A traditional Indian diet includes different types of curries. One constant thing in all the recipes is the usage of edible oils. Brands like Fortune, Saffola, and Dhara are an integral part of our kitchen, but are they healthy for our hearts? Let us find the nutrition quotient of the best cooking oil for Indian food to analyse this better.
Most common types of cooking oils used in Indian households include:
- Soybean
- Sunflower
- Safflower
- Rice bran
- Mustard oil
- Coconut oil
- Vegetable oil
- Sesame oil
- Corn oil
- Groundnut or peanut oil
- Olive oil
Geographical differences, advertisements, and availability are the driving force behind consumer choices. A bleak percentage of people consciously purchase edible oils considering the health quotient and scientific recommendations.
Factors to choose the best cooking oil for frying
If you search for ‘cooking oil’ online, you will get an Amazon link that takes you right to top sellers. Scrolling a little more, you will find exotic options ten times more expensive than regular brands.
When you choose the best cooking oil for Indian food, you need to consider these factors:
1. Minimally processed
A healthy cooking oil will be minimally processed. You need to understand the oil extraction process to select a good product.
Oils come from seeds that are the richest forms of fat. As seeds are pressed and processed and converted into oily liquids, the remains also have high fat levels.
The extraction determines how healthy the oils are. When done manually, the oils retain nutritiveness. For example, oil extraction traditionally requires a wooden press that absorbs heat. The exerted pressure does not exceed 45 degrees C to retain antioxidants and heat sensitivity.
The modern cold-press method helps create unrefined and virgin oil, which is why these are healthier than the rest.
2. Can tolerate heat
Pakoras and chai is the perfect match for rainy days. But have you ever found your oil burning too much during the second or third sitting of fries you make?
For making fried items, we require oils that can withstand at least 160 degrees C and not burn. So, you will have to skip oils like sesame, coconut, corn, and cold-pressed peanut while making such items.
If your oil can tolerate high temperatures at a low burning point, it is likely processed.
3. Nutritive
While seeds can last long and retain optimum nutritional value, they are not the same as oils. Light, air, and heat can significantly alter the nutritional value of oils. The fat content in an oil determines the resistance to such external factors.
Types of fats in oils
All edible oils have saturated fats, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats:
Saturated fats
Oils with high levels of saturated fats merely have an impact from heat. It does not absorb oxygen as well. So, these options are ideal for cooking. An easy way to identify saturated fat is by recognising the products that solidify at room temperature. For example, butter and Ghee have high saturated fats.
Monounsaturated fats (MUFA)
Monosaturated fats are better than polyunsaturated fats. These types of oils are liquid at room temperature but harden if refrigerated. Olive, canola, sesame, and peanut oils have high MUFA.
Polyunsaturated fats (PUFA)
If you keep leftover used oil for future use and find them breaking down while reusing, it is a sign of high polyunsaturated fats. It is ideal to optimally use such oils so you do not need to keep leftovers that go rancid.
Consuming oils high in PUFA is damaging and must be replaced with better substitutes. Since it is more likely to damage due to heat, the chemicals of the oil can transform into trans-fat and free radicals.
Are all polyunsaturated fats bad?
No!
Consuming PUFA in the form of nuts and seeds enhances wellness. But the same form of fat in oil form is damaging.
Which oil is best for health
If you are looking for the best cooking oil for heart patients in India, you must change the traditional route. You must replace oils with high PUFA (sold by most oil brands in India) to MUFA. Here is a list of oils for good heart health:
Groundnut or peanut oil
Groundnut is a healthy oil for cooking Indian food as it is good for the heart. It is loaded with vitamin E and MUFA. While it also has PUFA but is better than sunflower, safflower, or corn oil.
Vitamin E maintains cholesterol levels. When mixed with olive oil, groundnut oil makes a power-packed combination of omega-3, 6, and vitamin E.
Olive oil
Olive oil is the most hyped ‘healthy oil’ as the formulation makes it perfect for salad dressings and light cooking. Since it is a plant-based oil, it comprises polyphenols that reduce coronary heart disease chances. Polyphenols improve the functioning of our inner heart lining and blood vessels and strengths good (HDL) cholesterols levels. Olive oil has monosaturated fats and antioxidants, making it more nutritive.
Coconut oil
Fatty acids in coconut oil are saturated by almost 90%. With 40% of saturated fat lauric acid, the composition of this oil is like no other. The combinations make it resistant to heat and perfect for frying. South Indian households predominantly use coconut oil for cooking. Ketogenic diets also incorporate coconut oil usage, but no studies support its impact on ketosis.
Sunflower oil
Sunflower is widely available in the Indian market, making it a common household preference. The quality of the product matters when choosing a pack of sunflower oil. While this type of oil does reduce risks associated with cardiovascular diseases, it is not the best option to choose. Sunflower has vitamin E and antioxidant content.
Mustard oil
The smell of mustard oil from a hot pakora makes our desi snacks delectable. Mustard oil has a blend of both MUFA and PUFA and also omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. However, it is not a healthy option as it contains high levels of erucic acid. Occasional usage in moderation is acceptable, but people with heart conditions best avoid it.
Rice bran oil
Rice bran has the perfect balance of MUFA and PUFA. It is often used for making desserts like cakes and cookies. However, excess consumption can lead to flatulence, disrupting your bowel movements. It is not the best option for regular cooking.
Soybean oil
If you purchase cold-press or unrefined soybean oil, it will be healthier than other available options. Mixing this oil with avocado or olive oil will improve nutritiveness. The combination works better to prevent heart conditions than using only soybean.
Safflower oil
Safflower balances cholesterol levels as it lowers LDL and improves HDL. The chances of having a heart condition decrease as this oil prevents the hardening of arteries.
Tips to use the best cooking oil
There is a no-size-fits-all option when it comes to choosing the perfect oil. It is best to use multiple oils for different purposes while considering the proportion. The following tips will guide you better:
Choosing healthy oils
Healthy oils have high unsaturated fat content. Choosing products with more MUFA than PUFA will be better alternatives for maintaining heart health. While olive oil is the best MUFA option to lower blood sugar levels and inflammation, mustard oil is also preferred.
Consider the smoke point
When the oil of your pan stops simmering and creates fumes, it reaches the smoke point and starts burning. The required temperature depends on what you are cooking. For example, deep frying requires a high smoke point. If the oil starts burning too fast and too quickly, it has high PUFA.
Dig deeper into oil extraction
Move over the marketing gimmicks that make a product attractive and understand how the oil is processed. Don’t believe the false claims – a good oil will not be described with fancy words.
Most oil brands today use hexane, a chemical to process oil, and they are treated with acid, bleach, and alkali. To avoid buying such products, do not choose refined oils. The ones that are minimally processed are unrefined. Cold press and expeller-pressed oils are the best options.
Consider the cuisine
Oils have different flavours and aromas. For example, Asian food goes well with peanut oil and the Mediterranean with olive oil. Unrefined oils are tastier and healthier than refined ones. For Indian curries, you can use Ghee when not combined with sour ingredients like tamarind.
Use oil adequately
We tend to reheat and reuse oil used before. If you do so with refined cooking oils, it will break down and form free radicals giving our bodies oxidative stress. It can also trigger trans-fat formation as the process changes the chemical of the oil.
What I do
I hope this article has provided you with the required information. However, if you are still confused, I am sharing how I use different oils based on the recipes, which will be easy to follow:
- Ghee for tadka in Dals, Punjabi dishes and over Rotis, Parathas, and Naans.
- Bengali and Odia fish recipes go best when fried and cooked in Mustard oil that retains the smell of the oil.
- Unrefined Mustard oil (the equivalent of Rapeseed oil in Germany) is used for vegetable-based Sabzies.
- When making deep fry food at home (occasionally), we use mustard, Rapeseed, and Ghee (sometimes). We use that batch of oil only once for deep frying. Once that is complete, we filter it out and use it for tadka (at a much lower temperature) during everyday cooking.
- I use extra virgin olive oil for most Western dishes — soups, pasta, salad dressings, etc.
- I do use coconut oil and sesame oil for some South Indian dishes.
- I also use butter for Parathas, as butter is easily available in Supermarkets in Germany, but Ghee is not. However, Butterschmalz is very close to Ghee, and we usually use it rather than getting Ghee from Indian stores.
We highly recommend you include the best cooking oil for Indian food for varied dishes. Avoid refined oils and find a local dealer for minimally processed cold-pressed unrefined oil.
Connect with us today!
If you are still confused about choosing the best cooking oil for Indian food, we will assist you. At Half Life To Health, we create diet recommendations considering your medical condition.
If you are suffering from heart conditions or can have a hereditary inclination, we will create a diet chart accordingly. We will help you purchase the right product and optimally use it for cooking recipes. All you need to do is hit us with a DM on Instagram, and we will contact you for a discovery call.