cooking oil, butter or margarine?

My husband has cholesterol and I have diabetes so in the last year or so we have become more conscious of what oils we use for cooking. We tend to use sunflower oil which is better for you than vegetable oil and for a while we used olive oil, which is quite expensive, till we found out recently that olive oil isn't exactly that good for your health either! We use as little oil as possible these days in cooking just to be on the safe side but sometimes it feels like we're fighting a losing battle. If you give up all the nice tasting things in life, one wonders what is the point if you can't enjoy some naughty foods sometimes LOL! From wikipedia: "Diet and cardiovascular benefits Sunflower oil is high in the essential vitamin E and low in saturated fat. The two most common types of sunflower oil are linoleic and high oleic. Linoleic sunflower oil is a common cooking oil that has high levels of the essential fatty acids called polyunsaturated fat. It is also known for having a clean taste and low levels of trans fat. High oleic sunflower oils are classified as having monounsaturated levels of 80% and above. Newer versions of sunflower oil have been developed as a hybrid containing linoleic acid. They have monounsaturated levels lower than other oleic sunflower oils. The hybrid oil also has lower saturated fat levels than linoleic sunflower oil. Sunflower oil of any kind has been shown to have cardiovascular benefits as well. Diets combined with a low fat content and high levels of oleic acid have been suggested to lower cholesterol which, in turn, results in a smaller risk of heart disease. Sunflower oils fit this criteria. Studies of adults suggested that a balanced diet in which small quantities of saturated fats are replaced with sunflower oil has detectable cholesterol-reducing benefits. Research suggests that lower cholesterol levels can be caused by balances of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Sunflower oil may help with this balance."

margarine is bad for you !!! butter that starts to turn brown in pan is bad for you..coconut oil is healthy to cook with....read "politically incorrect nutrition" they're now saying olive oil isn't that good for you...

I use vegetable oil, like soya bean oil for frying. It contains polyunsaturated fats which lowers the overall cholesterol level, but it also reduces HDL or good cholesterol. Recommended daily allowances of polyunsaturated fats should be part of a balanced diet, but some tests have shown that high consumption may actually be damaging to the digestion and nervous systems, so moderation is the key for a balanced and healthy diet.

It depends on what I'm cooking but I usually use olive oil. I fry eggs and potatoes in butter or margarine though.Sometimes I'll add alittle butter at the very end of cooking just to add that flavor in.

I use Canola oil which is the best for heart. We have been using this oil since few years now. There are many other oils which are good for heart. I use butter some times with bread or some dishes which require that. Whatever you use, check if it is good for your heart nor not. Take care.

butter is healthy but i guess not too much of it, margarine is lite but without the goodness of butter. olive oil is really healthy but for certain dishes the taste is bland. mustard oil is also healthy adn has a great taste. smiles, apple.

I usually use olive oil or vegetable oil. I didn't think butter or margarine were any better for you, because of the trans fats.

I use olive oil but here in Canada we get the cheap olive oil the ones in the large tins and I use it for frying. I also use soft margarine, the kind with no trans fats. I would love to use butter but it so expensive, and when it is on sale, I can usually get only two pounds at a time, so cannot stock up on it. We used to use Canola oil, but did not like the taste and to me it seemed that it was more a loyal thing ==if you are Canadian, you HAVE to use Canola oil. I have used Safflower oil, but I have never used Peanut oil, because there are so many people allergic to peanuts, that I do not want to take any chances.

I use margarine or butter too, it depends,like margarine for fried rice, butter for vegetables,but for fish or chicken or pork,I used canola oil,it is much cheaper and a lot healthier.

It depends on what I am cooking, if it's an egg, I use butter or margarine, but mostly I use vegetable oil. I do want to lose weight though, so I have been thinking about switching to olive oil or canola oil, depending on which ever one is the least expensive...

i like butter the best!! with the aroma, my gulay!

Olive, Canola or Vegetable Oil. Of course, certain recipes that call for cooking in certain oils or media like corn oil or butter can become weird if you use a different oil.

i think cooking with oil is good, if the oil have omega 3 and 6 can make our body is good, if i cook with margarine is not good for me, i think