Oil: Which is Better

Query from Anita Chahal aunty ji:
I have a very basic query
Please advise,which is the best refined oil to be used...one that is healthy,as well as affordable
I normally use mustard oil for all dry vegetables ,,and soyabean oil (mahakosh,or ginni) for gravies etc.
Tomorrow ,I have to go to get my kitchen supplies,so thought of getting expert advice from you and Amit ji

Here are snippets from our discussion on cooking oil :

Though I am not an expert in the niche, my research says that we should be wise enough to interchange oils after a few weeks (say 15 days) . It is even better if we use different types of oil for different recipes.

• Sunflower oil is considered one of the best and is full of vitamin E. However, it has higher sugar content compared to other oils. 
• Mustard oil is good to go in dry veggies. I, too, use it for stir fries. However, it has high uric content. 
• Rice bran is good to control cholesterol, as it has oryzanol - which is instrumental in breaking triglycerides and cholesterol. It has high smoking point and could be used for deep frying (which you hardly do). However, it has less amount of omega 3. 
• Soyabean oil has high amount of nutrition, but it may increase cholesterol. (We do not use soybean)

• The key to using oil is - first, moderate use; second, use of different oils interchangeably; third, multi-seed oils are a better option (avoiding those containing peanut oil). In my case, we use Saffola, Patanjali mustard oil, Rice bran oil, sunflower, olive oil interchangeably and miserly (moderate use). 

Here's how to make coconut oil at home.

A Word of Caution on Canola Oil

why say no to canola oil

• Last, avoid canola oil at any cost (we have discussed its bad effects in the group a few days back). For example, saffola is a multigrain oil- containing two types of oil; therefore, a healthier option. However, cost may be a deterrent for many , so they may consider using oils interchangeably to derive the best benefits.
• Canola has high amounts of pro-inflammatory omega-6s compared to anti-inflammatory omega-3s. Besides, during the extraction process, canola oil is heated, resulting in oxidative damage to essential fatty acids. Such oil has a rancid odor. The manufacturers disguise the odor by deodorizing and bleaching canola oil before packaging it for sale. 
• So what does the bleached and deodorized oil do to your body? Well, oxidized oil causes damage to your cells and tissues, especially your brain. 

Wondering what is oxidation?
Let's take the example of apple- what happens when it is exposed to air? 

It turns brown under the impact of oxidation. 

Now let's get back to vegetable oils and see what happens when they are oxidized from heat and light during processing.

By consuming oxidized oils, you expose healthy tissues to a volatile substance that threatens to damage them…It has the potential to cause most degenerative diseases, especially those that cause inflammation, such as arthritis, schizophrenia, Parkinson's, bipolar moods, and obsessive compulsive disorders.

Should we use desi ghee or clarfified butter?
Desi ghee is good if you work out daily. Otherwise desi ghee only raises cholesterol and deposition of triglycerides and saturated fat, which block arteries- one of the causes of heart attacks and related disorders.
If someone already has high cholesterol, they must avoid it at all costs.

If you do wish to use desi ghee, do not buy it from the market. Rather churn it out at home.

What about deep frying?

No oil is good for deep frying, because when you deep fry something, it turns into carbon. Repeated use of a deep fried oil risks causing cancer and a number of other health ailments. Except virgin cold pressed olive oil, all other oils are processed and turn into carbon upon excessive heating.
You may still use extra virgin olive oil or saffola oil.

the more you heat oil, the more it turns into carbon

When you use corn oil, please do check the labelling for GM, as most corn available in the market is sourced from genetically modified seeds. (especially American corn).

Does olive oil lose its properties when heated?

pomace oil

Regarding olive oil, it does lose some of its properties upon heating, but it still retains most of its nutrition compared to other oils. I had read a few studies regarding this. Avoid Pomace olive oil at all costs because it is the degraded form of olives and used in machineries in the Western world.

A note: Those with endocrine problem/ hormonal imbalance must avoid soya oil and products.

 So best is to use all oils interchangeably - whether Saffola, sunflower, soybean, olive, or mustard oil.

Doctors should also tell the truth. Just tell them you have high cholesterol, next they will prescribe statins, which cause early diabetes. Tell them fever, most of them prescribe antibiotics even it is viral fever. if you have pain, they prescribe painkillers despite the fact it causes liver damage. the problem is 50% with doctors and another 50% with us. i have seen doctors in India prescribing many drugs that are banned in the United States. we must ask doctors the real cause, the logic behind the prescribed drug, what are side effects. we forget that we have the right to know our treatment process. also, we must make food our medicine, not medicine our food