Author photo, Getty Images
Supermarket shelves are filled with a variety of oils, from budget bottles of sunflower and rapeseed to more expensive olive, avocado and coconut, all promising their health benefits.
Oils and fats have been at the centre of the nutrition debate for years, and to understand why it’s important, it’s worth understanding the different types of fats they contain. They don’t all behave in the same way in the body – some raise cholesterol levels, while others help to lower them.
Cholesterol is a naturally occurring fat produced in the liver, and it can also be found in some of the foods we eat. Too high levels of “bad” cholesterol can lead to the formation of fatty deposits on the walls of blood vessels, causing them to narrow or clog.
Due to this high prevalent myths about vegetable oil.
1. Use sunflower and vegetable oils for cooking.
Rapeseed (often sold as vegetable oil) and sunflower oil often have a bad reputation because some people claim they are ultra-processed and can cause inflammation that damages the cardiovascular system.
However, there is no evidence to support this. On the contrary, these oils contain only a small amount (5-10%) of harmful saturated fats and are rich in healthier monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats (including omega-3 and omega-6) are important for brain and heart health.
Photo by Getty Images
Furuhiwould affirm that these oils are definitely good for us. She explains that they can reduce the risk of disease by replacing saturated fats [yaki can raise the level of “bad” cholesterol] such as cream fats, which are strongly linked to cardiovascular disease, but according to Furuhi, modern margarine is almost free of trans fats.
“So it can be part of a healthy diet and reduce ‘bad’ cholesterol.”
Author photo Getty Images
Butter is also not completely out of the diet.
“If you like butter, for example for toast, by all means eat it,” says Furuhi.
Both margarine and butter can be used for cooking, but Furuhi recommends sometimes substituting them with butter, which is a less saturated fat.
The British Healthy Dietary Guidelines recommend consuming no more than 10 per cent of calories as saturated fat, and this is easier to achieve if you cook with oil instead of butter.
3- Olive oil is not suitable for stir-frying
Restaurateur Tim Hayward says he uses regular olive oil for shallow frying. But for deep frying, such as Chips or batter, baby sunflower or vegetable oils are best because they can withstand higher temperatures without breaking down.
Some studies have also shown that oils heated above their smoke point release toxic chemical by-products.
However, Professor Furuha points out that this method of cooking at home is not very common and that long-term health studies still show that vegetable oils are “without exception associated with better outcomes for chronic diseases”.
Which oils should you use?
If you’re looking for a simple strategy for the kitchen:
In general, Prof Furuha says it’s best to look at your diet as a whole, rather than focusing on which bottle to buy.
“I would recommend choosing one that suits your taste preferences and financial capacity, and experimenting with different types of