If cooking is an art form, cooking oil is the water that helps you paint the food. But oil usage in cooking is getting a bad rap these days. Popular media portrays fat as an enemy. They present cooking oils as culprits that prevent you from achieving a healthy body. But, is it? We will also find out what Nutriplus VCO is!
Contrary to popular conceptions, like every other product, oils also have many benefits to offer. But you should know what to look for in order to access them. Let me tell you what to look for when choosing cooking oil.
Fat: An essential component
Like every other component in the human body, fats have their importance. Fats help you to feel full for a long time and help your body to absorb certain vitamins. It is a major component of your body organs and covering body cells. Last but not least, unlike other energy sources, one teaspoon of oil can produce 40 KCal of energy, which will help you perform your daily activities.
So, banning fat from your diet can do more harm than good for your health. But, at the same time, certain fats can also threaten your well-being. If so, how will you know which fats are good and bad?
Know your cooking oil
Cooking oil is the most common fat used in our daily food preparations. It is used in foods ranging from gourmet salads to homemade dal. But, many of these carriers of flavour that make your food yummy can harm you.
Today, when you are presented with a wide variety of oils that differ in smell, taste and colour, choosing a cooking oil that is beneficial to you may seem like a difficult task. But following these tips will make this process a lot easier for you.
Check the type of fat present in your cooking oil
Cooking oils differ not only in fragrance and flavour but also in the ratio of fats present in them. All cooking oils have three types of fatty acids in them:
- Monounsaturated fats (MUFA)
Monounsaturated fats stay liquid at room temperature and solidify when chilled. The presence of this fat in your oil will reduce your chances of contracting cancer, heart disease and arthritis. Hence, this fat should be more than that of saturated fats and less than that of polyunsaturated fats.
- Polyunsaturated fats (PUFA)
This unsaturated fat contains Omega 3 and 6, which are highly beneficial for your body. As these fatty acids can’t be produced within our body, they should be added to your food. Hence your cooking oil should have polyunsaturated fat within it. The recommended ratio of Omega 3 and Omega 6 in your daily diet is from 1:2 to 1:4.
- Saturated fats (SFA)
Saturated fats are generally considered bad for your body, but are they? A limited amount of good-quality saturated fat in your food is highly beneficial for the functioning of your body. As this kind of fat is highly stable and resists oxidation, it will help you in digestion.
So, are all fats good?
No, there is one type of fat that should be avoided at all costs from your diet. Trans fat.
What are Trans fats?
Trans fats are the solidified form of polyunsaturated fat. This type of fat is highly harmful to your health. Trans fat will increase your cholesterol level, leading to medical conditions like heart attack, cancer etc. Although it makes your oil more stable and increases its shelf life, it is highly harmful to your health.
So how do you find out whether an oil has trans-fat in it or not? Don’t worry. You don’t have to go through the complete nutritional information to determine whether your favourite cooking oil has trans fat. There is a much easy way for it. Watch out for refined oils.
Refined oil: A health hazard
Oils are refined to increase their shelf life and make them more stable. They are prepared by forcing hydrogen gas into the oil at high pressure. When oils undergo hydrogenation, the beneficial fats within the oil undergo a chemical reaction. This chemical reaction results in the production of trans-fat. Hence, one can define refined oils as the storehouses of trans-fats.
But is it the only thing to consider while purchasing cooking oil?
No, the Smoke point is another important factor to consider while choosing your cooking oil.
The importance of choosing a cooking oil with a high smoking point
The smoking point is the temperature at which an oil starts to burn and degrade. The oil that gets heated beyond its smoking point will release free radicals. When combined with oxygen, these free radicals will form harmful compounds and toxic smoke. These, even when inhaled, can injure your cells and DNA. Hence, it would be best to always look for an oil with a high smoking point, especially for frying purposes.
So, let’s come back to our issue. What type of oil should you choose for cooking purposes? Let me introduce you to Nutriplus VCO.
Nutriplus VCO (Virgin Coconut Oil)
If you are looking for a healthy cooking oil that will keep you and your family safe, then Nutriplus VCO is perfect for you. Unlike other coconut oils available in the market, this cold-pressed, pure, and natural oil is highly beneficial for you. Compared with other refined coconut oils available in the market, this unrefined coconut oil is the storehouse of MCFAs or medium-fatty chain acids.
Medium-fatty chain acid in Nutriplus VCO
MCFAs are one of the healthiest forms of fat. It is so healthy that it can be found in breast milk, the purest kind of milk. Unlike other forms of fats, MCFAs are entirely used for producing energy. These fats can be directly absorbed from the gut into the bloodstream and cross the mitochondrial membrane, making them extremely healthy. The ability to be absorbed easily prevents MSFAs from accumulating within the body. As a result, unlike other types of fat, MCFAs aren’t stored within the body. So they also prevent any weight gain.
Apart from housing MCFAs, this cold-pressed coconut oil shows high stability. This makes the oil suitable for cooking purposes. Additionally, Nutriplus VCO, because of its unrefined and natural state, contains many anti-oxidant, anti-ageing and anti-inflammatory properties. When combined with the natural aroma and taste it adds to your dishes, Nutriplus VCO is the perfect cooking oil for a healthy you.
Finally, there you go. You have the perfect cooking oil within your reach. Don’t disappoint the future healthy you by losing this golden chance. Grab it and be the healthy version of yourself.
