You have probably been told that eating
butter and some other sources of animal fat is not too good for your
health. Some people are most likely to have advised you to cook with
vegetable oils which are supposed to be high in unsaturated fats (good
fat) and low in cholesterol (bad fat) which is good for the body.
Sorry to bust your bubble. A new study
published by a group of Canadian scientists shows that not all vegetable
oils are good for the heart.
The researchers say that many of them in
the market contain some harmful chemical substances that could increase
one’s risk for coronary heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
Continue reading after the cut....
The research work published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal
last month states that despite the fact that vegetable oils help lower
cholesterol content in the body, many of them contain polyunsaturated
fats that increase a consumer’s risk for cardiovascular diseases.
Study author and professor of
Nutritional Science at the University of Toronto, Canada, Dr. Richard
Bazinet, notes that the fact that vegetables oils are reputed to have
low cholesterol does not necessarily mean that the other fats they
contain is good for the body.
According to Bazinet, physicians were
able to deduce that some vegetable oils contained unequal proportions of
Omega3 and Omega6 oils, which could predispose one to heart
disease-related death, inflammation, and oxidative stress.
Why then does vegetable oil come highly recommended for cooking?
Bazinet explains that vegetable oils
contain essential fatty acids needed for many metabolic functions which
the body does not produce itself, hence these nutrients must be got from
food.
He adds that with present findings, the
slogan must change from consuming vegetable oils to consuming the oil
that has the right proportion of nutrients that the body needs, as the
study revealed that vegetable oils are just a little healthier than oil
got from animal sources which doctors quickly condemn and discourage its
use in cooking.
Bazinet notes, “Omega-3s and Omega-6
fatty acids are essential, which means they’re not produced by the body
and therefore need to be obtained by food. The problem comes when we
consume too many omega-6s —which is easy to do, since vegetable oils
show up in tons of processed foods and fried foods.
What we should be asking for now, is which oil has the nutrients that I need in the right amount?”
The experts recommend that individuals
should consume Omega-6s and Omega-3s oil in a 10:1 or 5:1 ratio, but
now that most of people’s consumption rate is closer to 20:1 increasing
the risks diet has on the body, especially the heart.
Bazinet also states that the ultimate in
our daily diet should be that one should find ways to consume more Omega
3-rich fats and fewer Omega-6 rich ones.
“The oils containing higher level of
Omega-3s tend to show more protective effects in these coronary heart
disease studies. The oils that have no omega-3s tend to show an
increased risk for diabetes and cardiac diseases,” he says. Are you
confused about which oils are heart-healthy and which aren’t? If so,
you’re not alone. But you need not worry, below are some vegetable oils
that cardiologists have described as “kind to the heart.”
Canola oil
One way to reshape your diet is by
choosing heart-healthy oils. Canola oil, which is made from the crushed
seeds of the canola plant, is among the healthiest of cooking oils. It
has the lowest saturated fat content of any oil commonly consumed in the
U.S., at just seven per cent. By comparison, sunflower oil has 12 per
cent saturated fat, corn oil has 13 per cent, and olive oil has 15 per
cent.
Although it’s low in saturated fat,
canola oil is very high in healthy unsaturated fats. It’s an excellent
source of the Omega-6 fatty acid, linolenic acid, and it is higher in
the Omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) than any other oil
commonly used. These fats are particularly important in the diet because
the human body can’t produce them.
Health benefits of Canola
Studies show that alpha-linolenic acid,
or ALA, may help protect the heart by its effect on blood pressure,
cholesterol, and inflammation. There is enough evidence of canola oil’s
heart benefits that the FDA allows canola oil manufacturers to label
their products with this qualified health claim:
“Limited and not conclusive scientific
evidence suggests that eating about 1 1/2 tablespoons (19 grams) of
canola oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to
the unsaturated fat content in canola oil. To achieve this possible
benefit, canola oil is to [sic] replace a similar amount of saturated
fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day. One
serving of this product contains [x] grams of canola oil.”
Substituting canola oil for other fats in
your diet is an easy way to help you eat healthier. One study shows
that completely substituting canola oil and canola oil-based margarine
for other oils and spreads can help adults meet the daily dietary
recommendations for saturated and unsaturated fat. Switching to only
canola-based products could reduce your saturated fat intake by almost
10 per cent, and increase your ALA intake by nearly 73 per cent, shows
the study, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Soyabeans oil
Soyabean oil is a popular vegetable oil
that is valued for its affordability, high smoke point and health
benefits. Soyabean oil is extracted from the soybean. It often has a
dark yellow or faint green colour. Standard vegetable oil is often
composed of soyabean oil. Soyabean oil accounts for 80 per cent of all
commercial oil used in the United States. This is a good all around oil
that can be used for baking, cooking and frying.
Soyabean oil is made by extracting oils
from the soyabean. This is done by cracking the beans and then heating
the beans to remove any unnecessary moisture. Next, the beans are sliced
and then rolled to extract the oil. Often, commercial brands mix
soyabean oil with other cheaper oils to make it more affordable. You can
also find unrefined soyabean oil, which is cold-pressed and
expeller-pressed. Often unrefined oils have a stronger flavour, but
usually retain a higher nutritional value than refined oils.
Health benefits of Soyabean oil
Soyabean oil contains no cholesterol, which makes it a perfect choice for individuals with heart disease or high cholesterol.
The fats in soyabean oil are
polyunsaturated and they have shown to help reduce total cholesterol,
lower LDL or bad cholesterol levels and increase HDL or good cholesterol
levels.
Soyabean oil has omega-3 fatty acids,
which have shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, slow the
growth of atherosclerotic plaque, slow the risk of arrhythmias or
abnormal heartbeats and decrease triglyceride levels.
Soyabeans naturally contain antioxidants,
which remain in the oil even after it is pressed. These antioxidants
help prevent the damage caused by free radicals, which may help prevent
certain cancers.
-Punch
Share your thoughts....thanks!
No comments:
Post a Comment