For years, home cooks relied on butter, lard, and other animal fats to keep food from sticking to pans. But as concerns about calories and heart health grew, non-stick cookware and cooking sprays became popular alternatives. Fast forward to today, and there's a renewed appreciation for healthy fats from plant-based oils. One standout is avocado oil for its exceptionally high smoke point, making it one of the safest oils for high-heat cooking. That means you can sear, sauté, or roast without worrying about harmful free radicals that some oils release at high temperatures (here are the cooking oils to use and avoid ).

What makes avocado oil even more appealing is its healthy fats, with nearly 10 grams of monounsaturated fats and about 2 grams of polyunsaturated fats per tablespoon. These

See Full Page