Oil To Health, Lifestyle - Health - Kolkata Mirror,Kolkata Mirror

By Sreechandra Banerjee

Posted On Saturday, November 07, 2009 at 05:59:52 PM

The festive season is on and no festival is complete without eating. But what would be a healthy cooking oil? Earlier it was mustard oil that dominated the Indian cuisine and usage of other white oils like sunflower oil was not in vogue. Unfortunately this mustard oil came to be considered unsuitable for human consumption in the US, Canada and European Union, although there was no documentary evidence of negative health effects in humans.

Mustard oil protects against cardiovascular disease

The reason for banning it was the presence of erucic acid, one of the principal constituents of mustard oil. Early studies on rats indicated unsuitability. Later studies have however shown that vegetable fats are less digested by rats, irrespective of whether they contain erucic acid or not.

Nowadays it is believed that mustard oil protects against cardiovascular diseases and is one of the healthiest oils. It has an optimum ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and a good quantity of Omega-3 fatty acid, which are essential for health and metabolism. It is said that an imbalance of this ratio can lead to heart attacks, cancer, insulin resistance, depression, postpartum depression, premature aging, stroke, obesity, diabetes, arthritis, asthma, lupus, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease and others.

Dr Subhankar Chowdhury, an eminent endocrinologist, says, “Mustard oil, rich in mono-unsaturated fats, is a balanced oil although some other oils may have higher quantities of Omega-3. Mustard oil is good for prevention of oxidative stress, stroke and heart attack. It is good for those who go for single cooking oil. And others who would like to alternate with other white oils can do so in the ratio of 2:1. But even if mustard oil is good, too much intake is not called for. One must consume it according to one’s calorie needs.”

Mustard oil has the goodness of olive oil and is better than it

Again dietary deficiencies in Omega-3 fatty acids may cause an increase in levels of unwanted cholesterol (LDL) levels, proneness to blood clotting, decrease in memory and mental abilities, some tingling sensation of nerves, poor vision, impaired immunity, improper membrane function, hypertension, irregular heart beats, menopausal problems, learning disorders and growth retardation in infants, children and pregnant women.

Says Dr Tapabrata Chatterjee, a noted pediatrician, “Mustard oil has the goodness of olive oil and is better than it. For children, mustard oil can thus be used as a cooking medium.”

Omega-3 is also present in other oils like linseed or flaxseed oil, which contains the highest amount of Omega-3. However, this oil must be used fresh and in tea-spoon amounts and may not be suitable for very high temperature deep frying. Other cheap oils like canola oil/rape-seed oil, soy-oil, and wheat germ oil have good quantities of Omega-3, but there may be other disadvantages either for presence of undesirable Omega3-Omega-6 ratio, other ingredients, damages to food properties in the process of refining etc.

Sunflower oil also has high amounts of poly-unsaturated fatty acids including higher amounts of Omega-6. Studies suggest that this might increase the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer and prostate cancer.

‘Kachi Ghani’ mustard oil, which is the cold pressed variety, because of the method of processing, is considered to be a good cooking medium.

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