The way we cook and prepare meals depends largely on where we dwell from. It also decides our food habits and what suits our metabolism. However, cooking oil is an important part of the Indian kitchen that dwells more in frying and curry-ing food than baking or roasting it. The right cooking methods have a significant role to play in ensuring good health of the organs and to ascertain that the body gets the right nutrition.

Mustard oil and coconut oil which were the only options in the kitchen once has now taken a backseat with urban dwellers who find them too sticky and heavy to consume.

Here are the pros and cons of both the cooking oils to help you make informed choices. 

Mustard oil

The oil is low in saturated fats in comparison with other cooking oils. It serves well to health owing to the presence of antioxidants and cholesterol-reducing properties. When cooking with this oil, you must ensure that it is heated to the smoking point before being used in stir frying or frying. Mustard oil has erucic acid, which is tied to health risks such as accumulation of triglycerides in the heart, development of fibriotic lesions of the heart, anaemia and lung cancer.

 Sunflower Oil

The oil is enriched with vitamin E, which makes it excellent for being used in and cosmetic products. Sunflower oil is a mixture of monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids. It is the best for frying but may not be a good option for diabetic patients

Groundnut Oil

A tablespoon serving of groundnut oil has 13.5 grams of total fat, the majority of which is unsaturated fat. Groundnut oil is a natural source of phytochemicals, antioxidants that protect your body from damage from toxins and free radicals. Groundnut oil is a natural source of phytochemicals, antioxidants that protect your body from damage from toxins and free radicals.

Rice Bran Oil

Rice bran oil is rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and free of trans-fat. It is known as the heart-friendly oil. "Rice bran might help lower cholesterol because it contains the right amount of oryzanol which is an antioxidant. It helps decrease cholesterol absorption and increase cholesterol elimination

Canola Oil

A recent entrant into the Indian market, Canola is flying off the shelves. Canola oil. It is amongst the healthiest of cooking oils. It has the lowest saturated fat content of any oil. It`s seen as a healthy alternative as its rich in monounsaturated fats and is high in Omega 3. It has a medium smoking point.

Coconut Oil

 

This oil is full of saturated fat. Studies suggest that diets high in coconut oil do raise total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Additionally, coconut oil doesn`t contain your average saturated fats. The saturated fats in coconut oil may increase "good" HDL cholesterol in your body, but also help convert the "bad" LDL cholesterol into a less harmful form.

 Olive oil

About 24 percent of the oil is saturated fats and omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids But the predominant (73 percent) fatty acid in olive oil is a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid, which is extremely healthy. Apart from its beneficial fatty acids, it contains modest amounts of Vitamins E and K. But olive oil is also loaded with powerful antioxidants.

Bottom line

Cooking oil is not a good option for daily diet. It is only after the type of cooking and your nutritional needs that you can choose the cooking oil.

Olive oil is not a good choice for deep-frying because of a low smoke point, but mustard oil is better for deep frying. A combination of mustard and sesame oils can also be used for frying. For recipes that have a significant amount of fat, canola oil can eliminate trans-fat and reduce saturated fat to reduce the total fat. Coconut and palm kernel oils are unhealthy for those affected by cholesterol-related problems owing to high saturated fats.

 Keep a check on the oil you consume. The daily recommended intake of cooking oil for an adult is about 20g which is about 4 teaspoons. This differs depending on one’s health and fitness goals.