Great question — and the good news is that "healthy" and "practical for cooking" overlap nicely. The everyday winners: Olive oil (especially extra virgin for low heat or finishing), avocado oil, and refined coconut oil are all stable and delicious. They handle typical home-cooking temperatures well. For higher-heat work like searing or stir-frying, avocado oil and refined coconut oil shine because they have higher smoke points — that's the temperature where the oil breaks down and starts smoking, which affects both flavor and how it behaves in the pan. Butter is absolutely fine for everyday cooking too, despite what you might've heard. Just know it'll brown and add flavor, which is actually a feature in most home cooking — use it for lower to medium heat, and you get richness without any guilt. The practical move: Pick one oil you like the taste of and use it consistently. Olive oil works beautifully for most of what home cooks do (sauces, roasting vegetables, sautéing). If you're doing a lot of high-heat searing or deep frying, keep avocado oil on hand. Coconut oil is lovely if you enjoy its flavor. Avoid heavily refined seed oils (the ultra-cheap stuff) just because they tend to taste flat, not because they're unsafe. The best fat is the one you'll actually use, because good-tasting food is food you'll make and enjoy more often.
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