As Malaysians, we love to eat! And that also means some of us would actually learn how to cook so that we are able to satisfy our own cravings whenever we want to! But when it comes to cooking oil, there are so many options made available in the market – we’re not too sure which would be the best option for us to use. 

Fret not, Hera Health has come up with the top 5 best oils for cooking or simply to drizzle on other dishes too! 

Best Cooking Oil Malaysia

1. Olive Oil (Best for: Roasting, sautéing)

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Let’s be real – head over to your kitchen right now and you’ll realise there’s at least one bottle of olive oil right? (Unless you live without your parents of course, but if you do live with them, they probably have it!)

Also known as one of the healthiest oils, olive oil is pretty much very versatile because it can be used for almost any recipe thanks to the smoke point of 176°C. 

What makes olive oil a common staple in every kitchen is that it offers a grassy or peppery kind of flavour while also containing an antioxidant, which is Vitamin E.

Salad lovers would know this by heart – olive oil makes the perfect salad dressing too! 

2. Red Palm Oil (Best for: baking, general cooking)

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In general, palm oil offers a bland taste. There are several types of palm oil, but the type of palm oil that is hugely beneficial would be red palm oil. 

Now, hold your horses – don’t get shocked about the colour! Palm oil contains plant pigments known as ‘carotenoids’ which gives off the unique orange-red colour. 

The best red palm oil would be none other than Harvist Red Palm Oil! You probably would’ve seen it around your favourite go-to grocery stores. 

Now, why should you consider using Red Palm Oil despite it giving off a natural ‘red’ colouring to our food? Well, it’s loaded with vitamin E and A, squalene, co-Q10 which helps to improve your immune system, overall vision, as well as prevent ageing, cardiovascular diseases and Alzheimer disease. 

Need we say more? If all that doesn’t convince you to start cooking with Harvist Red Palm Oil, then you are definitely missing out on living a healthy life ahead of you! 

3. Coconut Oil (Best for: Baking, sautéing, frying, Indian or Thai cuisine)

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Aside from drinking and eating coconut, it comes in the form of cooking oil too! There are two types of coconut oil though, which are extra virgin (kind of a coconut-taste) and refined (more neutral taste). 

If you need to cook your dishes in high heat, coconut oil would be your best bet! But if you do your own research, you may find that coconut oil is high in saturated fat (which is something we want to avoid, right?). 

However, thanks to the heat-resistant properties, you can say goodbye to harmful bacteria and say hello to improved cholesterol and metabolism!  

4. Avocado Oil (Best for: Stir-fry)

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Avocado oil has a higher smoking point, meaning it can be cooked with higher heat and making it perfect for stir-frys, especially because it doesn’t offer much flavour when cooking. It is also packed with Vitamin E. 

5. Sunflower Oil (Best for: Frying, Salad Dressing and Baking)

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Sunflower oil is probably found in most common households. It comes from pressed seeds of a sunflower. You might notice that sunflower oil is usually used as frying oil as it possesses a high smoke point as well as a neutral flavour, making it more of a natural oil so it wouldn’t affect the taste of the dish much. 

What makes sunflower oil great is that it is low in saturated fat as well as high in polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids. 

They are known to lower the level of cholesterol and triglycerides found in the blood, thus reducing the chance of heart disease. Yes, you might actually live a little longer on this earth thanks to this cooking oil!