Options for replacing sunflower oil in frying

It looks like a “déjà-vu” from the beginning of the pandemic, because of the empty shelves in the supermarket and hoarding purchases. But this time, instead of toilet paper, the object of desire is sunflower oil.

Many countries depend on sunflower oil from Ukraine, one of the main producers of sunflower oil, which is why consumers are increasingly concerned about finding a substitute oil for frying. But there are good alternatives.

One option to replace sunflower oil is, for example, refined rapeseed oil. as noted by nutrition experts.

Thanks to the refining process, which separates unwanted substances, the oil is heat stable and, at the same time, relatively neutral in taste. Therefore, it is suitable for frying, sautéing, salad dressing or baking.

At the same time, rapeseed oil contains more omega-3 fatty acids than sunflower oil, so it is important for metabolism.

You can also use olive oil. However, cooks need to be a little more careful when heating it up.

In the case of cold-pressed olive oil, that is, virgin olive oil, experts argue that it is not very effective to heat it to very high temperatures because this destroys the aromatic substances that had previously been secured in the extraction process.

Therefore, an alternative to sunflower oil is refined olive oil.

The so-called smoke point indicates when an oil reached too high a temperature. From this temperature water, free fatty acids and degradation products evaporate and smoke is formed.

In the process, oils can develop harmful substances such as acrolein and, at the same time, easily ignite. This can be recognized by a dark discoloration of the oil and an unpleasant smell.

Experts specify a guideline value of 200 degrees for heating refined oils. For virgin oils, the indicated temperature is lower, between 120 and 190 degrees.

However, nutritionists advise against changing the smoke point with the help of water, as this is a very technical process. As a practical tip to save money, they recommend using well-coated pans to use less oil.

dpa