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Feature
Canola Oil: Answer to Your Fat Requirement
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Monday, 18 October, 2010, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Dr Neelam Kaur
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By and large vegetable fat is healthier then the animal fat. There are plenty of vegetable oils available in the Indian market. The family physician has great responsibility to guide the patients and other to select oil which has healthy fatty acid profile and improves the lipid status.
Of all the vegetable oils, canola oil has an excellent fatty acid profile. It has the least content of unhealthy saturated fat, is a rich source of healthy fat from of oleic Acid (omega 9 fatty acid), linoleic acid (omega 6 fatty acid) and alpha linolenic acid (omega 3 fatty acid) and these are available in the right proportion.
Alpha linolenic acid (ALA) has been shown to reduce the risk of coronary artery disease by altering blood clotting activity, thereby lowering the risk of stroke also. Canola oil is a better frying medium because oleic acid (omega 9) contained in it, is more resistant to breakdown under high heat then other fatty acids.
In addition, canola oil has the natural antioxidants (Vitamin E, flavonoides) which reduce the incidence of degenerative disorders, caner and heart disease. Canola oil has another protective ingredient in the form of phytosterols.
Canola oil appears to be ideal and affordable cooking oil. In the near future, canola oil is likely to have an edge over all other culinary oils in promoting sound health.
Canola is a variety of the rapeseed plant (Brassica napus or Brasscia campestris) that was development by traditional plant beginnings in western Canada; canola has developed into a global product. Canada is the largest producer of canola oil in the world. It has received attention for its excellent source of good fat and also contains significant amounts of Vitamin E, phytosterols, phenolic acid and flavonoids.
Contents of Canola oil
Canola oil has a high content of mono- unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), which renders it less prone to oxidation on heating. Hence, it makes frying in it safer than other oils. Mono-unsaturated fats have longer shelf life. Olive oil is one of the best oils (close to the constituents of canola oil), its good effects on health are due to the high percentage of mono-unsaturated fats. The mono-unsaturated fats lower the levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and is found to raise high density lipoprotein (HDL). Consumption of MUFA can help manage diabetes mellitus in a better way.
Poly-unsaturated fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6) are essential fatty acids and canola oil can help achieve favorable balance of these two fatty acids for the prevention of cardiovascular health.
Different components of Canola oil
When mustard/rapeseeds are hybridized (to reduce the levels of toxic erucic acid), canola oil is formed, Mustard oil contains 42% of erucic acid. Cases of dropsy have been reported in epidemic form due to adulteration of mustard oil with argemone oil. No case of dropsy has been reported with canola oil. Preparations served in fast food joints are potential sources of trans fatty acids.
The Daily requirement of fat should make up 25-30% of total calories. Most of the calories should come from mono-unsaturated fatty acid and poly-unsaturated fatty acid. Saturated fats should be less than 10% of daily calories. Trans fatty acids should be minimum i.e. less than 1%.
Canola oil is nutritionally balanced cooking oil. Composition of canola oil is shown in Table 1.
Saturated fats and Trans fatty acids
These are usually solid waxy at room temperature, found in animal products such as butter and whole milk, coconut oil, palm oil, canola oil and other oils. Since high intake of saturated fats increases the amount of harmful LDL cholesterol in the blood, it is recommended that its intake he restricted to not more than 10% of the total daily calorie intake. Canola oil containing 7% saturated fat has the lowest saturated fat of all the vegetable oils.
Tran’s fatty acids are derived by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil through partial hydrogenation and function more like a saturated fat. This process of hydrogenation changes some of the unsaturated fats to saturated fats. The level of trans fatty acids in the diet should be kept to the minimum. Refined vegetable oils get oxidized on heating. Repeated use of stored frying oil for cooking cans he highly detrimental to health. Frequent visit to fast food joints can tilt the balance of fat consumption in the wrong direction. The more trans fatty acids in the diet, the higher the serum cholesterol as well as LDL cholesterol.
Mono-unsaturated fatyy acids (MUFA)
Mono-unsaturated fats mainly oleic acid (omega 9 fatty acids) have one double bond and are liquid at room temperature but solidify at low temperatures. These contribute to good health by lowering total serum cholesterol as well as LDL cholesterol levels and control of blood glucose by reducing insulin resistance. Canola oil has high content of mono- unsaturated fats (64.6%).
Poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)
Poly-unsaturated fatty acids i.e. the omega 6 and omega 3 are essential fatty acids and can not be produced by the body and must he acquired from the diet. Canola oil is an excellent source of the essential fatty acids (EFAs). These are needed for a number of important physiological processes including normal growth, skin and hair growth cholesterol metabolism and reproductive function. Essential fatty acids are also used by the body to produce hormone like substances called eicosanoids, which are involved in the regulation of several body functions including pain, swelling and inflammation, water retention, blood clotting, nerve transmission, allergic response, steroid production and hormone synthesis.
NOTE:
SF: - Saturated fats
ALA: - Alpha linolenic Acid or omega 3 fatty acid
IA: - Linoleic Acid or omega 6 fatty acid
MUFA: - Mono-unsaturated fatty acid or omega 9 fatty acid (oleic acid)
Omega 3 fatty acids:
Alpha linolenic acid (Omega 3) fatty acids are most abundant in the cell membranes of the brain, testes, and retina and are necessary for proper neural, visual and reproductive functioning.
The ability of alpha linolenic acid (ALA) to reduce the risk of heart disease was evident in the Lyon Diet Health Study. This clinical study compared a diet low in ALA with a Mediterranean type diet that was rich in ALA derived mainly from canola oil based margarine. At the end of the study, the group on the high-ALA diet had lower cholesterol levels in blood, less coronary events and less rate of cardiac death.
ALA is also important for its effect on other risk factors for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), as alters blood clotting activity and protects against cardiac arrhythmias. It has been documented that consuming an ALA-rich diet lowers the risk of stroke also.
Omega 6 fatty acids:
Linoleic Acid (LA) is another EFA which is abundantly distributed in the liver and platelets. This EFA helps in promoting transport of fatty acids from the liver to the tissues. Researchers believe that these have an important role in reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer and stroke.
Regular supplementation of omega 3 as well as ome
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