Other Oils:

Oils such as linseed or hempseed contain more of the anti inflammatory alpha-linolenic acid, while olive oil contains oleocanthal, a substance with similar effect. These fats work in a similar way to aspirin or ibuprofen, but in much smaller doses, so though they may not help ease an acute headache, using these oils regularly can help against inflammatory disease, menstrual pain, chronic headaches etc. Sometimes pain levels can be reduced somewhat simply by eating more vegetable than animal fat.

Flax seed oil contains lot of Omega-3 and ALA, however due to its large content of PUFA it should not be used for cooking. However, virgin or cold pressed palm oil, though very low in Omega-3 fats, is also low in Omega-6 fats and hence can be used for cooking, again refining it makes it less healthy.

AVOID – Rape seed oil, Grape seed oil, Soy bean oil, Safflower oil, Corn oil, Cotton seed oil, Sesame oil and Sunflower oil – all these are too rich in Omega-6 fats and their processing also introduces some Transfats into them.

Now what should you look out for in the table full of numbers? Here are some suggestions:

1) Consider how the oil is extracted

Edible oils that have not been overly processed retain more phytonutrients and would be a better choice than their highly refined and high temperature-treated counterparts.

It is important to match the right oil with the cooking method you intend to use. For instance, if you plan to do stir frying, searing, high-heat baking or roasting, then it is imperative to choose a cooking oil that can withstand the high heat without disintegrating too much. That is where the smoke point column in the table comes in useful.

As a general rule of thumb, cooking oils with low smoke point should not be used for high temperature cooking. You can use them for steaming, blanching, stewing slowly in a cooker, as well as in cold dishes.

Generally, for the same type of oil, the more refined it is, the higher its smoke point. But bear in mind that that also means the oil would have gone through substantial processing which may have removed most of its beneficial components.

Industrial refined vegetable oils like soybean and corn oils are usually extracted using toxic chemical solvents, such as hexane, to pull out more oil from the crops. But inevitably, trace amounts of chemical residue are left in the oil even though steps would have been taken to remove them. While short term ingestion of small amount of such chemicals is unlikely to cause any problems in healthy individuals, long term ingestion effects are currently unknown. No human study has been carried out so far to assess the long term effects of chronic low-grade exposure to chemical solvents in cooking oil.

But considering the ubiquitous presence of cooking oil in almost every food we eat each day, do you want to take the chance? If you don’t, then you may want to opt for food grade oils that have been extracted mechanically. Such oils are usually labeled as ‘cold-pressed’ or ‘expeller-pressed’. However, because mechanical extraction gives lower yields, oils that are extracted using this method usually cost more.

2) Keep omega-3 to omega-6 intake in balance (See ‘Glossary and Explanation of Terms – Omega 3, Omega 6 and Omega 9)

The intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fats needs to be in balance as consuming too much omega-6 while taking not enough omega-3 fatty acids could promote inflammation.

High Omega 6 content combined with a processed food culture and a sedentary lifestyle has led to the global epidemic of chronic diseases that we have today.

Rather than stoking the flames of inflammation with more omega-6 fats from your cooking oil, opt instead for oils with high omega-3 to omega-6 ratio (ideally 1:1 up to 1:4 or even 4:1) to cut down on your omega-6 intake. As Omega-9 can be created within our body, it is not an essential fatty acids, but good levels of Omega-9 in cooking oils helps.

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