Not only makes dishes crispier, choosing the right cooking oil is also important for the health of the body, especially the heart. Therefore, know more about the various types of healthy cooking oil in an effort to maintain your heart health.
Cooking oil generally contains unsaturated fat and saturated fat. However, this is not the case with healthy oils. This type of oil usually does not go through a refining process, so it is more natural and has higher levels of unsaturated fat than saturated fat.
Cooking oil with a high saturated fat content can trigger an increase in cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease. Therefore, choosing the right cooking oil is an important thing to do in order to maintain a healthy heart.
Types of Cooking Oil that are Good for Heart Health
There are several choices of cooking oil that are known to be good for heart health, including:
1. Olive oil
Olive oil is one type of healthy oil, because it contains unsaturated fats, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds. In addition, a study also showed that consumption of olive oil extra virgin can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Olive oil can be used to process food by sautéing it at medium temperature or as a salad dressing. This method is considered healthier because it can maintain the nutrition and taste of olive oil.
2. Canola oil
Canola oil is one of the right cooking oil choices for maintaining heart health. This oil is made from canola seeds and is very high in omega-3 and omega-6. Canola oil also does not contain saturated fat, so it can lower cholesterol levels in the body.
In addition, canola oil has a high smoke point, making it good for grilling, baking and sauteing. The smoke point itself is the temperature limit at which the oil will experience changes in its nutritional content.
3. Avocado oil
If you want healthy oil for frying at high temperatures, avocado oil can be an option. This cooking oil contains antioxidants and unsaturated fats, so it is good for heart health. In addition, avocado oil can also prevent the rise of bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower blood pressure.
4. Peanut oil
This type of cooking oil is processed from peanuts and a mixture of several types of nuts, such as peanuts walnuts and almonds . Peanut oil contains vitamin E and unsaturated fats. This oil is also suitable for frying at high temperatures, because it has a high smoke point.
5. Sunflower seed oil (sunflower oil)
Sunflower seed oil contains unsaturated fats, antioxidants such as flavonoids and phenolic acids, vitamin E, and various minerals. The antioxidants contained in sunflower seed oil are known to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and the risk of heart disease.
Cooking oil from sunflower seeds is either consumed raw as a mixture of sauces and salads or processed as an ingredient for sautéing and grilling.
In addition to several choices of cooking oil above, you can also use soybean oil, corn oil, and sesame oil which contain unsaturated fats so they are good for heart health.
Meanwhile, oils sourced from animals, such as duck fat or lard, coconut oil, and palm oil contain saturated fat. Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of various diseases, especially heart disease, you are advised to limit the consumption of this type of cooking oil.
Not only choosing healthy cooking oil, you also have to live a healthy lifestyle by eating balanced nutritious foods and exercising regularly.
If you want to know the consumption of a balanced diet and the type of healthy cooking oil that is good for heart health, you can consult a doctor to get advice that suits your health condition and needs.