• Most olive oil is produced in Spain, Italy or Greece.Creative Crop/Digital Vision/Getty Images
  
  Edible oils are purified fats taken from a wide range of plant sources, including vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds. These oils are used not only for food, but also for cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and even for bio-diesel fueled cars. "Cold-pressed" oils are obtained by physically pressing the food source. Refined oils go through heat- or chemical-refining processes, and have less flavor than pressed oils, but longer shelf lives and better heat durability.
  
  

Olive Oil

• One of the most popular cooking oils in the world, olive oil is extracted from the olive plant, a traditional crop of the Mediterranean. According to the Mayo Clinic, olive oil is a great source of healthy unsaturated fats. Virgin and extra virgin olive oils are the most flavorful because they are obtained by pressing grapes physically. Extra virgin olive oil gets its name because grapes are pressed within 24 to 72 hours of harvesting.
  
  Refined olive oil is defective virgin olive oil that is put through a chemical refining process. This oil still has health benefits, but has no taste, and is commonly combined with pressed olive oil to created less-expensive mixtures with increased shelf life.
  
  

Canola Oil

• Brightly colored rape crops create Canola oil.field of oil seed rape image by david hughes from Fotolia.com
  
  Canola oil, popular for baking and frying, is obtained from rapeseeds commonly grown in Europe and North America. It has a light flavor and is inexpensive, but also has many health benefits. Canola oil has the lowest level of saturated fat of any edible oil and contains heart-healthy unsaturated fats including Omega-3 fatty acids, which is why the Mayo Clinic places canola oil next to olive oil as a healthy oil choice.
  
  

Corn Oil

• Most commonly used in the production of margarine, corn oil comes from the germ of corn kernels. Refined corn oil is nearly tasteless and odorless and can tolerate a very high heat, making it one of the best choices for frying. It is also very high in polyunsaturated fat, a heart-healthy fat recommended by the Mayo Clinic.
  
  

Soybean Oil

• Soybean oil is the most common oil used in the production of commercially prepared food items including margarine, vegetable oil and shortening in the United States. This oil is highly refined and can tolerate high heat temperatures, making it a good choice for cooking. It also has high levels of unsaturated fats, including Omega-3 fatty acids and is fairly low in saturated fat, making it a healthy choice.
  
  

Oil from Seeds

• Grape seed oil is a byproduct of the wine-making industry.a glass of wine and grape image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
  
  There are a wide variety of oils taken from seeds. Flaxseed oil has a buttery flavor and is known as one of the healthiest oils. It has the highest level of Omega-3 fatty acids, which have been proven to guard against heart disease, making it popular for nutritional supplements as well as cooking. A byproduct of the wine-making industry, grape seed oil has a subtle flavor and high smoke point, which makes it a popular choice for frying and sauteing. Other oils from seeds include pumpkin seed, poppy seed, sesame seed, pine seed and cottonseed oils.
  
  

Oil from Nuts

• Many oils are taken from nuts, including peanuts, walnuts, almonds and macadamia nuts. The Mayo Clinic recommends these nut oils as healthy sources of unsaturated fats. Almond oil has a subtle almond flavor most often used in salad dressings. Walnut oil has a stronger flavor that can give baked goods a walnut taste. American versions of peanut oil are clear and mild in flavor, while Chinese peanut oils have a stronger peanut taste. These oils are less commonly used mainly because they are more expensive.