Pick The Best Cooking Oil For A Healthier Heart - Saffola
Understanding Fatty Acids: Saturated Fatty Acids : A fatty acid is when every carbon atom is connected to a hydrogen atom in the hydrocarbon chain. The more hydrogen bonding, the more the saturation since carbon atoms are saturated with hydrogen atoms. Saturated fats do not have double bonds. These are fats that are typically solid at room temperature, due to which they are often also referred to as “solid fats”. Saturated fats increase LDL or bad cholesterol which can lead to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. It is found in foods such as cheese, butter, palm oil, poultry with skin, pork, beef, and other red meats.
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFAs): Chemically, MUFAs are fatty acids with one unsaturated double bond. These are a healthy class of fats typically found in plant or seed-based oils such as olive, sunflower, soybean, and nuts such as almonds, cashews, and peanuts. Monounsaturated fats contain properties that can aid heart health . Replacing saturated fats with MUFAs help by lowering LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, Total: HDL ratio and hence reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs): PUFAs contain two or more double bonds. These are other healthy types of fats that provide essential fats, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, both of which are critical for brain function and cell growth. Polyunsaturated fats play a significant role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Omega-3 PUFAs may protect against cardiovascular diseases through several mechanisms, including acting as an antiatherogenic agent, lowering triglycerides, slightly lowering blood pressure, and reducing inflammatory responses. Some foods containing this type of fat are walnuts, sunflower seeds, safflower oil, soybean oil, and fish such as salmon, mackerel, and trout.
Trans Fats: These are a type of unsaturated fats and can be found in both natural and synthetic forms. Similar to saturated fats, when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil at the industrial level, this process solidifies the oil and can be harmful to your health. Trans fat is harmful because it not only increases bad cholesterol but also reduces good cholesterol, becoming a direct pathway to heart problems. Foods containing trans fat include fried foods such as fries, some vegetable oils, vegetable shortening, and bakery items containing vegetable shortening such as muffins, cakes, and so on. Trans fat is an unhealthy fat and should be avoided as much as possible.
The fatty acids are important to be consumed and perform different functions in oils and in the body. A balance between them is hence important. According to the American Heart Association, an ideal ratio of SFA:MUFA: PUFA is 1:1:1/1:1.3:1. Most single seed oils are either rich in MUFA or PUFA. Choose blended cooking oils, that have a blend of two oils to get a good balance of these fatty acids that help get better nutrition and heart health.
