Are You Confused About Which is The Best Cooking Oil? Try Out These Best Cooking Oil For Your Health

Introduction 

Indian cuisine is renowned for its mouthwatering flavour, fragrance, and finger-licking taste. The cooking oil used in Indian cuisine is one of the main contributors to these features. The use of cooking oil gives Indian food its signature flavour and texture. 

It might be intimidating to choose cooking oil, especially when you’re standing in the store and surveying endless aisles of anything from sunflower oil to olive oil. Even if you certainly have a bottle of olive oil at home, occasionally it’s worthwhile to try something else. Since different cooking oils serve different functions, distinct flavour profiles and nutritional value, switching up your go-to cooking oil every now and then may improve the flavour and nutritional value of your food, even baked products.

Although oils are essential for healthy, balanced diets and daily cooking, not all oils are made equal when it comes to heating.

Let’s examine a few varieties of the best cooking oils for your health, as well as their virtues and characteristics.

What are cooking oils?

Cooking oils are fats, which are essential macronutrients much like protein, carbs, and vitamins. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and saturated fatty acids (SFA) are the three main kinds of fatty acids found in cooking oil. The National Institute of Nutrition recommends that healthy oils include a balance of all three fatty acids. 

Unfortunately, the majority of single-seed cooking oils that are readily available in India and that we often use are either rich in MUFA or PUFA. Doctors and dietitians advise you to periodically keep changing your oil for this reason. But sadly, switching between different oils randomly without understanding the fatty acid ratios of each oil won’t help you get the desired result.

Types of fats in cooking oils

Oil can include good or bad fats. Learn about these fats so you can choose the oil that is best for you. Almost all oils have a combination of these fats. 

Saturated fats: These are not-so-healthy fats. They are found in dairy products, fatty meats, or coconut and palm oils.

Trans fats: Trans fats, or trans-fatty acids, are a form of unsaturated fat. They come in both natural and artificial forms. These are frequently found in processed foods and should be avoided since they can have very serious health consequences. To find out about the trans fat content in packaged food, read the labels carefully. 

Monounsaturated fatty acids: These healthy fats may be found in raw almonds, olives, and avocados. Additionally, extra virgin olive oil, peanut oil, and avocado oil include monounsaturated fats.

Polyunsaturated fats: These fats include omega-6 and omega-3s, and are healthy fatty acids. Found in oily fish like salmon and mackerel, as well as chia seeds and walnuts. They’re particularly good for your brain. 

Best cooking oils for your health

Mustard oil

Mustard oil, also known as Sarson ka Tel in India, is a multipurpose cooking medium used in most kitchens. Mustard oil has a strong flavour and is commonly used in cooking, but it also offers a lot of health advantages. For instance, mustard’s anti-inflammatory qualities are beneficial for diabetes.

The proportion of monounsaturated to polyunsaturated fatty acids is quite good. The oil is a plant-based product, thus it doesn’t include cholesterol and it doesn’t contain trans fat. The following is the fatty acid composition of mustard oil:

• Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA): 60%
• Polyunsaturated fats (PUFA): 21% 
• Saturated fats: 12%

15% omega-6 linoleic acid and 6% omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid are both present in mustard oil. The ideal ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids makes mustard oil more advantageous than other oils. This rich oil also has 12% oleic acid and 42% erucic acid which have anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. Another great advantage of mustard oil is that it has a very high smoking point that makes it ideal for Indian cooking.

As a result of this, all the health benefits that Mustard Oil offers in terms of its antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties are unaffected by the heating of the oil.

Olive oil

With its antioxidant qualities and beneficial effects on health, olive oil is regarded as one of the greatest edible oils. It contains a high proportion of  monounsaturated fatty acids, which lowers total cholesterol levels in the body and lowers the risk of heart disease. Olive oil may also help decrease blood pressure. Olives are generally considered to be more helpful in the fight against germs and fungi.

The nutritional values per 14g or one tablespoon of olive oil are:

• Calories 120
• 14 g Total Fat
• 2 g Saturated Fat
• 1.5 g Polyunsaturated Fat
• 10 g Monounsaturated Fat

Peanut oil

A high-heat (high smoking point) cooking oil derived from peanut plant seeds is known as peanut oil. The majority of nutrients are preserved in raw or cold-pressed peanut oil, which is also a cost-effective choice.

The high smoke point of peanut oil makes it perfect for grilling, roasting vegetables, and searing meats. Although you can deep-fry using peanut oil, this cooking technique is bad for your heart as it can add to the cholesterol levels in your arteries eliminating the oil’s health advantages.

Avocado oil

Avocado oil, which is made from the squeezed flesh of the fruit, is delicious even at high temperatures. The smoke point of unrefined avocado oil is 375 degrees (F), whereas the smoke point of refined oil is 520 degrees(F). Of all oils, avocado oil has the highest concentration of monounsaturated fats, which provide anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and heart health advantages.

Additionally, avocado oil has healthy antioxidants like lutein that your body cannot naturally make. So including avocado oil is a fantastic method to get lutein, which promotes eye health. Sadly, despite avocado oil’s health benefits, it may be somewhat pricey.

The following fat content information for one tablespoon of avocado oil:

• Monounsaturated fats : 55 to 83%
• Polyunsaturated (omega-6) fats: 3.5 to 21%
• Saturated fats: 7.5 to 20%
• Polyunsaturated (omega-3) fats :0 to 1.5%

Final thoughts 

Cooking oil is a crucial component of Indian cuisine. However, one single type of oil is not universally healthy for everyone. People with certain health conditions should choose their cooking oils by checking the fat quotient. 

Although cooking oil cannot completely be excluded from Indian kitchens, it is possible to vary the type of oil used and select the healthiest option. We hope that our list of the top cooking oils has assisted you in narrowing down your choices for you and your family.

Furthermore, with choosing the right oil it is always important to keep your health in check so get a Cholesterol test done with Healthians and know about your HDL and LDL levels.  

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q. What is the healthiest oil and is perfect for our health?

Olive oil, mustard oil, avocado oil and peanut oil are some healthy oils. 

Q. Which oils should be avoided?

• Palm oil
• Vegetable oil
• Soybean oil
• Coconut oil

Q. What oils are toxic to humans?

• Soybean oil
• Tea tree oil
• Canola oil

Q. Which oil is best for the heart and liver?

For liver: Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

For heart: Mustard, olive, peanut, and sunflower oils

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