Best Cooking Oils for High Cholesterol

Numerous cooking oils are available in the market, varying in flavour to nutrient composition. Nevertheless, choosing the best oil for cholesterol might be difficult. Oils are derived from nuts, fruits, seeds, cereals, and animal products and they are combination of various fatty acids. A heart-healthy oil that lowers your risks for high cholesterol and heart disease is rich in healthier, unsaturated fats. Take a look at the article to learn about factors to keep in mind while choosing oil, which oil is good for cholesterol and which oil you should avoid.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Oil

Few factors to keep in mind before choosing which oil to consume includes:

1. The smoke point or burning point of the oil. This is the temperature at which the oil is no longer stable and it starts to breakdown, losing its nutritional value.

2. Whether the oil is refined or un-refined. Refined oil undergoes high-heat extraction process which results in loss of natural nutrients, flavor, and aroma. On the contrary, unrefined or cold-pressed oils get extracted from no or minimal heat and therefore are more nutrient-dense options.

3. Fat composition of the oil is crucial. This is because oils with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat benefit your overall health, while oils rich in saturated and trans fats raises your risk for chronic illnesses, including high cholesterol.

Oils for Healthy Cholesterol Levels

This includes:

1. Sesame oil

Sesame oil is cholesterol-free but has a lower smoke point than other oils. It is an oil best for cholesterol. It also has a balanced fat content, with 2 g of saturated fat and nearly 5 g of monounsaturated fat per tablespoon.

2. Peanut oil

Peanut oil is a high-temperature cooking oil made from the seeds of the peanut plant. Raw or cold-pressed peanut oil is an inexpensive option that retains most benefits. Peanut oil is ideal for grilling, roasting veggies, and searing meats because of its high smoke point.

3. Olive oil

The least processed kind of olive oil, extra-virgin, is one of the healthiest since it contains no cholesterol. Choose olive oil that has been cold-pressed; this type of oil is the best as the pressing process never raises the temperature.

4. Chia seed oil

Golden-colored chia oil is rich in alpha-linolenic acid, which aids in synthesising heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Its high smoke point and bland flavour make it perfect for salads, spaghetti, and moderate sautéing.

5. Avocado oil

Avocado oil has the highest monounsaturated fats, which are beneficial for heart health, inflammation relief, and antioxidants. Furthermore, lutein, one of the healthy antioxidants found in avocado oil, is not produced by your body naturally.

Oils to Avoid if you have High Cholesterol

1. Saturated Fats

Solid fats at room temperature are known as saturated fats. They may increase blood vessel fatty deposit levels. The fat content of butter, shortening, lard, and hard-stick margarine is high.

2. Hydrogenated Oils

The only reason hydrogenated oils are treated is to increase their shelf life. This indicates that hydrogen has been introduced to the oil's chemical structure. The texture and concentration of saturated fats both rise with hydrogen content.

3. Tropical Oils

Refined coconut oil has become increasingly popular because of its comparatively high smoke point (450 F) and neutral flavour. Yet, it increases LDL levels and contains 87% saturated fat.