'zero' cholesterol oils

                                                 

 Sunflower and suffola oils are recommended by doctors because they are 'zero' cholesterol. But the truth is that all oils are 'zero' cholesterol. Every oil is a plant product and plants do not have capacity to produce cholesterol.

When this cooking oil is ingested, the body converts it into cholesterol. Thus the cooking oil is the raw material for the synthesis of cholesterol. Animals also do the same. 

Ready made cholesterol is present in animal products like milk,cream, ghee,egg yolk, meat.


Then how do we select our cooking oil?

It is on the basis of PUFA- 3 (omega -3) contents, which has many health benefits.

Here is a descending order of all cooking oils based on their contents of PUFA -3:(omega-3)

Mustard
Pure ghee
Coconut
soybean
Palm
Olive
Rice bran
Sesame
Groundnut
Corn
Sunflower
Suffola


Traditionally, different regions in India have a preference for a particular oil.
For example, coconut oil in Kerala, sesame oil in Tamilnadu, groundnut oil in Maharashtra and Gujarat. and mustard oil in UP and Bengal. 

Each oil has its characteristic flavor or aroma. If people are happy using coconut or sesame or groundnut oil,due to the flavor, then they should continue with it. You can use pure ghee also for cooking.(It ranks number 2 next to mustard oil) 

Nutritionally, mustard oil is the best and ideal oil. People say that it smells. But it is only while giving 'tadka'(seasoning) There is no smell to the food prepared in it. people will not know that it is prepared in mustard oil. 

How much oil?

You may choose any oil of your choice, but the quantity is very important.
It should be 5 teaspoons per person per day. 
Most of us do not use spoon (we just pour it).our spoons are also of different sizes.
When I ask a housewife "how much oil needed in your home per month?" She is not sure about it.

The oil consumption should be half liter per man per month.
For a family of 4 persons, it should be 2 liters per month.
If the cooking is done by the maid,and the housewife is working ,then there is no control over the quantity of oil.  

We should be aware that oil is a rich source of calories. One teaspoon of oil has 50 calories.When a diabetic patient is in the family, then the housewife should be particular of oil usage, because a diabetic has to control calories. We are not aware of the fact that cooking oil has calories.