There are three reasons to pick a cooking oil:

1. The first is for your health: Unsaturated fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are heart healthy.

These include avocado oil, canola oil, olive oil, peanut oil and nut- and seed oils.

Saturated fats and trans fats are unhealthy oils. It’s best to avoid tropical oils: coconut oil, palm oil and others.

Trans fats, saturated fats that occur in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, have gotten so much press over the last couple of years that most of us know to avoid them. While many products have been reformulated, look closely at the labels of margarine and shortening.

Avocado oil is heart-healthy and has a very
high smoke point. Check out Olivado avocado
oil, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week. Photo
by Melody Lan | THE NIBBLE.

2. The second reason to choose an oil is the smoke point. Sautéing occurs at a much lower heat than deep fat frying, for example.

Take a look at our smoke point chart to see the different temperature tolerances of the major oils and fats.

3. The flavor you prefer (or lack thereof) is another reason to choose an oil. But first, be sure it’s healthy and the right smoke point.

We custom-designed these chocolate
bars to combine our favorite flavors.
Photo by Katharine Pollak | THE NIBBLE.

If you enjoy a fine chocolate bar—but wish you could custom-design it to add more of your favorite flavors—Chocomize is ready to serve you.

We created all of the chocolate bars in the photo. First choose your chocolate—in this case, excellent Barry Callebaut bars from Belgium in dark, milk or white chocolate.

Then top it with up to 5 selections from almost 100 choices:

• 17 types of nuts and seeds
• 18 types of dried fruit
• 11 sweet and savory spices
• 24 different types of candy
• 12 “decorations,” including flower petals, gold flakes and birthday greetings
• 15 “other,” a group of favorites ranging from coffee beans to cereals, potato chips and pretzels, cookies and logos

• Read the full review.
• Find more of our favorite chocolate.
• Talk chocolate like a pro with our Chocolate Glossary.

Whether homemade or store-bought, you can make your cookies taste like they’re fresh-baked by microwaving them for five seconds before serving.

Try it: You’ll become an instant convert to this easy technique.

• How to store cookies.
• The history of cookies.
• The different types of cookies: our beautiful Cookie Glossary.
• Things to do with cookies.

Find more tips, recipes and reviews of our favorite cookies in our Gourmet Cookie Section.

Emily’s Cookies, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of
The Week. Photo by Corey Lugg | THE NIBBLE.

Watercress is good-looking, good-tasting and
really good for you. Photo courtesy B&W
Quality Growers.

A study published in The British Journal of Nutrition this week reveals experimental findings that show the consumption of a three-ounce portion of watercress reduced the presence of tumor growth in participants who had previously been treated for breast cancer.

The study showed watercress to be as therapeutic as traditional cancer-fighting drugs with tamoxifen and herceptin; and that regular consumption of watercress has the potential to protect against cancer in general.

Another study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in February 2007 showed that in addition to reducing DNA damage, a daily dose of watercress increased the ability of cells to resist DNA damage that may be caused by free radicals.

Watercress has been prescribed for anemia, eczema, kidney and liver disorder, migraines and tuberculosis. It is nutritionally dense: Watercress is a better source of calcium; iron; magnesium; manganese; potassium; vitamins C, B1, B6, K, E; and zinc than apples, broccoli and tomatoes.

We love watercress in salads, on sandwiches and as a delicious plate garnish. Head to Watercress.com for some 70 watercress recipes. You’ll find everything from burgers and pasta with watercress to Indian, Korean and Mexican dishes with watercress.

• Try this delicious recipe for Apple, Bacon & Watercress Salad.
• Make Wolfgang Puck’s Lobster Cobb Salad. (Watercress is one of the original ingredients in Bob Cobb’s famous salad.)
• Make an easy Cucumber & Watercress Salad.
• Find more of our favorite vegetables in our Gourmet Vegetables Section.

Three lucky buccaneers don’t need to go digging for buried treasure, because two of each of the flavors of healthy, all-natural snacks will be sent right to their ships (or wherever ye be calling home).

Shiver me timbers! With flavors including Aged White Cheddar, Barbeque, New York Pizza, Sour Cream & Onion and Veggie that be some good eatin’.

Retail value: Approximately $15.00.

• To Enter This Gourmet Giveaway:Go to the box at the bottom of our Gourmet Snacks Section and click to enter your email address for the prize drawing. This contest closes on Monday, September 27th at noon, Eastern Time. Good luck!

Taste the whole line. Photo by Evan Dempsey | THE NIBBLE.