When you hear the word 'cooking oil', what comes into your mind? Most of you may think of palm oil or olive oil. But know, there are actually various types of healthy oils that you can use for cooking, instead of the cooking oil you are currently using.
In various media and news, people are often encouraged to avoid the consumption of oily foods to be healthier. This suggestion is not entirely true. Because on a healthy diet, you are encouraged to include oil components to meet the needs of essential fatty acid body.
This is because the body can not produce its own fatty acids, so this need must be met through food. There are two essential types of essential fatty acids needed by the body: linoleic acid and alpha-linoleic acid, both of which are polyunsaturated fatty acids.
However, in the market there are three different types of cooking oils with different forms of fatty acids, namely oils with monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and saturated fats.
Simply put, in choosing the best oil for health, avoid choosing oil with saturated fat content. Choose oil that is dominated by unsaturated fat content, either single or double.
Here are some types of cooking oils that you can use, especially when running a healthy diet:
Canola oil
Canola oil contains 62% monounsaturated fat and 32% polyunsaturated fat. This oil also has the lowest saturated fat content compared to other oils. This oil is good for you who want to run a healthy diet.
A 2013 study published by the journal Nutrition Reviews found that canola oil has been shown to help lower total blood cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, which may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Grape seed oil
This versatile oil is a favorite oil widely used by famous chefs and food enthusiasts in the world. Grape seed oil contains 71% polyunsaturated fat. This oil has a mild taste, so it does not spoil the taste of cuisine.
Because of the taste, grape seed oil is also not only be used for frying and sauteing but also as a dressing on the salad if you are on a healthy diet.
Olive oil
Of course you have often heard about olive oil. This oil has the highest content of monounsaturated fats compared to other common cooking oil, which is 77%. Olive oil is also rich in polyphenols that are antioxidants with many health benefits.
There are several types of olive oil on the market, among them extra-virgin olive oil which means only through one processing and virgin olive oil. However, it should be noted that not all types of olive oil suitable for cooking.
For cooking, avoid using extra-virgin olive oil, as this species can not survive at high temperatures and quickly burn if heated. For frying and sautéing, use pure olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil you can use as a sauce or salad-dressing.
Healthy lifestyle does not mean having to eliminate fried foods from the list of favorite foods. You can be creative by replacing food with similar ingredients which of course is healthier, for example healthy oil for cooking.
Well, now you have a wide choice of healthy oils instead of cooking oil. Nevertheless, keep in mind that the amount of oil recommended for adults consumed in a day is not more than 2 teaspoons.