Which cooking oil is best for the heart, checks LDL cholesterol? Why should Indians give up deep-frying?

The healthiest oils are those which mostly contain poly and mono-unsaturated fats and which help keep low density lipoprotein (LDL) in check. “I would say all vegetable oils are safer than animal fat derived ones. Anything drawn from nuts and seeds is good. The worst oils are those which are hydrogenated or have saturated fats. In other words, those that are solid at room temperature like butter, margarine, shortening, lard, animal fat, full-fat dairy and even tropical oils like coconut and palm. Some studies point to coconut oil having a high saturated fat content but some argue that this isn’t the same as the saturated fat found in red meat. However, coconut oil has a high amount of medium-chain fatty acids, which are harder for the body to convert into stored fat. A study has also found that your LDL cholesterol could rise if you are having a lot of coconut oil. So, unless you are using small quantities of virgin coconut oil for specific dietary habits or checked with your dietician about the exact amount you can have at certain times, within recommended limits, do not go near it. Mustard oil is good and even just a half teaspoon of desi ghee works,” says Dr Dhir.

What are the common mistakes that we make in using oil?

According to Dr Dhir, a visual indicator of the right quantity of oil in food is when the food doesn’t glisten or an oily film doesn’t float above the food. “Avoid deep frying as no matter how good the oil is, it loses all its good properties at high heat. It is for the same reason that you must not reuse oil which has been used for deep frying. At high temperatures, some of the fats in our oil easily change into trans fats, which are damaging to heart health. High temperatures during deep frying also alter the chemical composition of the cooking medium, releasing free fatty acids and radicals, which cause oxidative stress, inflammation and build plaque. Reused oil is carcinogenic too,” explains Dr Dhir.

Should I cook my food in olive oil or extra virgin olive oil?

Neither, says the doctor, as olive oil loses its antioxidant properties at high heat required for cooking and becomes just like any other oil. Extra virgin olive oil contains more antioxidants because they are cold-pressed within 24 hours of picking the olives but they are best had raw, dribbled over salads and foods.

Do we need to mix oils or alternate their consumption pattern?

“Definitely not. This is nothing more than a sales gimmick. Use the oil you are used to, do not destroy it with overcooking and have it within prescribed limits,” says Dr Dhir.

Indians often wait for their oil to smoke up in the pan before dropping food so that it sizzles. What does it mean healthwise?

If the oil starts smoking, Dr Dhir advises we should discard it as it is already full of unhealthy byproducts. Vegetable, peanut and sesame oils can withstand some heat but watch out for the tipping point.

Should we take Omega 3 supplements for heart health?

“These supplements have 185 mg per capsule while the body requirement is 3 gms. So you would need insane amounts of supplement ingestion to get anywhere near normal. The only way Omega- 3 supplementation works is through a therapeutic dose of 1 gm, taken thrice a day. That, too, a doctor should prescribe the dosage after assessing your body condition,” says Dr Dhir.