Preparing a delicious meal can be a task, especially when the aim is to make it as nutritious and healthy as possible. Nutritionists have warned us against using too much fat in our cooking, and it is best to avoid using animal and dairy fats. However there are some good fats in the form of fruit, seed, nut and vegetable oils which are not just nutritious but also delicious.

Olive Oil – Olive oil can also come in the Extra Virgin form which means that it is unrefined. Olive oil is perfect to use for frying and to make the base for sauces such as mayonnaise and tomato sauces for pasta dishes. Extra Virgin Olive oil is more delicate so should avoid being heated as it can burn easily and this destroys the taste. Instead use it to make salad dressings, and it is perfect to dip fresh crusty bread into, accompanied with balsamic vinegar. As a fat it is highly calorific, but it does contain unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats as well as essential omega 3 fatty acids.

Sesame Oil – Sesame Oil gives that perfect and authentic Asian flavour to stir fries. Traditional used for frying in South India and as a flavour enhancer in China and Korea. Dark sesame oil is not appropriate for frying as light sesame is, but instead can be used as a seasoning and for pickling.

Almond Oil – Almond Oil has a plethora of uses that are not just of the culinary type; similar to the more expensive walnut oil, it is a sweet addition to baking & dessert recipe’s, almond oil makes delicious almond paste for frangipani and tasty salad dressings. Its sweet aroma and kindness to the skin also makes it an ideal base for natural and organic cosmetics such as massage oil and face creams.

Vegetable/Sunflower Oil – This oil is best used for frying: eggs, chips, fish, Tempura, whatever; it can also be great to use when roasting potatoes or other root vegetables to make them super crispy. Use it sparingly and wisely, although it does still contains some good fats.

Avocado Oil – Bursting with omega 3 good fatty acids, like the fruit from which it derives Avocado oil can be a health giving alternative to other oils. It can be used on salads as a tasty dressing or as a base for sauces, adding bite to guacamole and mayonnaise.

Truffle Oil – This unusual oil can be added to pasta’s, risottos and other food to give it that earthy truffle taste, to add the flavour of Truffle’s without the expense. Truffle oil tends to be made synthetically recreating the taste and aroma of truffles without using actual truffles but instead using the exact same organic chemical compounds. This recreates the real taste of truffles at a far lower price. Sometimes good truffle oil can be harder to source than the rest of the oils listed, so online companies such as truffle enthusiasts Truffle Hunter are a good place to purchase if you want to add some real decadence to your cooking.