Oil is an important part of our cooking it enhances taste, aroma and protect food from burning while cooking. Now days with rise in heart diseases and intensive marketing had made it difficult to choose the right oil. Here are few tips to make you understand terms used in oil manufacturing and marketing to help you choose the right cooking oil.
Refined v/s Filtered –
First thing to know about oil is the stage of its extraction. First stage is crude oil then it is filtered oil and the last is the refined oil.
Crude oil is not edible as it is unstable and perishable, filtered oil holds all the goodness of oil with its unique aroma (depending on seeds) and is the best to consume, refined is the clear variety of oil post extraction of all goodness (stickiness property of oil) has a neutral taste which is less offensive hence most popular but is not so good.
Pick filtered oil as it is more natural and less processed with chemicals with all goodness of oil seeds.
Local v/s Imported –
Today we see a fascination toward imported oils, thought it is not wrong but what your body needs is linked to the environment you live in; means if you belong to plains/hills cook your food in mustard, sesame or groundnut oil and if in a coastal area use coconut oil. Obviously if in Italy use olive oil. Another fact behind this is that your genes are acquainted with this and it gets easily digested and absorbed by the body.
Choose an oil that is local to the area you live it will be always beneficial.
Cholesterol or No Cholesterol –
We are constantly threatened for poor health and is related to oil we use. The most heard word is cholesterol, but do you know that cholesterol is found only in animal products? Most of the oil claims that it contains no cholesterol it’s totally wrong, oils are plant products and do not contain any cholesterol.
So don’t get confused by marketing gimmicks.
PUFA v/s MUFA –
MUFA (mono unsaturated fatty acid) and PUFA (poly unsaturated fatty acid) together are found in all sources of oil. MUFA are usually liquid at room temperature, but when chilled it turn solid; while PUFA are liquid at room temperature and remain liquid even on chilling.
There is a natural balance of PUFA and MUFA in filtered oils refining creates the imbalance.
Oils are not bad but as we have moved towards sedentary lifestyle it has become essential to use them in less quantity. Moderation is the key do not overload your food with oil for the sake of taste only, choose the right oil, keep yourself fit and relish your life forever.