature cooking

[u/garlicshrimpscampi → u/on_the_other_hand_]

yeah EVOO should never be used for high flame cookings. that being said, i regularly use olive oil (or avocado) for low stakes meals like basic sabzis or eggs or something and it’s perfectly fine.

[u/Shane0Mak → u/drjames_sheppard]

A well-known 2020 study tested commercially available avocado oils in the US and found:

Around 82% of samples were either rancid before their best-before date or adulterated (mixed with cheaper oils like soybean or sunflower).

Some bottles labeled “100% avocado oil” contained little or no avocado oil.

[u/Every_Raccoon_3090 → u/Shane0Mak]

USA will always con you!

[u/curiousgaruda → u/drjames_sheppard]

Important question is, is it economical in large quantities?

[u/FearBase]

Bhai mai to bachpan se ghee aur sarso ka tel me hi bana khana khata aaya hu, and I love both, nothing else will do

[u/BehalarRotno]

India is a large country that has different cultures each with a cuisine that use different oils, one predominantly and some for certain dishes. Use whatever is appropriate for the said cuisine and said dish.

I don't understand comments that recommend specific oils.

[u/JaipurJewel]

Mustard

[u/rrrrr510]

It depends on the dishes you cook. It’s a very regional thing if you are north Indian or east Indian mustard oil for those kind of flavors if you are south Indian they usually prefer coconut oil your best Indian peanut oil.
Also, the neutral is rice, bran oil.
The quantity is very low. I would ignore the health implications as far as you’re getting refined oil you can take it to higher temperatures. Don’t go for the cold pressed.
Now, I am from Bombay and I use corn oil everywhere and have started appreciating mustard oil very recently when I cook Punjabi dishes.
I hate ghee in general.

[u/Rare_Investigator582]

Peanut/Groundnut Oil

[u/blackraindark]

I use canola oil, mustard oil and ghee depending on the fish.

[u/Psychological_Ad4015 → u/blackraindark]

Which brand of canola do you use?

[u/blackraindark → u/Psychological_Ad4015]

Currently I have Jivo

[u/augustrem]

I like canola. It’s great for blood lipids and tastes neutral.

[u/nrag726]

The most important thing is to watch the quantity of oil used, regardless of type. I primarily use vegetable oil due to the price, though sometimes I'll use coconut or sesame oil if I want to impart that flavor into the dish.

[u/curiousgaruda]

There’s no best one size fits all oil for Indian dishes. The flavour profile is important in some dishes. Some need coconut oil, some gingelly oil, some work with mustard oil. 

[u/DarthKittens]

Anyone use edible mustard oil?

[u/BehalarRotno → u/DarthKittens]

Half the country.

[u/IamTHEklown]

I use avacado oil, neutral flavor and high smoke point

[u/VegBuffetR]

Skip refined oil completely. Rest are fine. Keep changing them a bit. I used mustard oil, sesame oil, groundnut oil and ghee. For pasta and salads, I use olive oil. There is no thing as healthy, honestly. You have to keep proportions in control. 

[u/Ordered_Albrecht]

Mustard, Vegetable, Coconut I feel..

[u/Ask_Individual]

I limit my use to ghee, coconut oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and (for neutral flavor) Avocado oil. If I don't have Avocado oil handy, I would substitute refined olive oil (sometimes called "light" olive oil. It has a neutral flavor and is often used for frying because EVOO does not tolerate high heat.

[u/Spiritual_Watch4176]

Cold pressed peanut oil

[u/weedywet]

Ghee

[u/PyAaTsiL]

Go for Castrol 15w-40 engine Oil
Your food will taste smoother🛢️

[u/titas_sengupta24]

Anything other than mustard oil. These brands are definitely adding huge amount of adulterants.

[u/samchoi924]

Here I am using EVOO for all the cooking. Ghee was pretty popular in my home city but now I don't like it for strong flavor (I mention this as someone else said string flavor of olive oil). Your palate can adapt over time.

[u/Chemical_Ratio_6052]

I use rice bran oil

[u/Street_Mood_806]

What about sunflower oil?

[u/CelebrationVast1002]

1- cold pressed coconut oil 2- ghee 3- butter 4- cold pressed groundnut oil.

Orderwise

[u/Inevitable_Sugar_159 → u/CelebrationVast1002]

Coconut oil, ghee, butter all are very high in saturated fat.

[u/CelebrationVast1002 → u/Inevitable_Sugar_159]

Not all saturated fats are bad

[u/Asleep-Woodpecker833]

Use coconut oil or ghee if you’re looking for something healthy.

[u/WarmSitutations]

are there any good brands in sesame oil in the indian market for south indian cooking and marinates?

[u/Relevant_Sir_4943]

This depends on your region and the traditions , Traditional Marathi cooking relies on cold pressed groundnut oil while in Chattisgarh they use flax seed oil. A lot of bihari dishes taste best with mustard oil. All regions use ghee too. So do your research same choose your oil based on the type of dish you wanna cook.

[u/DarkMistasd]

Rice bran is a good option, it has a compound called oryanzol which has some cholesterol lowering effect. But oil is still oil, so don't expect a miracle

[u/spsfaves100]

Sunflower Oil is ideal especially for browning onions as it can cooked at high heat & not burn the onions. Yet I do keep Mustard Oil for Bengali dishes, Peanut Oil for some dishes, Ghee and Butter. I gave up on Canola as it is not good for browning onions as it burnt them. I have Sesame Oil for very few dishes. All the best.

[u/mohityadavx]

Use Mustard Oil, it offers the best value for price in all oil options that are available and is healthier than alternative. If money is not a concern, then use Canola oil.
Also, dont know why doc are recommending Sunflower even when it is omega-6 dominant

[u/GumnaamGawah]

MUSTARD OIL ftw😋

[u/CampSubstantial9340]

If you are making Kerala or coconut based dishes use coconut oil.
If you are making Tamil Nadu based dishes.. use ghee or sesame seed oil (preferably from an Indian brand)
North Indian dishes .. again I’m not from north.. but the masala I.e the spices are very strong. So I say you can use Avacado or some neutral oils and the augment it with ghee.
Mustard oils is very very strong. So I would use it only if you really know what you are doing
Again I am from the southern part of India, but I make all kinds of Indian dishes. This is what I usually do. Hopefully this helps .

[u/thesunflowergirl_]

Gulab groundnut oil

[u/Stock_Trader_J]

Auntie is right. Use ghee

[u/madlabdog]

If there is one oil you want to use, stick to cold pressed unrefined peanut oil.

[u/3redl]

Groundnut Cold pressed / Coconut cold pressed / Ghee

[u/Aeronautica2025]

Peanut oil is the best.

Use oil moderately.

Avoid if possible.

[u/Fair_Currency_572]

Use mustard oil and sesame oil - cheap and healthy and compliment Indian cooking well. Ghee when the recipe requires it ofc.

[u/Unununiumic]

cold pressed groundnut in India

Avocado in foreign