Know your oils

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Know your oils

Tuesday, 31 August 2021 | Shammi Agarwal

Know your oils

Something as simple as ensuring you use the correct oil for different cooking methods and cuisines can help you stay healthier, says Shammi Agarwal

Heart diseases have been on the rise, with people as young as 30 years old succumbing to heart attacks and strokes. While people tend to say the stress of work is to be blamed, unhealthy diet and wrong ingredients play an integral part in those who suffer from a weak heart or chronic heart conditions.

A simple change in eating habits and food can help keep heart diseases from becoming deadly. Something as simple as ensuring you use the correct oil for different cooking methods and cuisines can help you stay healthier and keep the severity of heart conditions under control. Including suitable oils in your diet is one way of ensuring your heart stays healthy and robust.

Different oils have different properties and react differently when treated in different temperatures. While most plant-based oils are healthy options and provide the body with unsaturated fat, not all are suited for Indian cooking. Most Indian cuisines involve cooking at high temperatures. Since heat changes the core composition of oil, you must pay attention to the type of oil used during frying, sauteing, or salad dressing.

Flaxseed oil and til oil are known to be excellent for Indian cooking. These oils have excellent heat resistance. Besides being good sources of monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids, including these oils in your daily diet is crucial. These seed-based oils help reduce bad cholesterol, keeping the heart healthy and safe from chronic diseases. Known for their sharp taste that helps enhance the flavouring in Indian meals, these oils help improve your health in a tasty way. It is essential to include a mix of healthy oils in your diet and not give only a particular oil a preference. Each oil has its own set of nutritional benefits when consumed in a limited and monitored manner. In addition, it is advised to include a combination of heart-healthy oils such as olive, canola, vegetable and nut oil to help the body stay healthy and fight lifestyle diseases that can cause heart disease and trouble.

Many people make the mistake of cutting out oils and fats from their diets to watch their weight. However, it is strongly advised to ensure your diet includes at least 15 per cent healthy fats. Healthy fats help minimise your risks of heart diseases as our bodies need healthy fats for energy, to help with digestion, for better vitamin absorption, and many more internal functions.

While it is crucial to include healthy oils in your daily diet, everyone’s body has different dietary requirements. Hence, it is essential to consult a dietitian to know your body’s particular nutritional needs and which fats are a must in your diet and which need to be avoided by you.

The writer is Director, The pansari Group

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