There are many cooking oils to choose from

Fat is a natural and necessary part of  anyone's diet. Butter is saturated fat. Margarine is polyunsaturated. Liquid vegetable oils, such as corn oil, are low in saturated fat and contain no cholesterol. No matter what oil you choose, you still have to be careful. Too much of anything is not good and too much oil, no matter what kind, is still fat. Just one tablespoon has 13.6 grams of fat and 120 calories. However, for those times when you do need a little oil for cooking, know that some oils are better than others for cooking healthy and light. 

Canola Oil

Low in saturated fats and rich in monounsaturated fats, canola oil also contains alpha-linolenic acid, an essential omega-3 fat that is deficient in most people's diets. Canola oil has a very mild, bland taste, so it is a good all-purpose oil for cooking and baking when you want no interfering flavors.

Olive Oil

Rich in monounsaturated fat, olive oil also contains phytochemicals that may help lower blood cholesterol levels and protect against cancer. Unlike most vegetable oils, which are very bland, olive oil adds its own delicious flavor to foods.

Sesame Oil

Sesame oil has a rich, nutty flavor that enhances the flavors of many foods. When used in small amounts, it adds a distinctive taste without adding excessive fat.

Soybean Oil

Most vegetable oils are made from soybean oil. It is an ingredient in many brands of margarine, mayonnaise and salad dressing. It supplies a fair amount of omega-3 fat, though not as much as canola and walnut oils. Like canola oil, soybean oil has a bland flavor.

Walnut Oil

With a delicate nutty flavor, walnut oil is an excellent choice for baking, cooking, and salad making. Like canola oil, walnut oil contains a substantial amount of omega-3 fats. Most brands of walnut oil have been only minimally processed and can turn rancid quickly. Once opened, it should be refrigerated.

Palm Oil

Is probably the most widely produced vegetable oil in the world. However, the jury is still out on how healthy it is. The palm oil industry emphasizes that palm oil contains large quantities of oleic acid, the healthful fatty acid also found in olive and canola oil. But many health authorities counter that palm oil promotes heart disease, citing research that goes back to the 1970s.

Vegetable Oil Cooking Spray

Nonstick cooking sprays are useful for low-fat cooking but they are still fat. The advantage is that a quick spray is small enough to be insignificant.

Butter and/or Margarine

Both have advantages and disadvantages. Butter is a completely natural food while margarine is created chemically from refined polyunsaturated oils.