Oils - Handle with Care

Oil is a sensitive liquid that must be handled with care. It must be stored and used in the right way, as oil gets oxidized and becomes rancid when exposed to high temperatures, light and atmosphere. Rancid oils create health destroying free radicals and damage millions of cells in our bodies and can cause cancer and other diseases.

To Prevent Spoilage

• Check the expiry date to ensure that what you busy is fresh and buy just enough for a month.• Store oil in a cool, dry and dark place: cupboard, cabinet or closet.
• Pour out small quantities of oil for daily use into a small clean glass bottle. A small container is best as every time a large can is opened, air enters the container.
• Avoid storing oil in a metal container as metal facilitates the oxidation process.
• Control oil temperature while stir-frying or deep-frying, as heating oil past its smoking point can turn the once healthy oil into a Trans fat-laden heart disease machine.
• Avoid recycling oil. Repeated heating at high temperatures degrades oil and release harmful free radicals.

Facts on Oils

1. Olive oil is better than butter

All oils have a predominance of a certain fat. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat that is good for your heart and reduces your risk of heart disease. Other oils may contain monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and saturated fatty acids (SFA), butter is mainly saturated fat that can increase cholesterol. However, you can still enjoy it in small quantities and use it for baking. Since it is solidified fat, you can also control how much is used.

2. Oils are essential

Yes, each tablespoon does contain 120 calories but it’s unwise to skip oils f rom the diet. Oils are essential for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K. Skin and hair benefit f rom oil intake as well. However, it’s wise to have oil in moderation, as they cause calories to rise!

3. Use ‘bad’ oils sparingly

The worst oil to consume is partially hydrogenated oils or trans fats found in candy, crackers, chips – these are vegetable oils that are chemically altered. They are known to raise LDL(bad cholesterol) and decrease HDL (good cholesterol) They also increase your risk for diabetes.

Fact

According to the American Heart Association, you should not consume more than 1% of your total daily calories from trans-fat. This means less than 2 grams for women.