Cooking oils can indeed be very confusing, but if you’re only using a tiny amount, it matters not very much at all what type you use.

My personal favourite every day oil is rapeseed (this is often called just “vegetable" on the label) as it has got lots of monounsaturates (the type in more expensive olive oil that help lower cholesterol) and also has a splodge of omega-3 in it (omega-3 and 6 are both “good” fats, but in general we eat more than enough omega-6, but not enough omega-3). That said sunflower is a great oil too, in particular because it’s a great source of vitamin E. If you start using more oils, I’d say just mix and match, but if you’re only using a little, rapeseed (vegetable) is the one for me. To tuck away for reference though, here’s 5 really good ones and why:

* Sunflower: A good source of the protective antioxidant vitamin E -  1-2 tbsps supplies a day’s quota -  and the polyunsaturates it contains help lower cholesterol. Suitable for frying.

* Rapeseed (canola) : The only mass market oil with reasonable amount of omega-3s (good for your heart and brain). It’s as high in monounsaturates as olive oil, and lower in saturates. Great all-rounder.

* Extra virgin olive: High in heart-healthy monounsaturates. Perfect for drizzling, and the “extra virgin” means potentially health-giving antioxidant components haven’t been processed out.

* Rice bran oil: A very high smoke point means it  can be heated to a very high temperature before it starts to degrade, making it a good choice for deep frying. Contains oryzanol, a plant sterol, purported to help keep levels of blood fats healthy.

* Flaxseed oil: Richer in omega-3 than any other oill, so good for non-fish eating vegetarians. Not for cooking as it chemically degrades.