Written By: Kriti Saraswat | Updated : March 5, 2014 3:58 PM IST
I want to cook healthy food but I am not sure how to pick the right oil. There are various brands and varieties and all promise to be good for one's heart. How do I differentiate between which oil is good and which is bad? Please provide a solution.
Cooking oil is used in almost all dishes so it is highly important that you know which one is good for you. There are a few oil basics which will help you select the right oil.
Firstly, oils have fatty acids like saturated (SFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). As per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), an ideal oil is one which has SFA:MUFA:PUFA ratio of 27-33%:33-40%:27-33%.
Make sure you check the label to ensure that the oil has low saturated fats (less than 2g for every 10g), zero transfats and higher amounts of MUFA and PUFA. This will be better-suited for your heart's health. (Read: 10 secrets to great heart health)
Also, every oil has a smoke point which determines the temperature beyond which the oil starts to produce harmful chemicals. Oils with high smoke points can withstand high temperatures and are suitable for deep frying, stir frying, searing, etc. On the other hand, oils with a low smoke point are good for saut ing, steaming, as a salad dressing. Examples of oil with high smoke point are sunflower, soybean, rice bran, peanut, sesame, mustard, and safflower. Olive oil comes in various varieties like virgin, extra virgin, but has a medium to low smoke point. It is better to use it as a salad dressing or for saut ing instead of frying.
A healthy way to incorporate oil in your food is by using oil blends which will provide all essential fatty acids. Vegetable oil is a mix of various oils like soybean, safflower, etc. Blends like rice bran and olive oil are also good. If you do not find ready-made oil blends, you can use two oils separately or rotate your oil every two months.
Remember, it is not the oil which adds taste to your food, it is the spices and other ingredients. So don't add too much of it. (Read: Ready-made diet snacks - healthy or a marketing gimmick?)
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