From Crispy Pakoras to Tasty Kachoris, Traditional Indian Food involves a lot of frying. Thus it is imperative to choose a good cooking oil in order to stay healthy while enjoying our favorite foods. Let us know about the qualities of oil that makes it healthy for us.
Characteristics of Healthy Oil
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To choose healthier oils, we must consider some facts;
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Oils with higher smoke points are considered healthier.
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When overheated, the oil composition must be stable and not react with oxygen.
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It should contain monounsaturated and saturated fats
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Avoid polyunsaturated fats in oils
Healthy oils on your way!
Well, since you know the quality of essential oils, here is a list of cooking oils with unlimited health benefits:
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is one of the healthiest oils available in South India.
According to studies, coconut oil has high stability even above 180 ° C without loss of quality. This is because the presence of saturated fatty acids which is a more stable fat and makes it more resistant to heat. The Fat in Coconut oil metabolizes very fast and the time it floats in the blood is very short, which reduces the risk of atherosclerosis.
Recent studies have shown that saturated fats are harmless for human consumption. Coconut oil has myriad health benefits as cooking oil. It can reduce belly fat and kill harmful bacteria in the body.
If you don't like the smell and taste of coconut oil, you can try other oils that suit your preferences. However, taste and aroma of refined coconut oil is neutral.
Olive Oil
We all know how healthy olive oil is, and we have been using them for seasoning, shallow frying, sautéing, etc. What we don't know is that it can also be used for frying.
Several studies have shown that olive oil is a suitable option for frying because it can withstand heat for more than 24 hours and then oxidize excessively.
Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, so it has strong heat resistance. However, heating olive oil will consume the beautiful aroma, but it is still healthy.
Foods fried in olive oil have a lower fat content than foods fried in other oils, which makes olive oil more suitable for weight control. Therefore, olive oil is the most suitable, lightest and most delicious medium for frying.
Avocado Oil
Avocado oils have a higher smoking point, up to 270°C. They have a similar composition to that of olive oil.
However, it contains monounsaturated fats, as well as saturated and polyunsaturated fats, making it less healthy than olive oil despite having a higher smoking point.
Peanut Oil
Peanut oil is also called as groundnut oil. Due to its high smoke point of 230 °c and neutral flavor it is a preferred essential oil for deep-frying.
Interestingly, it is the only oil that can be reused many times because it does not absorb the taste of food.
As far as health is concerned, it contains polyunsaturated fats, which make it susceptible to oxidation at high temperatures.
Palm Oil
Palm oil is suitable for deep frying because it contains monounsaturated and saturated fats, and some polyunsaturated fat. It tastes neutral, and unrefined palm oil is the healthiest version.
