Fats, oils & sauces
Which oil to fry with, which sauce is lighter, and why fat is not scary.
Fat is not the villain: which kind, how much, and how to cook with it
One tablespoon of oil has almost the calories of 100g of rice. Which fats your body needs, how much to eat, which oil for which job, and where fat hides best.
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Why does lard set solid while cooking oil stays runny? Saturated, unsaturated and trans fat explained
Lard turns solid in the fridge while soybean oil stays runny. The secret is the shape of the fat chain. Saturated, unsaturated and trans fat made easy.
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A smoking pan is a cry for help: smoke points and picking the right oil for each dish
Why a smoking pan stings your eyes, a smoke point chart for common cooking oils in Vietnam, and why picking a frying or salad oil takes more than one number.
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Can you fry with olive oil? The Spanish have been frying fish in it for centuries
They say olive oil is only for salads and frying ruins it. The smoke point doesn't tell the whole story. How to read extra virgin, light and pomace labels.
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What is omega-3? Why salmon is rich in it even though it never makes any
Salmon doesn't make omega-3, it gets it from algae. What omega-3 and omega-6 are, how ALA, EPA and DHA differ, how much fish a week, and plant-based sources.
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What is mayonnaise made of? Three quarters of the jar is oil, and you never notice
Regular mayo is about 75% oil, so one tablespoon is nearly 100 calories. Why oil and vinegar agree to mix, what bánh mì egg butter is, and how to read labels.
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Less oil, and mayo runs like water: the emulsion science behind low-fat creamy sauces
Cut the oil in mayo and it thins out instantly. Why the number 74% matters, three ways to keep low-fat creamy sauces thick, and what fills the gap on the label.
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Eggless vegan mayo: what keeps the oil and water hugging?
Without egg yolk, vegan mayo uses soy, tofu, even chickpea cooking water to emulsify. The science, how to make it at home, and why vegan isn't always lighter.
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Skipping salad dressing to be healthy? Your body might be missing half the plate
Greens with zero fat make fat-soluble vitamins hard to absorb. Vinaigrette, roasted sesame and yogurt dressings compared by the tablespoon, plus mixing tips.
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Frying oil as dark as coffee: what happens when you reuse it again and again?
Every batch ages frying oil a little, through heat, oxygen and water from food. Six signs to toss it, why there's no fixed number of uses, and how to store it.
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Oil labeled "cholesterol free": true, but like bottled water labeled "boneless"
Your body makes most of the cholesterol it needs. How cholesterol on your plate differs from blood cholesterol, which Vietnamese foods are high, and eggs.
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A handful of nuts is almost a bowl of rice: the fat story of sesame, peanuts and nuts
Most nuts and seeds are about half fat. Calories in a handful, why almonds give fewer calories than the label says, and how to eat and store nuts properly.
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