Best Cooking Oil For Diabetes

Cooking oils are an essential part of any diet that needs to provide the necessary amount of fats your body needs daily.

2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended that 20-35% of a person's daily calories should be from fats. The cooking oils we use daily can satisfy this dietary requirement. But a lot of cooking oils that are available in the market are downright unhealthy with high amounts of saturated fats that can cause more harm than good especially to those living with diabetes.

It is imperative to choose a suitable cooking oil that does not cause blood sugar level spikes and increase LDL cholesterols.

So here we have a list of the 10 best cooking oils for diabetics to help you choose.

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What's Inside

1 10 Best Cooking Oils for Diabetics You can Find Online
- 1.1 1. Avocado Oil:
- 1.2 2. Olive Oil
- 1.3 3. Canola Oil:
- 1.4 4. Macadamia Nut Oil
- 1.5 5. Rice Bran Oil:
- 1.6 6. Sunflower Oil:
- 1.7 7. Safflower oil:
- 1.8 8. Coconut Oil:
- 1.9 9. Ghee or Clarified Butter:
- 1.10 10. Peanut Oil
2 Consider While you Purchase Cooking Oils
3 Related Topics Users Might be Interested In
- 3.1 What is the best cooking oil for diabetics?
- 3.2 Is canola oil good for diabetics?
- 3.3 Is mustard oil good for diabetics?
- 3.4 Is olive oil bad for diabetics?
- 3.5 Is palm oil good for diabetics?
- 3.6 Is rice bran oil good for diabetics?

10 Best Cooking Oils for Diabetics You can Find Online

These are the best cooking oils for diabetics to have in 2021.

Avocado oil
Olive Oil
Canola Oil
Macadamia Nut Oil
Rice Brain Oil
Sunflower Oil
Safflower Oil
Coconut Oil
Ghee or Clarified Butter
Peanut Oil

1. Avocado Oil:

Surprisingly, the health benefits of Avocado oils are still yet to be recognized properly. They are rich in heart-healthy oleic acids that are extremely beneficial for diabetics in regulating blood sugar by preventing sugar spikes.

They are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids that are known to lower blood pressure levels and reduce your risk of developing coronary artery diseases.

The vitamin E that's packed inside this oil acts as an antioxidant that's beneficial to your hair health by promoting circulation to your scalp.

High lutein content found in this oil is a carotenoid that promotes healthy skin development as well.

The high smoke point of this oil (430-520° F), makes it one of the best options for deep frying and grilling, so it's very safe for cooking.

BetterBody Foods Avocado Oil : A naturally refined, Non-GMO, Gluten-free variant. And it boasts an impressive 500°F smoke point so it will be very efficient for all kinds of cooking.

2. Olive Oil

Olive oil is generally considered to be one of the healthiest fats on the planet. A recent study was conducted at Sapienza university in Romen that experimented with olive oils to find out the rise in blood sugar levels after eating food cooked with separate oils. It was found that the rise in blood sugar levels was the least after meals cooked with extra virgin olive oil. The most important finding however was the reduced levels of LDL cholesterol associated with the olive oil meals.

Altogether it seems like olive oils are probably the best option for those with diabetes. But the vast medical benefits of olive oil continue to cover other areas such as being good for digestion, promoting brain health, and are found to be good on your skin by being good moisturizers and working as anti-agers by reducing wrinkles.

La Tourangelle – Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This is a certified non-GMO and gluten-free item that is capable of handling a variety of your everyday cooking needs ranging from salad dressing to medium-high roasting.

3. Canola Oil:

A study conducted by David Jenkins in Toronto, Canada, concluded that "Canola oil may lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. Canola oil rich in Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids can reduce the concentration of triglyceride and thereby, reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes".

Canola oil is also found to have one of the least the amount of saturated fat compared to other common edible oil with just 7% of its total volume being such fats. That's less than half of the number of saturated fats found in olive oil.

They also have very high smoke points (428-446° F) so they are safe for frying and grilling at high temperatures. This is surely one of the most versatile cooking oils in the market today.

Crisco Pure Canola Oil: This is a premium grade cooking oil that can cover almost all of your cooking needs and it comes with no additives or preservatives, no cholesterol, and very low in saturated fat.

4. Macadamia Nut Oil

They are rich in healthful monounsaturated fats (they make up 80% of the total fats) that are known to reduce risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome comprises of risk factors such as high blood sugar and cholesterol levels that raise your risk of developing stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

Macadamia oil is known to reduce bad LDL cholesterol levels and prevent spikes in blood sugar levels so they are very good for people living with diabetes.

They are also known to be loaded with antioxidants and boasts some of the best highest levels of flavonoids among all other kinds of tree nut oils. This helps to neutralize free radicals that are some of the main culprits of directly causing cellular damage that increases your risk of conditions like diabetes.

They are generally good as cooking oil, especially for frying, baking, and grilling, because of its safe smoke point of 410° F.

Oils of Aloha Macadamia Nut Cooking Oil Infused with Garlic: Expeller pressed with about 80% monounsaturated fat makes this one of the healthiest cooking oils here. It is perfect for stir-frying because of its high smoke point and will provide a nice flavor and aroma if used as salad dressings.

5. Rice Bran Oil:

They are extracted from rice bran, a by-product of rice milling. They were usually used to feed animals or discarded as waste but its potential health benefits as oil have recently become evident.

Various studies conducted on mice and humans have shown evidence of rice bran oil being able to maintain healthy blood sugar levels without affecting insulin. This is the main reason why it's a superfood for diabetics.

They seem to be good for regulating healthy cholesterol levels as well by being able to reduce the bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and increasing the good (HDL) cholesterol levels. They are well suited for all kinds of cooking as well because of its high relatively high smoke point of 450° F.

Tophe – Rice Bran oil: This is a 100% non-GMO certified product with a smoke point of 490°F, making it very versatile and safe for your cooking needs. High vitamin E levels present makes it suitable for massages as well.

6. Sunflower Oil:

Sunflower oil comes packed with high levels of oleic acid (monounsaturated fatty acid) that are extremely beneficial in maintaining good cholesterol levels and preventing many cardiovascular diseases.

They generally have a high smoke point of 441°F and other variants such as semirefined and neutralized etc, will provide higher smoke points (450°F – 489°F). But it is found to be unstable at times during high heating and produces aldehydes which can be harmful so it is advised to be used in gentle cooking.

It is rich in various other beneficial nutrients such as vitamins A, and E which helps in promoting skin health by acting as antioxidants that can also strengthen the cell membranes in your body to boost your immune systems.

Native Harvest Expeller Pressed Sunflower Oil: This is 100% non-GMO certified and can handle high-heat cooking. It is expeller-pressed so it is devoid of harmful chemicals and produces a delicate flavor also

7. Safflower oil:

A recent study published in the journal 'Clinical nutrition' showed that consistent use of safflower oil in your diet can help stabilize blood sugar levels and keep type 2 diabetes under control.

It has a very high smoke that can range from 440°F to 520°F which makes it an excellent choice for cooking in high heat such as deep frying or baking. Safflower has a milder flavor than other oils like olive and coconut that makes it even more apt for pan-frying, deep-frying, or baking.

It is also very stable in high heat as it doesn't produce harmful free radicals either, making it one of the safest cooking oils for that purpose. It is also known to reduce bad LDL cholesterols and increase good HDL, thereby creating a good balance of healthy cholesterols in your system.
Other benefits include high vitamin E content, known to beneficial to your skin and in supporting your immune system.

Saffola 100% Safflower Oil: It has no cholesterol and low in saturated fat. The high smoke point makes it suitable for all kinds of everyday use in the kitchen. Comes in a 1-gallon bottle so it lasts long.

Oléico – High Oleic Safflower Oil 1 Gallon: it is high in oleic safflower oil. it is odorless and flavorless so its perfect for frying and salad dressings. Certified non-GMO.

8. Coconut Oil:

Coconut oil is known to be rich in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that are an essential component of a ketogenic diet.

These MCTs are broken down easily in the body and are converted into ketones by the liver. Ketones are known to increase energy levels, boosting brain health, and even aiding weight loss.

Coconut oil contains natural saturated fats that are known to increase the good cholesterols (HDL) in the body. This helps to boost heart health and keep away many forms of cardiovascular diseases.

The lauric acid present in coconut oil is converted into monolaurin by your body which is known to have antimicrobial effects such as killing harmful bacteria, viruses, and fungi. They also have a comparatively high smoke point of 450°F that is ideally suited for all kinds of cooking.

Carrington Farms Coconut oil: It claims to have 5 times more MCT than traditional virgin coconut oil. It is gluten-free, hexane-free, and certified non-GMO.

9. Ghee or Clarified Butter:

The only drawback of using ghee is the number of saturated fats present in them. But using ghee in moderation has additional benefits for diabetics.
Nutritionist Shilpa Arora claims that "adding ghee to the rice may help the diabetics to digest the sugar from the rice effectively". When added to high glycaemic foods, they are known to reduce the impact of carbohydrates on your blood and helps avoid spikes in your blood sugar levels.

Ghee is extremely popular for its ability in aiding digestion, known to smoothen the digestive tract, and even help relieve constipation from following certain diabetic diets as well.

They are also rich in a bunch of other healthy nutrients such as vitamins A, B, and K which has attracted keto dieters as well.

With its 482°F smoke point, it's a definite option for high heat cooking as well.

4th & Heart – Original grass-fed Ghee: lactose-free and contains the goodness from grass-fed cows. It is also certified non-GMO, gluten-free, and real Kosher dairy.

10. Peanut Oil

Also known as groundnut oil or Arachis oil. They are rich in both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, both of which are found to be effective in controlling blood sugar levels and maintaining healthy LDL and HDL ratios.

They are also high in vitamin E which brings a multitude of benefits. Mainly, it acts as an antioxidant that protects the body from harmful free radicals. The vitamin E present in peanut oil can help boost our immune systems and engages in red blood cell formation which is essential for preventing blood clots in your body.

Although it has a significantly high smoke point of 441-445°F, the large amount of polyunsaturated fats makes it unstable in high heat and also being prone to oxidation it can create free radicals easily. So it is better used for gentle cooking and salad dressing.

Amazon Brand – Happy Belly Peanut Oil: Comes in a 1-gallon bottle that will last long. It is great for cooking and frying and contains 0-trans fats.

Consider While you Purchase Cooking Oils

factors to consider while selecting cooking oils

Whichever one you choose it is always important to understand what all you need to be looking for when purchasing a cooking oil.

Generally, you need to be looking for oils that have:

High smoke point: High smoke points will ensure that you don't burn the oil while you cook. Burning the oil can release harmful free radicals into your food. Avocado, Safflower, and Coconut oils have some of the highest and most stable smoke points.
Healthy Omega 6- Omega 3 ratios: Omega 3 are the healthy fats while omega 6 are unhealthier for cooking oils. While a 1:1 ratio is ideal, none has that. The best choices in these terms seem to be Canola, Olive, and Safflower oils.
Less Saturated Fats: Saturated fats in oils are unhealthy. Canola, Safflower, and Sunflower oils have the least amounts of this fat.

Too much of any oil is bad for your health anyway. It is better to use multiple oils interchangeably for each meal to derive the best benefits out of fats in your diet.

What is the best cooking oil for diabetics?

The best cooking oils that we recommend for diabetics are avocado oil, olive oil, canola oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, and peanut oil.

Is canola oil good for diabetics?

Researches suggest that canola oil may be one of the oils of choice for people with type 2 diabetes. It may lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes and can reduce the concentration of triglyceride. So canola oil is good for those who switch to a diet low in sugars and high in healthy fats.

Is mustard oil good for diabetics?

Mustard oil is good for diabetics as they are low in carbs and fat. Usually, people with type 2 diabetes use mustard oil. It also protects against cardiovascular ailments by reducing LDL and increasing HDL. thus helps to control blood sugar levels in diabetics.

Is olive oil bad for diabetics?

Olive oil is found to make a rise in blood sugar level and therefore Olive Oil is bad for diabetics. It also reduces the level of LDL cholesterol. Studies found that those who have diets rich in olive oil, do not have their blood glucose controlled.

Is palm oil good for diabetics?

Yes, palm oil is beneficial in the diabetic state as it reduces blood glucose levels and enhances antioxidant status. Palm oil contains monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that are beneficial to health.

Is rice bran oil good for diabetics?

Rice bran oil is good for diabetics. It may support healthy blood sugar levels by improving insulin resistance which is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. This also helps to lower your blood sugar level by transporting sugar into your cells.