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Which Fats & Oils Do You Actually Use?

All of the Paleo blogs you read rave about Coconut oil – but is this the fat people really use? I asked the followers of my Facebook page The Paleo Network this exact question:

Which fat and oils do you use?

And with over 300 mentions of different fats and oils, guess which was the most popular?!

That’s right – Coconut Oil with 48% of all the votes!

Unsurprisingly, Olive Oil was the second most popular at almost 12%, followed by butter, Ghee, Bacon Fat, Avocado, Lard, Tallow then Duck Fat. Less popular, with a few mentions were Grape Seed Oil, Walnut, Dripping, Macadamia Oil, Chicken Fat, Hemp Oil, Oil, Rice Bran and Safflower Oil – see the full list below:

Coconut Oil 48.0%
Olive Oil 11.7%
Butter 9.0%
Ghee 7.7%
Bacon Fat 7.0%
Avocado Oil 5.3%
Lard 3.0%
Tallow 2.0%
Duck Fat 1.3%
Grape Seed Oil 1.0%
Walnut 1.0%
Dripping 0.7%
Macadamia Oil 0.7%
Chicken Fat 0.3%
Hemp Oil 0.3%
Palm Oil 0.3%
Rice Bran 0.3%
Safflower Oil 0.3%

Temperature?

A lot of people were quick to point out that they are very careful to choose their oil/ fat carefully depending on temperature (for instance, saying that they only use olive oil at low temperatures or over salads, and use coconut oil for cooking at higher temperatures)

• Organic cold pressed Coconut high temps and anything lower than 350 I use olive oil
• Coconut, ghee, bacon fat, and at low temps (like my oven roasted tomatoes) I use flavoured olive oil.
• Don't cook with olive oil at high temps!!
• Coconut oil for cooking olive oil for salads
• Don't use anything that is liquid at room temperature as when it gets heated to a certain temperature they turn into hydrogenated fat… Use anything that is solid at took temperature as the compounds are more stable… Use raw organic coconut oil or organic butter
• Coconut oil and ghee depending on what im cooking Olive Oil for salads.
• Is grape seed oil acceptable? I like it as an alternative for high temps.

Experimentation

There were also a lot of you who have a favourite oil, but expressed an interest in trying a new oil, or even rendering your own:

• I'm going to try ghee
• I might try some goose fat
• Heard of walnut but haven't tried it yet.
• I do want to try making ghee.

Quality

Quality is clearly a high priority to everyone, pretty much everyone pointed out they use grass-fed butter, or Extra Virgin Olive Oil. There were a lot of comments like this one:

• All either organic or from pastured/free range animals.

Taste

A lot of people just hate the taste of coconut oil too… it’s definitely worth trying it in different dishes, and also trying other brands. Whilst refined coconut oils don't have the coconutty taste – they are refined oils, so not ideal…

• My partner dislikes coconut flavor. Does it taste very coconutty?
• Is there a coconut oil that doesn't have a strong flavour or does all coconut oil make everything you're cooking coconut flavoured …. ?
• I don't like coconut but coconut oil doesn't really taste of it. I don't mind chicken fish or eggs with coconut oil but not red meat

The Right Fats for the Right Job

It’s clear from the poll that coconut oil dominates Paleo kitchens—but there’s a much bigger conversation to be had about fats and oils. Not all fats are created equal, and depending on how you’re cooking, storing, or sourcing them, they can either support your health or become a hidden cause of inflammation. Knowing the differences between these fats—how they behave under heat, how they’re processed, and what nutritional value they bring—is essential for a truly optimal Paleo approach.

Smoke Points: Why Temperature Matters

One of the most important factors in choosing a cooking fat is its smoke point. This is the temperature at which the oil begins to break down, releasing harmful compounds and creating a burnt or bitter taste. Oils high in polyunsaturated fats (like sunflower or safflower oil) have relatively low smoke points and are prone to oxidation, which is why they’re avoided in Paleo cooking altogether.

Coconut oil: Smoke point around 175–200°C depending on refinement. Great for medium to high heat cooking and baking.
Ghee: Very high smoke point (~250°C). Perfect for frying, sautéing, and roasting.
Olive oil: Extra virgin has a smoke point around 160–190°C. Best for drizzling over cooked foods or low-heat applications like slow roasting.
Avocado oil: Exceptionally high smoke point (up to 270°C). One of the best all-purpose fats for high-heat cooking.
Butter: Moderate smoke point (~150–175°C). Adds excellent flavour to pan-cooked dishes, but can burn easily.

Understanding when and how to use each fat can help maximise flavour and nutrient retention while avoiding the harmful effects of overheating fragile oils.

Animal Fats: Rediscovering Traditional Wisdom

In pre-industrial times, people cooked primarily with rendered animal fats—like lard, tallow, duck fat, and dripping. These fats are highly stable, rich in fat-soluble vitamins, and align well with a Paleo or ancestral eating template. Plus, they’re a sustainable choice if you’re nose-to-tail eating and rendering fats from animals you already consume.

Lard: Rendered pork fat, mild in flavour, ideal for frying or making flaky crusts (for primal pies!).
Tallow: Rendered beef fat, perfect for deep frying or roasting root vegetables.
Duck fat: Decadent and delicious, duck fat is perfect for crisping up roast potatoes or cooking greens.

When sourcing animal fats, the same rule applies: quality matters. Always choose fats from pastured or grass-fed animals to avoid residues from hormones, antibiotics, and poor diets.

Cold-Pressed vs Refined Oils

Another key distinction is how your oil is extracted. Cold-pressed or unrefined oils are mechanically pressed without heat or chemicals, preserving their nutritional integrity. Refined oils undergo high-heat and chemical processing, often bleaching, deodorising, and stripping the oil of antioxidants and flavour.

That said, some refined oils—like expeller-pressed avocado oil—are relatively stable and suitable for cooking. But in general, the more natural and less processed, the better. Choose oils in dark glass bottles to protect against oxidation, and store them in a cool, dark place to extend their shelf life.

Balancing Omega-3 and Omega-6

It’s not just about which fat, but about your overall fat profile. The modern diet is overwhelmingly skewed towards omega-6 fats (from vegetable oils and processed foods), which promote inflammation when not balanced by sufficient omega-3 intake. The Paleo diet, when followed properly, helps restore this balance by prioritising omega-3-rich foods like grass-fed meat, wild-caught fish, and certain fats like flaxseed and walnut oil (used raw).

For everyday use, prioritise monounsaturated and saturated fats like:

Coconut oil
Olive oil (for cold use)
Avocado oil
Ghee and butter (if tolerated)

And aim to limit or completely eliminate:

Soybean oil
Canola oil
Corn oil
Safflower and sunflower oils (unless cold-pressed and used raw)

Flavour, Preference & Flexibility

Let’s not forget the importance of flavour. Some fats—like coconut oil—have strong taste profiles that don’t work in every dish. This is where having multiple options can be useful. Avocado oil is nearly flavourless, making it ideal for baking or when you don’t want to affect the dish’s overall taste. Ghee has a rich, nutty flavour that complements Indian, Middle Eastern, and roasted vegetable dishes beautifully. Duck fat is luxurious but might overpower delicate ingredients.

And of course, personal preference matters. Some people simply don’t enjoy the taste of certain fats. If you’re struggling with coconut oil, try a deodorised version (but not hydrogenated), or use it in recipes with strong flavours like curry or chilli where the coconut note is less noticeable.

Rendering Your Own Fats

One of the most empowering things you can do in the kitchen is render your own fats. Not only does this ensure the quality of the fat, but it also supports a more sustainable, less wasteful way of eating. You can render tallow from beef suet, lard from pork back fat, or even chicken fat (schmaltz) from leftover skins and trimmings. Store your rendered fats in glass jars in the fridge and use them as needed—they’ll last for months.

Tips for Fat Success in a Paleo Kitchen

Rotate your fats for nutrient variety.
Use ghee or tallow for high-heat cooking like frying or roasting.
Use extra virgin olive oil or walnut oil for salad dressings and dips.
Store oils in dark bottles in a cool place to prevent rancidity.
Always avoid hydrogenated or highly processed vegetable oils.

Final Thoughts

Whether you're a coconut oil devotee or just branching out into tallow and ghee, understanding the roles of different fats can take your Paleo meals to the next level. It’s not about sticking to one “perfect” fat—it’s about matching the right fat to the job, prioritising quality, and making flavour and nutrition work together in your kitchen.

So, what fats are your go-to staples—and which are you curious to try? Let us know in the comments below!

The Paleo Guide to Cooking Oils which coconut oil olive lard tallow vegetable sunflower canola healthy-min

The Ultimate Paleo Guide to Cooking Oils

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In the Paleo world, we’re not scared of fat. Quite the contrary – we embrace healthy fats and encourage liberal consumption. We worship the health giving properties of coconut oil, olive oil and grass fed ghee. At the same time, we understand the danger of rancid seed oils with a scarily high Omega 6 content. All the information about fats can be somewhat confusing – so do you know what oil to use, and when to use it?

Coconut Oil

My personal favourite – and perhaps the all-round king of cooking oils, coconut oil really is a product that no Paleo kitchen is complete without. It’s shelf stable, rich in healthy medium chain triglycerides and doesn’t oxidise easily. It’s perfect for using in baked goods, for frying, for roasting vegetables – or just eating by the spoonful. Many people also use it as a natural moisturiser, hair product or lip balm. It’s also been proven to have antibacterial effects and is excellent for improving your gut health, boosting your immunity and improving your metabolism. If you’d rather not stock up on lots of different oils, coconut oil has to be the first on your list.

Make sure you buy the unrefined ‘extra virgin’ kind – it’s solid at room temperature and liquid at around 24 degrees C (76F). It can be pretty expensive compared to things like olive oil, which is why I buy mine in bulk!

Ghee

Ghee always throws up a bit of confusion for us Paleo folk, not least because it’s a form of dairy and dairy isn’t part of the Paleo framework. Yes, Ghee is clarified butter – but the process that makes it removes the problematic casein and lactose content. If you don't tolerate other forms of dairy, you'll probably still be ok with ghee. I’ve recently started including it in my diet, with excellent results – and it tastes amazing too!

It has a great omega 3 : omega 6 ratio (roughly 1:1) and is rich in vitamins A, D, E and K2. It’s one of the most stable fats for cooking at high temperatures, so is great for frying and roasting. However, it is expensive, and if you can’t buy it grass fed, you’re probably better off without it altogether.

Palm Oil

Similar to coconut oil in that it is shelf stable and rich in healthy saturated fats, palm oil is generally more expensive and harder to find. It also draws about controversy because of its sustainability and the impact palm oil farming is having on Orang-utan populations. If you can find it from a verified, sustainable source, and you can afford it – then use it much as you would in coconut oil (except in baking). If you can’t, stick to the good stuff above.

Olive Oil

Probably the most popular and well known healthy oil – olive oil is one of those that you can enjoy with your conventional wisdom friends without getting into an argument about the health benefits of saturated fats. It stands up fairly well to heat, so makes a decent oil for light pan frying – but it’s much better as a dressing, drizzled liberally onto salads, meats, or used in pesto. You’ll find lots of different flavours and colours of olive oil on the shelves; just make sure you always buy ‘Extra Virgin’ and ideally organic. In my experience, the darker the colour, the tastier it will be.

Animal Fats

Animal fats are much maligned in conventional wisdom, but why so?

Avocado Oil, Walnut Oil and Macadamia Oil

Experiment with these as dressings and enjoy their unique flavours – but don’t attempt to cook with them. They’re not the most heat stable, and besides, they’re expensive so why would you want to? Buy them in dark bottles where possible to minimise oxidation.

Storage Matters: Keeping Your Oils Fresh

Even the healthiest Paleo cooking oils can become harmful if they’re stored incorrectly. Oxidation is a real issue — especially for oils that are sensitive to light, air, or heat. If your olive oil is sitting in a clear bottle by the stove, it’s probably well on its way to rancid. Make sure you always:

Store oils in dark glass bottles (or stainless steel) away from sunlight
Keep lids tightly sealed to reduce air exposure
Avoid storing oils near the oven or other heat sources
Buy smaller quantities if you don’t use oil quickly — freshness is key

As a general rule, saturated fats like coconut oil, ghee, and tallow are more stable and less prone to oxidation, whereas oils like walnut or macadamia are far more delicate.

What About Smoke Points?

If you’ve ever wondered why some oils are better for high-heat cooking while others are only suited for drizzling, it comes down to their smoke point — the temperature at which oil begins to break down and produce free radicals. Here’s a quick guide for common Paleo oils:

Oil/Fat	Approx. Smoke Point (°C)	Best Use
Coconut Oil	177–232°C	Frying, roasting, baking
Ghee	250°C	High-heat cooking, sautéing
Olive Oil (Extra Virgin)	160–190°C	Dressings, light pan-frying
Avocado Oil	270°C	Grilling, frying, searing
Tallow	200–250°C	Deep frying, roasting
Duck Fat	190°C	Roasting, shallow frying

Choosing the right oil for the right purpose isn’t just about taste — it’s also about health. When oils are overheated past their smoke point, they degrade, releasing harmful compounds and destroying beneficial nutrients.

Rendered Animal Fats: Rediscovering the Old Ways

While tallow, lard, and duck fat may have fallen out of favour during the low-fat craze of the 80s and 90s, they’re making a comeback in the Paleo community — and for good reason. These traditional fats are:

Stable at high temperatures
Rich in flavour
Loaded with fat-soluble vitamins (especially if grass-fed or pasture-raised)
Inexpensive to make at home from leftover cuts

If you roast meat regularly, don’t throw away the drippings. Strain and store them in a glass jar in the fridge — they make amazing roast potato fat or can be used in pan-frying savoury dishes. Homemade tallow (from beef) and lard (from pork) are especially good for stir-fries, frying eggs, or crisping up vegetables. Duck fat, in particular, is revered for its unmatched flavour when roasting root vegetables or making confit.

Sourcing Paleo-Friendly Oils

When buying fats and oils, the source is everything. Not all ghee is grass-fed. Not all coconut oil is cold-pressed. Not all olive oil is even real! Look for the following to get the best quality:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Cold-pressed, dark bottle, ideally Australian, Spanish, or Italian with harvest date on label
Coconut Oil: Organic, cold-pressed, virgin (avoid refined unless deodorised for a specific purpose)
Ghee: Grass-fed, cultured if possible
Tallow & Lard: Grass-fed and pasture-raised, ideally homemade from clean animal fat
Avocado & Macadamia Oils: Cold-pressed, sold in dark glass bottles, no additives

With so many oils diluted or blended with cheaper alternatives, it pays to read labels carefully. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Flavour First: Cooking Oils as Ingredients

In Paleo cooking, oils aren’t just functional — they’re part of the recipe. Each one brings its own distinct character to a dish. Use ghee to create nutty depth in your scrambled eggs. Roast pumpkin in duck fat for a rich, velvety texture. Drizzle macadamia oil over grilled zucchini for a slightly sweet, Australian bush-tucker edge.

The secret is to match the oil to the mood. Coconut oil adds a tropical twist to curries or baked sweet potatoes, while olive oil is perfect for Mediterranean-style dishes. And if you’re lucky enough to get your hands on homemade tallow? Roast up a big tray of carrots, parsnips, and beets and let the flavour do the talking.

Summary: Choose Wisely, Cook Boldly

Fats are foundational to the Paleo diet — not feared. They provide satiety, help absorb nutrients, and bring essential flavour to our meals. By choosing heat-stable, minimally processed, nutrient-dense oils, you’ll get all the benefits without any of the downsides of modern processed fats.

Still using vegetable oil “just to finish off the bottle”? Do yourself a favour and toss it. Stock your pantry with oils that your great-grandparents would recognise — and your body will thank you.

🥥 What’s your go-to Paleo cooking fat these days? Tried duck fat on roasted cauliflower yet? Let me know what you’re cooking with in the comments below!