Healthy Cooking Oil

Any department store has a variety of cooking oils displaying all types of jargon concerning cholesterol, fats, unsaturated fats, refined, etc. on the packaging.

Vegetable oils have long been considered as friendly to the heart and low in fat and calories – a myth. In fact, any cooking oil is all fat, and hence, choosing a healthy cooking oil will reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. However, some oils are more useful than others in cooking.

To select the right brand of cooking oil we need to understand the language associated with oil. The most commonly used word is cholesterol, which is in our body cells and in the fats in the bloodstream. Oils do not contain cholesterol but too much of consumption of oil leads to formation of “bad” cholesterol in the body.

A certain level of cholesterol is important for the functioning of the human body. Then there are fatty acids like Monosaturated Fatty Acid, which reduces bad cholesterol levels without lowering good cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid reduces both bad and good cholesterol levels leading to heart diseases. Saturated fats consumed in excess get deposited on the sides of the blood vessels leading to the formation of blood clots. Unsaturated fats are good for health. Refined oils are clear and bland which are processed using chemicals to remove color, odor, particles, and other toxic substances.

Cooking Oil Combinations

Nowadays, a variety of blended oils are available. A combination of two healthy cooking oils to keep a balance of three fatty acids is beneficial to the body. A mix gives the best of both oils and may add to the taste of the food. Two or more kinds of oil in the kitchen could be useful for different purposes like one for salads, another for frying and the third for cooking. In this way you get the health benefits of each oil.

Some Healthy Cooking Oils

Olive oil should be one of the main cooking oils in any kitchen. Besides adding its own flavor to foods, it helps in lowering blood cholesterol levels, and lowers the risk of cancer. Olive oils come in different types and the most beneficial to health is the Extra Virgin Oil is the first extract from olives. The next is Virgin, then Pure and finally Extra Light, which goes through processing and has a faint smell of olives. Oils in rich in flavor and aroma are macadamia nut oil and sesame oil. These oils are ideal for sautéing and stir-frying.

Soyabean oil is the most commonly used ‘vegetable’ oil which is bland and does not interfere with the flavor of the dish. Soyola oil, derived for soyabean does not require hydrogenation like most soyabean oils. Hydrogenation for cooking produces fats which are now seen as unhealthy for the heart. This oil is good for frying and for salads, and considered a healthy cooking oil – a good substitute to macadamia nut oil and olive oil which are expensive.

Cooking is very much alive in homes of even the busiest person. People cook and eat at home because it is less expensive than eating out, and primarily because they know what is going into their food. A major concern of health is the use of healthy cooking oil in food which is ensured when one cooks at home. A variety of blended oils available in the market can fool the connoisseur when eating out. Serious health problems arising out of using fatty oils have given rise to a variety of healthy cooking oil available in stores.