The Channel 46
Indian cooking typically sees the use of refined oil for cooking. But this festive season, start using cold-pressed groundnut oil for cooking. It has a high smoke point which is suitable for Indian cooking. Several studies have revealed that groundnuts contain a good source of compounds like Resveratrol, Phenolic Acids, Flavonoids, and Phytosterols that block the absorption of cholesterol from the diet.
Groundnut oil, sesame (til) oil, coconut oil, mustard oil, flaxseed oil are some of the varieties of cold-pressed oils best for many health conditions; they are also good for Keto diet, vegan diet, cooking, salad dressings, and baking. Here is a list of 7 day vegetarian keto meal plan to include in your diet and see the transformation yourself.
The main reason why cooking oils have such a bad reputation is because of their high-fat content. Most oils are loaded with unhealthy fats known as ‘saturated fat’, which leads to an increase in the level of bad cholesterol. The altered antioxidant status reflects an adaptive response to oxidative stress. Eating food made with cooking oil results in various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart and kidney function problems and more.
There are two properties of cooking oils that matter most: – Smoke Point: The temperature at which the fats begin to break down and turn into smoke – Oxidative Stability: How resistant the fats are to reacting with oxygen. These oils have a smoke point high enough to be used for frying
Ghee is produced mainly by indigenous methods in Asia, the Middle-East and Africa. Ghee is mainly used for culinary purposes, but it is also used for therapeutic purposes. The typical flavour of ghee is its major criterion for acceptance. Carbonyls, Lactones and free fatty acids are reported to be the important ghee flavouring compounds. Ghee is fairly shelf-stable largely because of its low moisture content and possible antioxidative properties.
Cold-pressed oil is often used as cooking oil, it is also used for sautéing and deep-frying. It has a high smoke point which is suitable for Indian cooking. Cold pressing technique retains all its natural flavour, aroma, and nutritive value making this oil excellent for cooking and adds more taste to food dishes. Unlike refined oils, Kachi Ghani oils are not passed through chains of processing.
Indian cooking has typically made use of refined coconut, peanut/groundnut, sesame, mustard oils and ghee for cooking, depending on what was available in the region. Refined oil is also known as the distilled, purified, or filtered form of natural oil. This oil is produced after treating natural oils with numerous chemicals like Hexane. In the process of making and refining these types of oils, it leads to Rancid Polyunsaturated fatty acids which do not hold up well to high heats.
The answer is ‘no’. Several properties of oils are altered during frying, Total Polar Compounds (TPC) are formed during repeated frying. The toxicity of these compounds is associated with several diseases such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, liver diseases, cancer. Therefore, it is very important to monitor the quality of vegetable oils during frying.
The Channel 46