There are many regional preferences for cooking oils and their use in different parts of the world. The most consumed cooking oils in the world are palm oils (65.15 Million metric tons), Soybean oil (54.59 MMT), rapeseed oil (28.65 MMT), and sunflower seed oil (17.63MMT).
Fats are an essential constituent of food. These are a necessary constituent of most cooked food. It is also the most calorie-dense food averaging nine calories per gram. Carbohydrate and protein food, average calorific density is four calories per gram.
Oils contain saturated fats, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats are the healthiest. These are cardio-protective, regulate blood sugar, and could also aid a weight loss process.
Saturated fatty acids are mostly solid at room temperature. In contrast, fats that stay liquid at room temperature are full of unsaturated fatty acids. Some common examples of cooking fats rich in saturated fatty acids are butter, cheese, dairy products made from whole or reduced-fat content milk, cream, beef fat, fatty beef, etc. Vegetable oil examples of saturated fat-rich oil are coconut oil, palm oil. Olive oil, on the other hand, is rich in unsaturated fatty acids.
Eating foods that contain saturated fats raises the level of cholesterol in your blood. High levels of LDL cholesterol increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. The American Heart Association recommends that an individual’s diet get 5 to 6% of calories from saturated fat.
A daily requirement of 2000 calories a day would calculate about 13 grams of saturated fat per day. American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fats found in animal-based foods like butter, cheese, red meat, etc., in the diet.
In a diet for overweight and obese individuals, the choice of oil and the quantity of oil consumed play an essential part. Oil should provide between 5 to 6 percent of the total calories consumed. Olive and canola oils are excellent oils for a diet for the overweight. The best health benefit will accrue when a combination of oils is used rather than consuming a single oil. Each cooking oil has health benefits, and a mixture works best.
Additional reading:
Nutrition Facts- a guide to good health