White rice versus brown rice is just one of the choices you can make when cooking up a pot of this versatile grain, but if you've heard of cooks adding oil to their rice and gotten curious about trying it, you have a huge variety of oils to choose from, as well. The following oils can not only add flavor to your rice, but prevent stickiness and cut calories.

Coconut oil is a saturated fat, but its high lauric acid content actually boosts beneficial HDL cholesterol, and when added to rice, coconut oil can cut down on calories. Adding a ½ teaspoon of coconut oil per every ½ cup of rice will make the grain's starches resistant to digestion; as a result, 50 to 60% fewer calories are absorbed into your body.

The ever-popular olive oil is also a great addition to rice; adding a teaspoon to the water used to boil your rice infuses the pot with a bright and earthy aroma, and prevents short-grain varieties from becoming too sticky. In some applications, sticky rice is a plus, but your stir-fries and curries will benefit from fluffy, olive oil-scented rice.