Oils are a form of fat and the body needs them to keep functioning, use them to generate energy, aid digestion and the absorption of vitamins. “We need 10-15% fat in our daily diet to balance our carbs and protein, but we need to moderate it within that limit. Moreover, we need to ensure that these oils are heart healthy and do not end up damaging or clogging the arterial walls,” says Dr. Udgeath Dhir, Director and Head of Cardiovascular Surgery, Fortis Gurgaon.
At the same time, for a country where the onset of heart disease occurs about a decade earlier than others, it is best that we change our cooking methods and move away from frying to light sautéing or sautéing our foods to bring out their true flavors and increase our portion of vegetables on a plate. “Now the age of patients who undergo heart bypass surgery, necessitated by severe blockages in the heart walls, keeps dropping. It was down to 35 and now I’m seeing patients as young as 27. Hypercholesterolemia , when the body cannot process fat effectively, is a common complaint in the consulting room.Although diet alone is not the trigger, it certainly, along with other factors, has aggravated the possibility of heart disease,” he says.
The healthiest oils are those that contain mostly poly and monounsaturated fats and help control low-density lipoprotein (LDL). “I would say that all vegetable oils are safer than those derived from animal fats. Anything from nuts and seeds is good. The worst oils are those that are hydrogenated or contain saturated fats. In other terms, those that are solid at room temperature like butter, margarine, shortening, lard, animal fats, whole dairy products, and even tropical oils like coconut and palm. Coconut oil is high in saturated fat, but some argue that it is not the same as the saturated fat found in red meat.However, coconut oil contains a high amount of medium-chain fatty acids, which are harder for the body to convert into stored fat.A study also found that your LDL cholesterol levels may increase if you consume a lot of coconut oil. So unless you’re using small amounts of virgin coconut oil for specific dietary habits or have checked with your dietician about the exact amount you can have at certain times, within recommended limits, don’t go near it. Mustard oil is good and even half a teaspoon of desi ghee works,” says Dr. Dhir.
What are some common mistakes we make when using oil?
According to Dr. Dhir, a visual indicator of the right amount of oil in food is when the food is not shiny or an oily film is floating on top of the food. “Avoid frying because whatever the quality of the oil, it loses all its good properties over high heat. It is for the same reason that oil that has been used for frying should not be reused. high temperatures, some of the fats in our oil easily convert to trans fats, which are harmful to heart health.High temperatures during frying also change the chemical composition of the cooking medium, releasing free fatty acids and radicals, which cause oxidative stress, inflammation, and plaque formation. Reused oil is also carcinogenic,” says Dr. Dhir.
Should I cook my food in olive oil or extra virgin olive oil?
Neither, explains the doctor, because olive oil loses its antioxidant properties at high temperatures necessary for cooking and becomes like any other oil. Extra virgin olive oil has more antioxidants because it’s cold pressed within 24 hours of picking the olives, but it’s best raw, sprinkled on salads and foods.
Should we mix the oils or alternate their mode of consumption?
“Definitely not. It’s nothing more than a sales gimmick. Use the oil you’re used to, don’t destroy it by overcooking, and stick to prescribed limits,” says Dr. Dhir.
Indians often wait for their oil to smoke in the pan before dropping the food to sizzle. What does this mean for health?
If the oil starts to smoke, Dr. Dhir advises throwing it away because it’s already full of unhealthy byproducts. Vegetable, peanut, and sesame oils can handle some heat, but watch out for the tipping point.
Should we take omega 3 supplements for heart health?
“These supplements contain 185mg per capsule while the body requirement is 3g. So you would need insane amounts of supplement ingestion to get closer to normal. Omega-3 supplementation only works with a therapeutic dose of 1 g, taken three times a day. This too, a doctor should prescribe the dosage after assessing your body condition,” says Dr. Dhir.
