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Do you know which common cooking oils contain hidden saturated fats?
Cooking oils play an important role in our daily diet, whether in frying, baking, or other cooking methods. Then, many consumers are unaware of the ingredients of these oils, especially the hidden saturated fats. This is especially important at a time when health awareness is increasing.
Studies show a clear correlation between high saturated fat intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Common cooking oils and their saturated fat content
Among cooking oils, coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil are oils that contain significant saturated fats. According to the advice of some nutritionists, while these oils provide stability during cooking, the saturated fats they contain can increase health risks.
For example, coconut oil has a saturated fat content of up to about 90%, which makes it relatively stable at high temperatures. However, this also makes it likely that frequent use of this oil may increase bad cholesterol levels more easily.
Cooking oils that are low in saturated fat and high in unsaturated fat, such as olive oil and peanut oil, are generally considered healthier choices.
Advice from health experts
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends that polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats should be chosen instead of sources of saturated fats. This means that olive oil, rapeseed oil and other vegetable oils should be the first choice for our daily cooking.
According to the latest research, non-hydrogenated unsaturated oils, such as soybean oil and sunflower oil, are more effective at reducing heart disease risk. This also implies that the type of cooking oil should be selected to consider its potential health effects.
Effect of different cooking methods on oil
Most oils change their characteristics when heated at high temperatures. Therefore, when selecting cooking oil, its high temperature resistance should be considered. For example, the smoke point of an oil is a measure of its ability to withstand heating, and generally, oils with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil and peanut oil, are suitable for high-temperature frying.
The storage of oil products also affects its quality. All oils degrade under the influence of heat, light and oxygen, so proper storage is crucial.
Nutritional value in cooking
Many consumers may overlook the nutritional value of oils. The difference between cold-pressed oil and refined oil is that cold-pressed oil preserves more nutrients and natural flavor, while refined oil usually loses some of its important components due to the processing process.
For example, olive oil is a very popular cooking oil with a higher monounsaturated fat content, which is beneficial for health, and its cold-pressed version retains antioxidants better than the refined version.
Conclusion
When choosing cooking oil, we must not only consider its cooking performance, but also its health effects. With an increased emphasis on diet, understanding which oils contain hidden saturated fats can help us make healthier choices. And among the wide array of options to choose from, what kind of oil would you choose for cooking?
