Best Cooking Oil: Our bodies aren’t the same all year round so why should the oil we use be? According to Ayurveda, every season affects our body differently, and the oils we cook with or apply should support that natural shift. In this piece of information, we shall be discussing on cooking oils. This will tackle your questions like which oil is best for cooking, how important are oils, and many more doubts.
Ayurveda’s Perspective on Oil
Ayurveda considers that, we are made primarily of fat: ‘snehasaroyam purusa’. No biochemical reaction or any function of cells can occur in the body without fats.
According to Ayurveda, a fat must have the qualities of snigdha (unctuousness), manda (slow), mridu(soft), sukshma( subtle), sheeta(cool).
Importance of Cooking Oil
Ayurveda says each body has a unique energy constitution of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha which is called Prakriti. Just like that, each oil has a unique energy and if doesn’t match, your body will resist it. You might argue that your body isn’t experiencing any major changes. But you will be surprised to know that the kind of oil you cook directly affects your digestion, skin, hair, immunity, and reproductive health. It doesn’t harm you instantly but harms you like a slow poison and you start experiencing issues like constipation, hairfall etc.
Having said that, it’s also important to note that a single oil might not be appropriate for everyone in every season. In summer, when the body heats up and inflammation rises, coconut oil brings a calming, cooling effect.
During winter, when dryness and stiffness take over, warm oils deeply nourishes our skin. In monsoons, groundnut oil balances the system and helps in digestion. These aren’t just oils they’re ancient tools of healing, rooted in generations of lived wisdom.
Digital Detox With Ayurveda: A Comprehensive Guide To Rewire Your Tech Habits
How To Choose Best Cooking Oil For You?
Okay, real talk, there’s no “best” cooking oil out there. You have to figure out what actually works for your body. Don’t just jump on some health trends because a random influencer said so. Ayurveda’s been saying this forever: listen to your gut (literally), pay attention, and pick your food with some common sense. Your body knows what’s up, way better than some trending article.
It’s about considering your body type (Prakriti), digestion power (Agni), and Dosha imbalances. Here are a few general tips:
For Vata Prakriti, Vata Dominant Season
- Best: Sesame oil, Almond Oil
- Worst: Mustard oil and coconut oil(too cooling)
Pitta Prakriti, Pitta Dominant Season
- Best: Ghee, Coconut Oil, Sunflower Oil
- Worst: Mustard Oil (too heating)
Kapha Prakriti, Kapha Dominant Season
- Best: Mustard Oil, Flaxseed Oil
- Worst: Coconut Oil, Olive (too heavy)
Now, if you live alone then you can choose the best cooking oil according to your Prakriti. But if you live in a joint family like most of the Indians, it’s practically not possible to cook food for each member in different oil according to their Prakriti. The lady in your kitchen will probably kick you out or stop giving you food.
Best Cooking Oils
Ayurveda has a solution for that as well. In Charaka Samhita, Acharya Charaka have mentioned best (shrestha) oil and worst (nindeet) oil for every season and each prakriti.
Sesame oil is the best of all oils whereas safflower is the worst as considered by Acharyas.
Here’s the list of top picks cooking oil:
Ghee: Ghee is a type of clarified butter that Ayurveda views as a very healthy cooking medium. It has a host of wonderful health benefits. It is good for blood, muscles, bones, and reproductive health. It is Rasayana or rejuvenating, anti-aging, good for healthy eyes, improves intellect and memory, health digestion, vitality or Ojas, and health of the skin.
Ghee may have we will health benefits and generally it not contraindicated and good for everyone as added healthy fats for improving gut health. But it needs to be used with caution for the person who has the chronic signs of excessive indigestion and stubborn stomach issues and disturbances.
Sesame oil: Sesame oil is the oil if you want better absorption of nutrients and an improved digestion. It acts sharp (Tikshna) and penetrating qualities (Sukshma) are good for strengthening the Agni (digestive fire) positively. Overall it is good for your health but are not good if you are experiencing excess cooling and heat in the body.
Coconut oil: Coconut oil is your friend if you have any gastric issues. It cools the body and helps improve digestion. However, it is not the oil you want to use if are trying to lose weight.
Coconut oil is another wonderful oil that is especially ideal for those who live in hot climates. The oil itself is cooling to the body and is more suited for individuals with aggravated Pitta dosha.
Oils to Avoid Regularly
Mustard Oil: Mustard oil is a great oil if you are diabetic but it can be devastating for people with skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema; it can cause flare-ups! So if you have skin conditions, absolutely avoid Mustard oil.
Olive Oil: Olive oil is not an Indian product. So, I have not come across any references to it in Ayurveda. Wherever I’ve seen it used, it should be maxed out in the moderation range. I wouldn’t use it to cook with. It has great flavor and is best suited for lightly cooked foods, as a salad dressing or on top of hummus.
Refined Oil: Canola, safflower, and many other vegetable oils are also refined oils that are so over-processed and unhealthy! Completely avoid these oils. Mustard oil and these refined oils are all highly-heating oils which mean they can aggravate Pitta Dosha. Using regularly might cause skin irritation, indigestion, ulcers, excessive body heat, or even other diseases in the future. If you have been using these oils for a long time, you can gradually transition to healthier oils like ghee or sesame oil.
Grain Oil: Many grain oils, such as rice bran oil, can be promoted as healthy, but Ayurveda has a different opinion. They are often good for application to the body for topical uses – such as for itching or dry skin or a carrier in oils – but shouldn’t necessarily be used for cooking.
How These Oils Harm Your Body?
All fats we eat (good and bad) are taken up in the intestine and carried in a protein casing. This complex with fats encased in proteins is called a ‘lipoprotein’: the proteins on the outside serve to transport the fat, but also serve as a navigation system to guide the fat to hungry tissues by sending signals. However, if the fat we ate was either refined or heated, for example, the navigation proteins would be oxidized and the complex lipoprotein would behave like a wanderer, as its navigational capabilities are lost. No tissue is wanting these lipoproteins anymore, and as a result, the complex would eventually empty their contents into the blood vessel, at which point the fat would begin adherent to the inner lining of the blood vessels. The inner lining would also be oxidized by this fat to the point that upon bypass surgeries, the oxidized inner lining of blood vessels would look like fried chicken skin, as some heart surgeons have noted.
I guess by now you know what you have to do. Share this with your mother or anyone who cooks for you if you are not the one cooking for yourself. Ghee, sesame oil and coconut oils, have been used for thousands of years and have amazing health benefits. But if you have been using a different oils for years and it serves you well, that’s okay. Ayurvedic medicine accepts a person’s habits and balance. In fact, my famiy, for years and for countless health benefits, love to use mustard oil. If our health is not compromised in any way, I likely suggest them to keep consuming it.
By choosing oils according to season and body type, we don’t just nourish ourselves we restore balance, energy, and connection with nature. It’s not just a guide; it’s a quiet return to how our ancestors lived with rhythm, intention, and care.
