Quality cooking oil is important for health as well as the taste of food. Many people prefer the flavor of a certain cooking oil and use it exclusively. For a balanced diet, however, nutritionists recommend using a variety of oils from different sources, especially plants.

Some oils are better than others. The very best oils for your heart are extra virgin, cold-pressed olive oil and canola oil, they help decrease the "bad" low density lipoprotein cholesterol, among many other things.

The very worst oil in significant amounts is lard from animal fat that contributes to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and blood fat. It's tasty and much-used for deep-frying and some animal fat is necessary, but don't overdo it.

Different plant oils have different health benefits. According to Professor Xia Xiang, vice president of the Shanghai Dietary Therapy Research Institute animal oils have been kicked out of many health-conscious people's diet because they're loaded with saturated fats.

Olive oil and sesame oil are good choices for cooking, salad dressing and seasoning. Unfortunately, animal oil is considered irreplaceable for deep-fried foods.

All rancid oils should be thrown out. Always check the production dates and don't store any oil for a long time. Fresh oil is a must for health.

Soybean oil

Soybean oil is the most popular cooking oil for Chinese people, and soybeans are good for you. Refined soybean oil is usually yellow with a soy smell. It is rich in vitamins E and D, as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids. And the bean phospholipids benefit the brain and nerves.

Cooking regularly with soybean oil can help improve immunity, aid in weight loss and help with high blood pressure and heart problems.