Very often, we notice some messages like cholesterol-free or fat-free or something related to saturated / unsaturated fat written in some oil containers of grocery stores. Understanding these languages is vital for some people who have been suffering from fat related diseases like atherosclerosis (a condition where the artery to heart becomes narrow by deposition of excess fat).
Reduction or avoidance of fat is crucial for people to curb diseases. But it is not possible to avoid oil totally in our food even if diagnosed with fat related diseases. To limit fat intake we should select the right brand of cooking oil.
Practically, no cooking oil is fat free. But some fats are better than others and have some beneficial effects as well. It is wise to adjust your total intake according to your caloric needs.
The most commonly used word in this subject is 'cholesterol', which is a soft, waxy substance found in all parts of our body. In fact, cooking oils do not have cholesterol but eating too much of oil leads to formation of bad cholesterol in the body. What does that mean?
Dietary fats can be saturated or unsaturated. An easy way to remember the difference is that saturated fats remain solid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) do not; they are liquid at room temperature. Saturated fats raise LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) and lower HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol). Saturated fats are found mainly in fatty cuts of meat, full fat milk and cheese, butter, cream, most commercially baked products such as biscuits, patties and pastries etc. Unsaturated fats are found mostly in plants, and are less likely to raise blood cholesterol levels too much.
In fact, there is evidence that monounsaturated fats (olive, peanut, or canola oils) may even help to lower blood cholesterol and increase the HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol).
Largely talked Omega 3 fatty acids also belong to this group. Sources of omega-6 and omega-3 fats include canola and soy oils and canola based margarines. Sea sources include fish especially oily fish. Omega-3 fats are found in both plant and marine foods and have been found to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Omega fats Improve blood vessel elasticity and boost the immune system. This classification says that "ideal" cooking oil should contain higher amount of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and with minimal or no saturated fats. Oil containing polyunsaturated fats is also a good choice and has a slightly greater impact than monounsaturated fatty acids.
There are a few vegetable fats such as coconut oil or cocoa butter (found in chocolate) that acts like saturated fats in the body. The term hydrogenated vegetables oil appears often on food labels. Hydrogenation is a manufacturing process for making vegetable oils solid at room temperature. Therefore, they are saturated even though they are vegetable oils.
Hydrogenated oils are frequently used in baked goods, snack foods, and margarine. Hydrogenated shortenings like dalda should be used carefully. It is better to prefer corn oil or canola oil. They are lower in saturated fat than those made from animal or vegetable-fat blends.
Well, the amount of fat recommended for a healthy diet varies from person to person. But try to use (especially who are at risk) cooking methods that add little fat to food.

The writer is a Healthcare Management Specialist and Visiting Professor of North South University (NSU), Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Mid-life high cholesterol raises Alzheimer's risk

High cholesterol levels in your 40s may raise the chance of developing Alzheimer's disease decades later, according to a study underscoring the importance of health factors in middle age on risk for the brain ailment.
The findings were presented on Wednesday at a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Chicago.