HEALTHY COOKING OILS/FATS

Oil for health: Choose wisely

The most debated issue in the health circuit is the use of fats and oils, and the heat is due to the effect of fat in building up cholesterol that clogs the arteries, including those that supply blood to the heart, causing heart related problems. It is necessary to include fats in our diet as many of them are known sources of fat soluble vitamins.

Cooking oil comes from animal or plant sources, and is processed and purified before being consumed. No more than 30-percent of a day's calories should come from fat (a tablespoon of virtually any vegetable oil contains 120 calories).

The fat-soluble vitamins and minerals found in cooking oils are: vitamins (A and E), minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants.

Types of oil: grape seed oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, soybean oil, canola oil, peanut oil, cashew oil, sesame oil and rice bran oil.

The danger comes from saturated fats that are solid at room temperature. These are mostly of animal origin, found in meat, poultry, and dairy products. Some vegetarian sources are also saturated: Palm, palm kernel and coconut oil. What they do is produce more of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood. This excess fat gets deposited in the arteries, clogging and narrowing them, reducing blood flow.

Trans Fats: In order to convert unsaturated fats into saturated ones to increase shelf life and other benefits, hydrogenation is done. This makes for stuff like margarine. These trans fats are as bad as saturated ones.

Polyunsaturated oils, which include vegetable oils like corn, soy, safflower and canola, contain trans-fatty acids introduced during the hydrogenation process, which results in increased dangers of chronic diseases such as breast cancer and heart disease. They decrease bad cholesterol levels, as well as the good cholesterol (HDL). They contain certain essential omega acids, but their use should be limited.

Certain unique polyunsaturated fats called Omega-3 fatty acids are found in some types of fish (salmon, albacore, tuna, mackerel, sardines, herring and rainbow trout). These reduce the clotting ability of blood, decreasing risk of artery blockage.

Oils high in monounsaturated fats - such as olive oil, Palm, palm kernel or rapeseed oil - may actually be beneficial for your heart and arteries. If you have heart disease or are at high risk for heart disease, these oils are smart choices.