Healthy oils: Which oil should you use?

Almost everyone that comes of age, rarely understand why certain ailments affect them through later stages in their life. No matter how healthy you might seem, or how moderate you are with eating the right stuff, There comes a day when it just drops on you suddenly & you're running to & from to the doctor, checking your sugar levels, Cholesterol levels, which could lead to things like heart disease & other heart related issues.

Cooking oils & certain oils used in products such as potato chips, crackers & specific types of candy for example all have chemically altered oil, which is very bad for the human heart. Below i intend to explain to the best of my knowledge the difference between the oils used in food products, which oils to avoid and the differences between virgin olive oil & extra virgin olive oil.

If you're not sure how to choose healthy oils for cooking, it's important that you understand the essential differences between saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Once you understand the basic characteristics of these fatty acids, you'll know which commonly available oils are good for your health, and which ones you should avoid whenever possible.

Here's a look at the basic differences between the three types of fatty acids that are found in all commonly available oils:

Saturated fatty acids pack together tightly, making oils that contain a large percentage of them extremely stable when exposed to heat and light. Oils that have a high percentage of saturated fatty acids are your best choice for cooking.

Monounsaturated fatty acids do not pack together as tightly as saturated fatty acids do. They are relatively stable when exposed to heat, so oils that contain a high percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids are a fair choice for cooking.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids do not pack together very well. They are unstable when extracted out of whole foods, so oils that have a high percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids tend to produce significant amounts of free radicals when exposed to heat. These oils should never be used for cooking.

Additionally, when we look at fat beyond just the cooking oils in everyday food, it leads to a lot of confusion. Generally speaking, we all need fat for several reasons. Fat gives us essential fatty acids - omega-3 and omega-6. It helps in absorption on fat- soluble vitamins-A, D, E and K. Fat adds the satiety value to foods we eat, and it supplies our body with crucial energy.

Which oil should you consume? Definitely not the refined version that the TV ads make us believe is cholesterol free or good for the heart. Refined oils are scrapped of all the necessary healthy nutrients, i.e., the vitamins and polyphenols that work in the body as antioxidants. So buy the filtered oils. Although they may look dark and can have a different smell, it is the aroma of the natural seeds from which the oil is extracted.

Following is a quick reference guide to help you select the best cooking oil to set a healthier table for your family.

Corn Oil: Corn oil’s mild flavor makes it a great all-purpose oil for general cooking and baking.3 It is also one of the most heart-healthy cooking oils you can use, the most stable of oils for frying and it produces very little odor when cooking. Corn oil, such as Mazola® Corn Oil, contains more cholesterol-blocking plant sterols than any other cooking oil.

Canola Oil: Canola oil is a useful cooking oil due to its light flavor.2 It’s considered a healthy cooking oil because it is low in saturated fats (unhealthy fats) and high in healthy unsaturated fats.1 Canola is a good option that does not have much of an effect on the taste of your food, and is good for light cooking, sauces and desserts.

Vegetable Oil: Vegetable oil is typically soybean oil; however, it can be blends of other oils as well. Vegetable oil is an all-purpose oil for cooking or baking and its high smoke point – the temperature at which an oil begins to smoke – makes it a good option for high temperature cooking.4 Vegetable oil is not as high in monounsaturated fats, or “good fats,” as most other oils, but it is useful when sautéing or pan-frying foods.

Olive Oil: A well-known mainstay of the “Mediterranean diet,” olive oil is high in friendly monounsaturated fat.2 Researchers say diets rich in olive oil may have heart health benefits similar to those of taking a low-dose baby aspirin every day.3 Heating olive oil causes it to lose a lot of its natural flavor, so use this oil to prepare dressings or no-heat sauces.