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Are cooking oils good for you?

Sep 29, 2011 at 16:35

Nutritionist Joy Bauer, RD, shares all the information you neto know about fats and oils

Nutritionist Joy Bauer, RD, shares all the information you need to know about fats and oils,including learning how hydrogenated fat is hidden on labels and the difference between virgin andextra-virgin olive oil. Armed with these essential tips, you'll be ready for any situation in the kitch

Q: Are there any oils I should avoid totally?

Yes: The worst type of oil is an ingredient in packaged foods including some stick margarines, bagoods, chips, crackers and candy. Im talking about partially hydrogenated oilsor trans fats, whiis how theyre listed on Nutrition Facts panels on labels.

Partially hydrogenated oil is vegetable oil that has been chemically altered so its less likely to spoFood manufacturers often add it to their products because it can help foods stay fresh longer.

But even in very small amounts, partially hydrogenated oil can wreak havoc on your heart health.lowers levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and raises LDL (bad) cholesterol, and it even increasyour risk for diabetes.

The American Heart Association recommends that no more than 1% of your total daily calories cofrom trans fat.

This translates to less than 2 grams for women, who typically need fewer than 2,000 calories per dIf a food contains trans fat, itll be listed below Saturated Fat in the Total Fat column.

Q: For the record, which is better: butter or olive oil?

From a health standpoint, olive oil is the better choice. But butter still has its place. All oils are amixture of fats including monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFand saturated fatty acids (SFA)but in eachoil (and in butter, too, which is basically a solidified oil), one type of fat dominates.

Olive oil is predominantly rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, which decreases your risk focardiovascular disease by lowering LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol. On the otherhand, butter is mostly saturated fat, which increases LDL cholesterol and causes inflammation inyour body. So generally, its best to use olive oil.

However, the distinctive smell, flavor and consistency of butter works best in certain baked goods

including cakes, cookies and pastriesso its OK to make these occasionally and enjoy the butter.

Another butter-vs.-oil difference: Because butter is solid at room temperature, you have more contover how much (or how little) of it you spread on bread; with olive oil, its difficult to gauge howmuch oil is absorbed. So dip lightly!

Q: Whats the difference between regular olive oil, virgin and extra-virgin?

Simply put, olive oil is made by crushing olives to make a paste thats then put under a press. If thoil that comes out has a low acidity and a good taste and smell, its labeled extra-virgin or virgin.(Virgin is slightly lower quality than extra-virgin.)

These types are ideal to use for bread dunking, drizzling on veggies and other foods, and makingsalad dressings, since their delicate flavor and aroma will be lost when heated (some chefs still pre

to use extra-virgin for cooking). The deeper the color, the more intense the olive flavor.

If the oil is highly acidic or not great quality, its refined and mixed with virgin or extra-virgin oilmake regular olive oil; this all-purpose oil is good for cooking.

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The heart-health benefits of all types of olive oil are pretty much the same, although the virgin anextra-virgin ones have extra antioxidants.

Q: How can oils be healthy if theyre so fattening?

Oils may be fattening in the sense that theyre pretty high in calories compared with other foods

All oils have around 120 calories per Tbsp, so you can easily gain weight if you use too much. Evbutter has fewer calories than oil (100 per Tbsp of butter) because of its water content.

Whats more, whipped butter sold in a tub has even fewer caloriesabout 60 to 70 per Tbsp,thanks to the air thats been incorporated into the mix. And tub light margarine spreads have onl30 to 50 calories per Tbsp.

But since oils contain fats that are good for you, youre better off getting that 120 calories from ahealthy oil rather than stick or tub butter. By the way, if youre inclined to cut out fats entirely, doWe do need some fat to be healthy.

Without it, our bodies cant absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K, and we miss out on faacids that are essential for the health of your skin, hair, heart and brainand just about every othe

part of your body.

Q: How should I store oils?

Heat, light and oxygen degrade oils, which makes them turn rancid more quickly and actuallypromotes the formation of cancer-causing compounds called free radicals. The more polyunsaturafats an oil contains, the more susceptible to rancidity it becomes.

Oils rich in PUFAs, such as walnut and flaxseed, are best stored in the fridge in tightly cappedcontainers. MUFAs, such as those found in olive oil, are a bit more hardy, but you should still prooils that contain them by keeping the lid on tightly and storing them in a dark place far from thestove or other heat source.

Saturated fats, such as butter, can withstand more heat, light and oxygen, but you should still

refrigerate sat-fatrich butter, because it contains milk solids, which can go rancid. If you store oilcorrectly, most will last about six months to one year.

When youre shopping for oils, reach for bottles at the back of the shelf, since thats where they armore protected from harsh lighting that can make them go bad. Check the bottle for an expirationdate (most oils have one), and every time you open a bottle, give it a whiff to make sure it doesntsmell rancid.

Related links:11 common dietary supplements explainedEight foods that help you live longerSimple ways to beat bloating

Joy Bauer, RDAll right reserved Business.Maktoob.com 2011

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