2023-12-14 09:26:00
Margarine & Co.
14.12.2023
You can find butter, olive oil or rapeseed oil in every kitchen. But many fats have a negative image, even though they keep us healthy. Why the body needs healthy oils and which ones are suitable for cooking.
They are often shunned and have a bad reputation. But fats are essential for the human body. They are important nutritional building blocks that are urgently needed. However, they should be healthy fats – the amount and the right ratio also play an important role.
function
The organism needs fats to utilize vitamins A, D, E and K. They are also needed as energy suppliers for muscles and brain cells. They are also essential for the production and regulation of hormones and the structure of cell membranes.
Health promoting
Whether an oil is classified as healthy depends, among other things, on the composition of the fatty acids it contains. Unsaturated fatty acids such as olive oil are considered to be beneficial for health. Refined oils containing saturated fatty acids are less nutrient dense, detrimental to cholesterol levels and should be taken in moderation.
Requirement. The AGES (Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety) recommends one to two tablespoons of vegetable oils, nuts or seeds daily. You should use high-quality, organic vegetable oils such as olive oil.
Weight
If you use high-quality oils in moderation, you won’t gain weight or get sick.
Avoid as much as possible
Transfette, which are mainly found in industrially processed products, are considered harmful to health and lead to more belly fat. If you consume them frequently, it can increase cholesterol levels and thus the risk of arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Frequent consumption also promotes inflammatory processes in the body. Among other things, they can cause chronic inflammatory reactions in the intestines and change the microbiome. If you eat them often, they are used to build new cell membranes, which is a problem. The membranes become immobile and this affects the exchange of substances, signal transmission and the adaptability of the cells.
Use in moderation:
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Saturated fatty acids: Found in animal products such as meat, cheese, milk, butter or lard. Palm oil and coconut oil also contain saturated fatty acids.
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Margarine: May contain harmful ingredients such as artificial flavors, emulsifiers, colors, preservatives, mineral oil residues and trans fats.
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Trans fats: The harmful fats are contained in fried foods such as French fries, spring rolls or fried vegetables and in industrially produced confectionery (cookies, donuts, rusks, cakes, puff pastries, muesli bars and croissants). They can also be found in snacks such as potato chips, popcorn, crackers or roasted nuts as well as breakfast cereals, breadings, dry soups, margarine, in fast food such as burgers, frozen products or in coffee drinks due to artificial coffee creamers.
Cooking, baking, frying
Particularly during Advent, the question arises as to which fats are suitable for preparing various delicacies. When cooking, it is important to consider the smoke point. This is the temperature at which the cooking oil begins to smoke when heated. For example, if you heat virgin or cold-pressed olive oil above 130 degrees Celsius, trans fats can be formed. At very high temperatures, heat-resistant refined oils such as rapeseed, coconut or sunflower oil, which can be used above 200 degrees Celsius, are used for cooking.
Special case
Ghee – called “clarified butter” in our part of the world – is considered to be health-promoting in Ayurveda, and the clarified butter is also easy to digest. With a high smoke point of over 200 degrees Celsius, clarified butter is suitable for cooking, roasting, baking and deep-frying.
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