Using cooking oil correctly can bring numerous health benefits; otherwise, it may pose serious health risks.
Cooking oil is an essential ingredient in the cooking practices of Vietnamese families. It not only enhances the flavor of dishes but also provides energy to the body. However, improper usage of cooking oil can be harmful to health.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Lam, former Deputy Director of the National Institute of Nutrition, states that everyone needs fat. Each person requires approximately 45 grams of fat daily to ensure adequate energy supply and to aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin E.
Moreover, fat is crucial for cell structure and hormone function. Therefore, both deficiency and excessive intake of fat can be detrimental to health.
Nutrition experts recommend not frying at high temperatures.
How to Use Cooking Oil Correctly
Experts recommend that the healthy way to use cooking oil is to avoid frying at high temperatures. When frying, keep the flame low. However, the best practice is to use it for salad dressings to preserve the double bonds of unsaturated fatty acids in the oil.
Common Mistakes When Using Cooking Oil
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Lam warns that the common practice of using cooking oil for frying, stewing, or cooking at high temperatures in Vietnam can diminish the nutritional value of food. Cooking at high temperatures or reusing frying oil multiple times can alter the oil, creating trans fats (unsaturated fats) that are very harmful to health, increasing “bad” LDL cholesterol in the blood and the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
According to research by the World Health Organization (WHO), trans fats are one of the factors that raise total cholesterol levels, increase bad cholesterol, and decrease good cholesterol.
The expert also emphasizes that cooking oil with a burnt smell indicates that the double bonds have broken down during frying. This shows that the oil has lost its nutritional value and has produced trans fats (harmful fatty acids formed during food preparation in cooking oil at high temperatures).
To mitigate the risk of forming unhealthy fats when using cooking oil, it is essential to fry at low temperatures and to dispose of excess oil and clean the pan before preparing the next dish.
According to experts, knowing how to use cooking oil correctly will help maintain the health of yourself and your family. Proper cooking habits not only ensure food safety and hygiene but also help prevent many preventable diseases.
