I believe you have probably gone to a restaurant, hotel, a local shop or even in our homes where the cooking oil is reheated when you need a snack or is heated throughout the
day for all the snacks. Have you ever imagined the type of oil used? Or How safe is the reheated cooking oil?
The decision to cook without or with cooking oil would continue to be a debate. Sometimes you are left between choosing healthy meal or choosing one with flavor. Others may also ask "what if the food sticks in the saucepan?"
According to a nutritionist at Homart, Alex Mark Kakooza, fats and cooking oils are categorized as Polyunsaturated. And when eaten as food such as seeds, fish, nuts and leafy greens, they provide some significant health benefits.
However, the health benefits of consuming corn and sunflower oil though rich in polyunsaturated are less clear.
Mono-unsaturated type of oils are often found in olives, avocados, almonds, olive oil, hazelnuts. It can also be found in goose fat and lard. Saturated fats are particularly found in dairy and other animals products.
Identifying the good oil
When you're cooking at a high temperature, its advisable to use oil that is stable and will not easily oxidize. When an oil undergoes oxidation, they form compounds and free radicals that are very harmful to your health.
A nutritionist at Victoria University Wellness Clinic, Jamiru Mpiima also thinks the most significant factor in determining an oil’s resistance to staleness and oxidation both at high and low heat is their relative degree of saturation of the fatty acids found in it.
Mono-unsaturated and Saturated fats are highly resistant to heating, but oils that have high concentration of poly-unsaturated fats should be avoided for cooking.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is one of the best choice when it comes to cooking at high temperatures. More than 90% of the fatty acids in the oil are saturated and this property makes it resistant to heat. Coconut oil is semi-solid at constant room temperature and can last for years without going rancid.
Jamiru Mpiima says, “coconut oil is particularly rich in a type of fatty acid called Lauric, which can improve cholesterol and assist in killing bacteria and other harmful pathogens. The fats in this oil are saturated and organic which is a safe source of energy for humans and can also boost metabolism.”
Butter
Butter is rich in fatty acids, Vitamins A, E, K2, Conjugated Linoleic Acid which reduces body fats percentage in the body. Butter also contains butyrate which assist the body to fight inflammation and also improve gut health.
However, butter tends to get burned during high heat cooking like frying.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is well-known for its numerous heart healthy benefits.
Palm oil
Palm oil consists of monounsaturated fats, saturated and small amounts of poly-unsaturated fats.
This makes it a good choice for cooking. Red Palm oil is very healthful because it's rich in Vitamins E which assist in vision.
Palm oil consists of monounsaturated fats, saturated and small amounts of poly-unsaturated fats.
This makes it a good choice for cooking. Red Palm oil is very healthful because it's rich in Vitamins E which assist in vision.
Avocado oil
Oils extracted from avocado is similar to olive oil and is also monounsaturated. It can be used for most of the purposes as olive oil. You can either choose to cook with it or use it in the cold state according to Kakooza
Nut and peanut oils
There are a lot of nut oils available but they're rich in polyunsaturated fats making them a poor choice for cooking.
They can form part of recipes but they shouldn't be used to fry or do any high heat cooking.
Seed and vegetable oils
They are highly processed, refined products that are way too rich in Omega-6 fatty acids. You should avoid them altogether. They are linked to many diseases, including cancers and heart disease. Among them are; Sesame, Soybean, Corn, Canola etc.
Rice Bran oils
Mpiima says, ''Most common vegetable oils contain trans fats, which are highly toxic. It's therefore very crucial to read labels of products and if you find any of these oils on a packaged food that you're about to eat, then it is best to purchase something else.''
Care for oils
For you to ensure that your fats and oils do not get stale, don't buy large batches at a time if you're not going to use it at once.
It's very important to keep unsaturated fats like palm, avocado oil, olive, and some others in an environment where they are less likely to be oxidized and go rancid.
Kakooza says, ''Heat, oxygen and light are the main drivers behind oxidative damage of cooking oils. Therefore, keep oils in dark, cool, dry, place and make sure to screw the lid on as soon as you finish using them.''
When cooking with oils, you must
choose between cooking for health and cooking for taste.
Regardless of the oil type you are using, it is classified nutritionally as a fat. Fats are far more calorie-dense than protein and carbohydrates according to a nutritionist at Homart, Alex Mark Kakooza. For this reason, you should always consider the quantity of fat you want to take and then add it wisely.
Oxidation produces free radicals, cooking oils that are highly reactive have the potential to damage cells.
Virgin olive oil can also assist in lowering bad cholesterol level and raise the good cholesterol.
Regardless of the oil type you are using, it is classified nutritionally as a fat. Fats are far more calorie-dense than protein and carbohydrates according to a nutritionist at Homart, Alex Mark Kakooza. For this reason, you should always consider the quantity of fat you want to take and then add it wisely.
Oxidation produces free radicals, cooking oils that are highly reactive have the potential to damage cells.
Virgin olive oil can also assist in lowering bad cholesterol level and raise the good cholesterol.
It's very important to also bear in mind that cooking oil should be used only once. If you're cooking at a high temperature or for a long time, use a saturated fat instead according to Kakooza.
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